UPMC Health Plan believes in whole-person care and we put our members at the center of everything we do. As part of an integrated delivery and finance system, we are in a unique position to align incentives, deliver better care, reduce costs, and improve the health of the communities we serve. As we innovate, we want to share our learnings broadly and improve health care across the country.
New ideas for better health care
Good Health, Better World podcast
The Good Health, Better World podcast series convenes a discussion with a diverse group of stakeholders to discuss some of health care's most important (and often challenging) topics. Central to the podcast are the independent viewpoints from community and government stakeholders as well as the expertise of UPMC Health Plan clinicians and subject matter experts. Listen to the Good Health, Better World podcast.
Looking for an expert?
Health care is changing rapidly and our clinical, pharmacy, and business leaders are at the forefront of innovation. Interested in speaking with one of our experts? Contact our media relations professionals.
Driving transformation through research
The UPMC Center for High-Value Health Care, a non-profit research organization housed within the UPMC Insurance Services Division, was established in 2011 to translate the work of UPMC’s unique payer-provider laboratory into evidence-based practice and policy change for improving health care quality and efficiency. Innovation, learning, and dissemination are core elements of this mission. Learn more about the Center’s research.
Selected peer-reviewed publications
Over the last 10 years, UPMC Health Plan has published more than 150 peer-review publications covering a wide variety of health care topics such as wellness and disease prevention, clinical care delivery, pharmacy, behavioral health, payment models, health tech, and social determinants. A selection of peer-review publications can be found below.
Expand All Collapse All
- Examining Misaligned Incentives for Payors and Manufacturers in Value-Based Pharmaceutical Contracts. Kannarkat J, Good CB, Kelly E, Parekh N. Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy, January 2020. 26(1), p. 63-66.
- Impact of Community Pharmacist-Led Interventions in Chronic Disease Management on Clinical, Utilization, and Economic Outcomes: An Umbrella Review. Newman TV, San-Juan Rodriguez A, Parekh N, Swart ECS, Fedyshin MK, Shrank WH. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, January 14 2020. S1551-7411(19), p. 30553-4.
- Impact of Physician Referral to Health Coaching on Patient Engagement and Health Risks: An Observational Study of UPMC’s Prescription for Wellness. Parkinson MD, Hammonds T, Keyser DJ, Wheeler JR, Peele PB. American Journal of Health Promotion, February 2020. 34(4), p. 366-375. epub ahead of print.
- The Impact of Behavioral Health Homes on Cost and Utilization Outcomes. Highland J, Nikolajski C, Kogan J, Yang J, Schuster J. Psychiatric Services, April 28, 2020. epub ahead of print.
- Interpreting Covid-19 Test Results: A Bayesian Approach. Good CB, Hernandez I, Smith K. Journal of General Internal Medicine, June 2020. 3: p. 1-2.
- The Practicalities of Conducting a Comparative Effectiveness Study to Understand How Behavioral Health Homes Improve Outcomes for Adults With Serious Mental Illness. Nikolajski, C, Kogan, JN, Schuster, J. SAGE Research Methods Cases Medicine & Health, 2020.
- Challenges in Conducting a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial of Two Technology-Supported Approaches to Support Medication Treatment Decisions. Williams, K, Nikolajski, C, MacDonald-Wilson, K SAGE Research Methods Cases. 2020.
- The Core 4 Clinical Model: Strengthening the Behavioral Health Workforce through a Focus on Foundational Clinical Skills. Dan DK, Herschell AD, Bodea-Crisan T, Schake PL, Gavin JG. Journal of Rural Mental Health, 2020. 44(2), p. 118-128.
- An Evaluation of Lifestyle Health Coaching Programs Using Trained Health Coaches and Evidence-based Curricula at 6 Months Over 6 Years. Budzowski AR, Parkinson MD, Silfee VJ. American Journal of Health Promotion, January 2019. 33(6), p. 912-915.
- Deprescribing in Advanced Illness: Aligning Patient, Clinician and Health Plan Goals. Parekh N, Schenker Y, Good CB, Neilson, LM, Shrank WH. Journal of General Internal Medicine, February 2019. Epub ahead of print.
- The Impact of Genetic Counseling on Patient Engagement in a Specialty Cancer Clinic. Zakas AL, Leifeste C, Ddley B, Karloski E, Afonso S, Grubs RE, Shaffer JR, Durst AL, Parkinson MD, Brand R. Journal of Genetic Counseling, July 2019. 28(5), p. 1-8.
