Wendy E. Weller, Ph.D., M.H.S. Assistant Professor Health Policy and Management Address: Department of Health Policy, Management, & Behavior School of Public Health One University Place Rensselaer, NY, 12144-3456 Phone:  (518) 402-0302 Fax:  (518) 402-0414 E-mail:  wweller@albany.edu

HOW DID YOU BEGIN YOUR CAREER IN PUBLIC HEALTH?

“During the 1990s there was a lively debate about the health care system. Despite the wonderful technical aspects of medicine in the United States, there were many people who never even received basic care because they had no health insurance and care can be very expensive. This really increased my interest in learning more about the broad area of health policy, so I pursued my master’s degree in health policy. As part of my program I worked on health care reform at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. That got me ‘hooked’ on the importance of population health and the need to reform the system.”

WHY ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH?

There have been tremendous accomplishments in improving the health of the population as a whole, but challenges continue to remain. Trying to continue to improve the population’s health and quality of life, particularly for those with chronic conditions, really drives my passion for public health.”

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO DO OUTSTANDING RESEARCH IN YOUR FIELD?

“There is still so much more work that needs to be done to improve people’s lives.”

  Education:                  

• B.A., Smith College, Biology, 1989
• M.H.S., Johns Hopkins University, Health Policy, 1994
• Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University, Health Services Research, 2001

Research Interests:

Outcomes research; access to and financing of care for persons with chronic conditions

Current Research Focus:

Dr. Weller's current research focuses on the relationship between provider volume and outcomes for persons undergoing surgical treatment, such as bariatric (weight loss) surgery. She is also examining the effects of family caregiving on the elderly with chronic conditions in order to improve access to care for this population

Courses Frequently Taught:

• HPM 500: Health Care Organization, Delivery, and Financing
• HPM 501: Health Policy Analysis and Management
• HPM 612: Applications in Health Policy Analysis and Evaluation

Selected Publications and Presentations:

Weller WE, Kabra G, Hannan EL. Differences between blacks and whites in percutaneous coronary interventions for acute myocardial infarction. (Submitted to CHEST).

Weller WE, Rosati C, Hannan EL. The relationship between surgeon and hospital volume and readmission following bariatric surgery. (Accepted 2006, Journal of the American College of Surgeons.)

Weller WE, Rosati C, Hannan EL. (2006). Predictors of in-hospital postoperative complications among adults undergoing bariatric procedures in New York State, 2003. Obesity Surgery, 16(6), 702-708.

Weller WE, Hannan EL. (2006). Relationship between provider volume and postoperative complications for bariatric procedures in New York State. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 202(5), 753-761.

Weller WE, Gallagher BK, Cen L, Hannan EL. (2004). Readmissions for venous thromboembolism: expanding the definition of patient safety indicators. Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Safety, 52(2), 187-194.

Bynum JPW, Rabins PV, Weller WE, Niefeld M, Anderson GF, Wu A. (2004). The impact of dementia and chronic illness on Medicare expenditures and hospital use. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 52(2), 187-194.

Himmelhoch S, Weller WE, Sweeney C, Wu AW, Anderson GF, Cooper LA. (2004). Chronic medical illness, depression, and the use of acute medical services among Medicare beneficiaries. Medical Care, 42(6), 512-21

Pavlovich WD, Waters H, Weller W, Bass EB. (2004). Systematic review of literature on the cost-effectiveness of nutrition services. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 104(2), 226-232.

Weller WE, Anderson GF, Minkovitz CS. (2003). Utilization of medical and health-related services among school-aged children with chronic conditions (1994 NHIS-D Baseline Data). Pediatrics, 112 (3 Pt 1), 593-603.

Braunstein JB, Weller WE, Niefeld MR, Anderson GF, Gerstenblith G, Wu A. (2003). Non-cardiac co-morbidity increases preventable hospitalizations and mortality among Medicare beneficiaries with chronic heart failure. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 42(7), 1226-1233.

