Tricia Johnson, PhD

Biography

Tricia Johnson, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Health Systems Management at Rush University. Her primary scientific interest is in understanding the economic drivers of health care spending. She is one of very few human milk economists in the world and specializes in the economics and cost effectiveness of human milk feedings to premature infants. Additionally, she leads the economic evaluation of multiple research studies with the goal of identifying strategies that are cost effective for improving health outcomes and reducing costs to society. Johnson is the research director for the US Cooperative for International Patient Programs, a membership program of the National Center for Healthcare Leadership. She co-developed a national benchmarking survey of international patient programs within U.S. hospitals, now in its eighth year of implementation. In 2009, she was selected as a Fulbright Scholar to Austria, where she worked with faculty at the Vienna University for Economics and Business on research evaluating trends in cross-border and international medical travel. Johnson is the executive director of Building Healthy Urban Communities, a five-year, $5 million initiative, funded by BMO Harris Bank, focused on health care workforce development and new models of care.

Honors and Activities

Fulbright Scholar Award to Austria, “Lecturing and Research: Health Economics and Comparative Health Care Systems/Assessing the Effect of Medical Tourism for the U.S. and Austria,” Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration, March 2009 – June 2009

Grants

Recent Grants (See CV for detailed information on prior funding)

Principal Investigator/Lead

“New Models of Care for Healthier Urban Communities,” BMO Harris Bank, $5,000,000, Executive Director, July 2013 – June 2019

“Economic Model of Human Milk as a Long-Term Strategy in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants” from the Rush University Scientific Leadership Committee, $100,000, Principal Investigator, July 2011 – June 2013

“US Cooperative for International Patient Programs Sponsored Projects Fund” from the National Center for Healthcare Leadership, Research Director (Executive Director: Andrew Garman, PsyD), September 2014 – ongoing

“The Relationship between Hospital Acquired Conditions and Severity of Illness” Rush University College of Health Sciences Research Grant, $13,000, Principal Investigator, May 2008 – June 2008

Co-Investigator

“Value and Mechanisms of Home Visitation in Obesity Interventions for Low-Income Children” from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 1R01DK111358, Co-Investigator (PI: Brad Appelhans, PhD), February 2017 – January 2022

“Steps to Effective Problem Solving” from the National Institute of Nursing Research, 1R01HD086211, Co-Investigator (PI: Sarah Ailey, PhD), September 2016 – May 2020

“Parent Training in Pediatric Primary Care: A Self-Directed Tablet-Based Approach” from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, R01HS024273, Co-Investigator (PI: Susan Breitenstein), September 2015 – May 2020

“Multi-Clinic Action Trial to Control Hyperglycemia and Hypertension” from the National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, R01DK098256 Co-Investigator (PI: Steven Rothschild), January 2014 – December 2019

“The Coleman Palliative Care Medicine Training Program for Interdisciplinary Providers” from the Coleman Foundation, Grant 5390, Co-Investigator (PI: Sean O’Mahony, MD)

September 2014 – August 2017

Training Grants

“Albania Health System Modernization Project: Technical Assistance for Hospital Management and Financial Management” from the Albanian Ministry of Health and World Bank, $500,767, Financial Management Specialist, March 2008 – August 2010

“Special American Business Internship Training (SABIT) Program at Rush University Medical Center: Russian Health Care Executive Training Program” from the U.S. Department of Commerce, $16,800, Principal Investigator, January 2006 – March 2006

Invited Presentations

Selected Invited Presentations

Economics of Human Milk in Premature Infants

Johnson TJ. Leveraging the economic value of human milk. 13^th International Breastfeeding and Lactation Symposium, Medela. Paris, France, March 2018.

Johnson TJ. The economics of human milk in very low birth weight infants. Breastfeeding Innovations. Webinar, February 2017.

Johnson TJ. Economic impact of medical travelers: Direct and collateral benefit of medical travel to local economies. Global Healthcare Policy & Management Forum. Seoul, South Korea, October 2016.

Health Services Globalization

Johnson TJ, Lambert C. USCIPP Annual Benchmarking Survey Data Session. US Cooperative for International Patient Programs, USCIPP Annual Meeting. Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, May 2018.

Johnson TJ. Economic impact of medical travelers: Direct and collateral benefit of medical travel to local economies. Global Healthcare Policy & Management Forum. Seoul, South Korea, October 2016.

McHugh R, Johnson TJ, Garman AN, Hohmann. Modes of non-patient collaborations abroad by organizations with international patient programs. US Cooperative for International Patient Programs Special Projects Fund Webinar. June 2015.

Community Anchor Initiatives

Johnson TJ, Ubhayakar S, O’Neil P. Using an Anchor Strategy to Pursue More Impactful Community Investments. Illinois Hospital Association, IHA Leadership Summit. Oakbrook, Illinois. September 2017.

Johnson TJ. Coming together to build health and economic wellness on Chicago’s West Side. Hospitals and Health Systems as Drivers of a Health-Promoting Economy. Grantmakers in Health. Webinar, February 2017.

Johnson TJ, Tucker A, Jones M. Strengthening Local Hiring from the West Side. Civic Consulting Alliance Leadership Council Meeting, Chicago, December 15, 2017.

Johnson TJ. Economics of human milk in very low birth weight infants. Carleton Biology Talks. Carleton University. Ottawa, Canada, October 2015.

Johnson TJ. Integrating research and practice: New models of care for healthy urban communities. DePaul Health Economics Conference. February 2015.

Education

Research Areas