Walgreens Center for Health & Wellbeing Research, launched in 2017, employs more than 25 healthcare researchers, data scientists, clinicians, statisticians, actuaries and business partners to measure the effectiveness of its programs.
The center focuses on understanding the community reach of Walgreens' more than 8,100 retail pharmacies, 400 retail health clinics, specialty pharmacy programs and healthy choices rewards program.
Here are nine things to know about the center's two leaders.
Senior director of health analytics, research and reporting at Walgreens: Michael Taitel, PhD
- Dr. Taitel joined Walgreens in 2010 as director of health outcomes and analytics. He became the company's senior director of health analytics, research and reporting in September 2012.
- In his role, Dr. Taitel leads a team of data scientists in conducting clinical outcome studies and using predictive analytics to better understand Walgreens' health and wellness innovation efforts.
- His expertise lies in behavior change, health risk assessment, wellness and disease management evaluation, immunization, medication adherence and productivity.
- Dr. Taitel earned a doctorate in experimental health psychology from Athens-based Ohio University in 1995.
- He is a member of the American Psychological Association, the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, and the Society of Behavioral Medicine.
Director of health analytics, research and reporting at Walgreens: Heather Kirkham, PhD
- Dr. Kirkham joined Walgreens in 2011 as a manager of health outcomes and analytics. She became the company's director of health analytics, research and reporting in January 2016.
- In her role, Dr. Kirkham manages research and client reporting to understand the value and effectiveness of Walgreens' specialty medication programs and health system partnerships.
- Dr. Kirkham's research usually deals with specialty medications, pharmacy and disease management programs, hospital readmissions, immunizations, diabetic complications, administrative data analyses, care continuity, and applications of the social ecological model.
- Dr. Kirkham earned a doctorate in public health epidemiology from Minneapolis-based Walden University in 2011.