Niefeld MR, Braunstein JB, Wu AW, Saudek C, Weller WE, Anderson GF. (2003). Preventable hospitalization among elderly Medicare beneficiaries with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care, 126(5), 1344-1349.

Hwang W, Weller W, Ireys H, Anderson G. (2001). Out-of-pocket medical spending for care of chronic conditions. Health Affairs, 20(6), 267-278.

McNamara RL, Powe NR, Thiemann D, Shaffer T, Weller W, Anderson G. (2001). Specialty of pricincipal care physician and Medicare expenditures in patients with coronary heart disease: impact of comorbidity and severity. American Journal of Managed Care, 7(3), 261-266.

Anderson GF and Weller WE. (1999). Methods of reducing the financial risk to physicians under capitation. Archives of Family Medicine, 8, 149-155.

Krop JS, Saudek CD, Weller WE, Powe NR, Shaffer T, Anderson GF. (1999). Predicting expenditures for Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes: a prospective cohort study from 1994-1996. Diabetes Care, 22(10), 1660-1666.

Bilenker JH, Weller WE, Shaffer TJ, Dover GS, Anderson GF. (1998). Sickle cell anemia under managed care: an examination of the clinical challenges and financial risks. Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, 20(6), 528-533.

Grasso ME, Weller WE, Shaffer TJ, Diette GB, Anderson GF. (1998). Capitation, managed care, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 158, 133-138.

Krop JS, Powe NR, Weller WE, Shaffer TJ, Saudek CD, Anderson GF. (1998). Patterns of expenditures and use of services among older adults with diabetes: implications for the transition to capitated managed care. Diabetes Care, 21(5), 747-752.

McNamara RL, Powe NR, Shaffer T, Thiemann D, Weller W, Anderson G. (1998). Capitation for cardiologists: accepting risk for coronary artery disease under managed care. American Journal of Cardiology, 82(10), 1178-1182.

Weiner M, Powe NR, Weller WE, Shaffer TJ, Anderson GF. (1998). Treating Alzheimer’s disease under managed care: clinical challenges and financial risks. Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 46, 762-770.

Weller WE, Gallagher BK, Cen L, Hannan EL. (2004). Readmissions for venous thromboembolism: expanding the definition of patient safety indicators. Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Safety, 30(9), 497-504.

Weller WE, Hannan EL. (2006). Relationship between provider volume and postoperative complications for bariatric procedures in New York State. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 202, 753-761.

Weller WE, Rosati C, Hannan EL. (2006). Predictors of in-hospital postoperative complications among adults undergoing bariatric procedures in New York State, 2003. Obesity Surgery, 16, 702-708.

Presentations:

Dewar D and Weller W. How much do they care? The effects of family caregiving on the elderly with Alzheimer’s and other cognitive limitations. APHA, Boston, MA. November 2006.

Weller WE. Asthma disparities and health systems: health insurance, delivery, and quality. New York State Asthma Coalition. Albany, NY. October 2005.

McGinnis S, Dewar D, Dill M, Weller W. Utilization of informal and formal care by older adults. The Gerontological Society of America. Washington, D.C. November 2004.

Weller WE, Minkovitz CS, Anderson GF. Access to health-related services for children with chronic conditions. Pediatric Academies Societies’ Annual Meeting, Poster Presentation. Baltimore, MD. May 2002.

Weller WE, Minovitz CS, Anderson GF. Type of health insurance and health-related service use among children with chronic conditions. Academy of Health Services Research Annual Meeting. Washington, D.C. June 2002.

Funded Projects:

Grants Pending:

Role: Principal Investigator
Project: Caregivers Impact on Cancer Screening Among the Elderly
Source: American Cancer Society
Submitted: March 2006

Selected Professional Service:

2006 – Present: Reviewer, Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Safety
2004 – Present: Reviewer, Pediatrics
2001 – Present: Reviewer, Medical Care