- Physician Satisfaction With Health Plans: Results From a National Survey. Parekh N, Savage S, Helwig A, Metes I, Shrank WH. AJMC, July 2019.
- A Comparison of Adherence, Outcomes, and Costs Among Opioid Use Disorder Medicaid Patients Treated With Buprenorphine and Methadone: A View From the Payer Perspective. Kinsky, S, Houck, P, Mayes, K, Loveland, D, Daley, D, Schuster, J. Journal of Substance Abuse Use Treatment, September 2019. 104, p. 15-21.
- Optimizing the Role of Community Pharmacists in Managing the Health of Populations: Barriers, Facilitators, and Policy Recommendations. Newman TV, Hernandez I, Keyser D, San-Juan-Rodriguez A, Swart E, Shrank WH, Parekh N. Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy, September 2019. 25(9), p. 9595-1000.
- Impact of Star Rating Medication Adherence Measures on Adherence for Targeted and Non-Targeted Medications. Parekh N, Munshi KD, Hernandez I, Gellad WF, Henderson R, Shrank WH. Value in Health, November 2019, 22(11), p. 1266-1274.
- A Payer-Guided Approach to Widespread Diffusion of Behavioral Health Homes in Real-World Settings. Schuster J, Nikolajski C, Kogan J, Kang C, Schake P, Carney R, Morton SC, Reynolds CF. Health Affairs, February 2018. 37(2), p. 248-256.
- Government as Innovation Catalyst: Lessons From the Early Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation Models. Perla RJ, Pham H, Gilfillan R, Berwick DM, Baron RJ, Lee P, McCannon CJ, Progar K, Shrank WH. Health Affairs, February 2018. 37(2), p. 213-221.
- Advancing Value-Based Population Health Management Through Payer–Provider Partnerships: Improving Outcomes for Children With Complex Conditions. Peele P, Keyser D, Lovelace J, Moss D. Journal for Healthcare Quality, March/April 2018. 40(2), p. 26-32.
- Delivering on the Value Proposition of Precision Medicine: The View From Healthcare Payers. Kogan J, Empey P, Kanter J, Keyser D, Shrank WH. American Journal of Managed Care Commentary, April 2018. 33(5), p. 586-587.
- Effective Consolidation: A Model for Reform Through Payer-Provider Integration. Shrank WH, Holder D, Shapiro S. NEJM Catalyst, June 2018.
- Redistributing Investment in Health and Social Services - The Evolving Role of Managed Care. Shrank WH, Keyser DJ, Lovelace JG. JAMA, December 2018. 320(21):2197-2198.
- Geographically-focused Population Health Strategy Delivers High-value Health Care. McGowan M, Keyser D, Kinsky S, Beckjord E, DeGrazia R, Shrank W. Population Health Management, September 2018.
- Diffusion of Innovations in Health Care—Obtaining Evidence to Move Faster. Shrank W, Keyser D. Health Affairs, May 2017.
- Mandating Coverage of Abuse-Deterrent Opioids Would Be a Costly Distraction from More Effective Solutions. Manolis C, Good CB, Shrank W. Health Affairs, May 2017.
- Professional Athletes and Back Surgery: A Teachable Moment on Overuse in Health Care? Shrank W, Keyser D, Delitto A. Health Affairs, August 2017.
- Constructing an Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patient–Centered Medical Home. Regueiro M, Click B, Holder D, Shrank W, McAnallen S, Szigethy E. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, August 2017. 15(8), p. 1148-1153.
- UPMC Prescription for Wellness: A Quality Improvement Case Study for Supporting Patient Engagement and Health Behavior Change. Maners R, Backow E, Parkinson M. American Journal of Medical Quality, November 2017. 33(3), p. 274-282.
- Value of psychiatric rehabilitation in a behavioral health medicaid managed care system. Hutchison S, MacDonald-Wilson K, Karpov I, Maise AM, Wasilchak D, Schuster JM. American Psychological Association, 2017, 40(2), p. 216-224.
- Better Evidence to Guide Payment Reforms Recognizing the Importance of Perspective. Shrank W, Saunders RS, McClellan M. JAMA, 2017. 317(8), p. 805-806.
To see a full list of our peer-reviewed publications and scientific presentations, visit the Center for High-Value Health Care website.