The Office of Health Outcomes Research was established in 2007 to promote outcomes research at Winthrop, build an externally funded research program, assist clinical investigators in developing and conducting research, and help evaluate the hospital's clinical programs.

• What is Health Outcomes Research?
• Departmental Goals and Functions
• Staff
• Recent Publications
• Contact Information

What is Health Outcomes Research?

In contrast to biomedical research, which seeks understanding of biological processes at the level of the molecule, cell, tissue, organ, or organism, health outcomes research investigates health care at the level of the patient, the clinician, the practice setting, the institution, the community, or the society as a whole. Outcomes research uses a variety of study designs and analytic tools according to the context and scientific problem of interest. The domain of outcomes research includes, for example:

• studies describing local variations in clinical practice patterns
• studies to develop or test practice guidelines
• studies that compare different approaches to the management of specific medical conditions
• studies that examine patients' and clinicians' beliefs and attitudes as they may affect medical decision making

Together with Winthrop's Clinical Trials Center, the Office of Health Outcomes Research can offer methodologic support for virtually all types of scientific investigation, apart from bench research, that is carried out at the hospital.

Departmental Goals and Functions

The Office of Health Outcomes Research has the following goals:

1. Strengthen Winthrop's research program by taking full advantage of the hospital's clinical environment as a laboratory for patient care research.
2. Expand research opportunities for trainees.
3. Improve the quality and efficiency of care at the hospital by rigorously evaluating existing or planned patient care protocols and clinical programs. These goals are reflected in the Office's three main functions: research, education, and program evaluation.

Research

Research supported by the Office of Health Outcomes Research typically involves collaborations with other departments at Winthrop. In some cases, the Director or another staff member serves as the principal investigator, faculty from other departments supplying the necessary clinical expertise. In other cases, roles are reversed: the Office provides methodologic expertise for investigations initiated and led by faculty from another department. For certain types of studies, partnerships with Stony Brook or other collaborating sites are necessary to achieve adequate sample sizes and strong research teams.

Teaching

Our staff teach and mentor trainees and faculty by offering lectures to Winthrop residents, fellows, and faculty that promote health outcomes research and strengthen research skills. We also provide individual mentoring in conjunction with specific research projects.

Program Evaluation

A scientific approach to the delivery of health care can help an institution achieve key objectives: maximizing the quality and efficiency of care. Rigorous program evaluations can identify program strengths and weaknesses, pinpoint areas for improvement, and help hospital administrators make decisions based on a program's quality and value to the hospital and its patients. Institutional leaders can use study findings to promote high-performing programs, guide remedial actions in the case of a program with quality or efficiency problems, or support a decision to discontinue a program based on poor performance. Typically, hospital or program administrators approach the Office of Health Outcomes Research for help in evaluating a planned or existing program.

Program evaluations sometimes offer insights that extend beyond a single institution. In such cases-when there is little distinction between "research" and "evaluation"-the findings may be publishable.

Staff

Donald A. Brand, Ph.D.
Director

Dr. Brand came to Winthrop in 2007 from New York Medical College, where he had been professor of medicine and pediatrics and director of primary care research. Before that, he had been a faculty member at Yale School of Medicine and School of Management. He holds a Ph.D. in operations research from Yale University and a master's degree in history of science from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Brand CV

Patricia A. Patrick, M.P.H.
Research Associate

Ms. Patrick came to Winthrop in 2007. She previously held a faculty position at New York Medical College, where she taught epidemiology and served as a research associate in the Primary Care Research Unit since 1999. Ms. Patrick holds an M.P.H. degree and is currently a doctoral candidate in epidemiology at New York Medical College.
Patrick CV

Lavern Harvey
Administrative Assistant

Ms. Harvey has been at Winthrop since 1999. In addition to her role as administrative assistant in the Office of Health Outcomes Research, she serves as a clinical trial representative in the Clinical Trials Center. She previously worked as a data researcher in the Division of Nephrology.

Recent Publications

Shani D, Brand DA, Patrick PA. Unrecognized thyroid dysfunction in patients with cancer. Support Care Cancer 2003;11:63-65.

Altman RL, Brand DA, Forman S, Kutscher M, Lowenthal D, Franke K, Mercado V. Abusive head injury as a cause of apparent life-threatening events in infancy. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2003;157:1011-1015.

Baker K, Brand DA, Hen J. Classifying asthma-disagreement among specialists. Chest 2003;124:2156-2163.

Etelson D, Brand DA, Patrick PA, Shirali A. Childhood obesity: Do parents recognize this health risk? Obes Res 2003;11:1362-1368.

Edwards KS, Gardner T, Altman RL, Brand DA. Urinary tract infection presenting as an ALTE: report of three cases. Clin Pediatr 2004;43:375-377.

Harrington JW, Brand DA, Edwards KS. Seizure disorder as a risk factor for gastroesophageal reflux in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Clin Pediatr 2004;43:557-562

Brand DA, Viola D, Rampersaud P, Patrick PA, Rosenthal WS, Wolf DC. Waiting for a liver-hidden costs of the organ shortage. Liver Transplantation 2004;10:1001-1010.

Chang LL, Grayson MS, Patrick PA, Sivak SL. Incorporating the fourth year of medical school into an internal medicine residency: effect of an accelerated program on performance outcomes and career choice. Teach Learn Med, 2004;16:361-4.

Brand DA, Altman RL, Edwards KE, Purtill K. Yield of diagnostic testing in infants who have had an apparent life-threatening event. Pediatrics 2005;115:885-893.

Brand DA. Benefits, harms, and the design of clinical trials. Med Decis Making 2005;25:246-247.

Brechtl JR, Patrick PA, Visintainer P, Brand DA. Predictors of death within six months in patients with advanced AIDS. Palliat Support Care 2005;3:265-272.

Ashe D, Patrick PA, Stempel MM, Shi Q, Brand DA. Educational posters to reduce antibiotic use. J Pediatr Health Care 2006;20:192-7.

Harrington JW, Rosen L, Garnecho A, Patrick PA. Parental perceptions and use of CAM practices for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders in private practice. J Dev Behav Pediatr 2006;27(2 Suppl):S156-61.

Harrington JW, Patrick PA, Edwards KS, Brand DA. Parental beliefs about autism- implications for the treating physician. Autism 2006;10:452-462.

Weir LA, Etelson D, Brand DA. Parents' perceptions of neighborhood safety and children's physical activity. Prev Med 2006;43:212-217.

Brand DA, Saisana M, Rynn LA, Pennoni F, Lowenfels AB. Comparative analysis of alcohol control policies in 30 countries. PLoS Med 2007;4:e151

Altman RL, Forman S, Brand DA. Ophthalmologic findings in infants after an apparent life-threatening event. Eur J Ophthalmol 2007;17:648-653.

Altman RL, Li K, Brand DA. Infections and apparent life-threatening events. Clin Pediatr (in press).

Brand DA, Grayson MS, Patrick PA. Mid-career research training for the generalist physician-case study of a balancing act. Teach Learn Med (in press).

Contact Information

For information, please contact:

Donald A. Brand, Ph.D.
Director, Office of Health Outcomes Research
(516) 663-2914

Patricia A. Patrick, M.P.H.
Research Associate, Office of Health Outcomes Research
(516) 663-2016

Lavern Harvey
Administrative Assistant
(516) 663-2914


Office of Health Outcomes Research
Winthrop-University Hospital
222 Station Plaza North, Suite 300
Mineola, NY 11501
Phone: (516) 663-2914
Fax: (516) 663-4747