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Deborah Taira Juarez, ScD Associate Professor, Health Policy and Management 1960 East West Road, Biomed D104AA Honolulu, HI 96822 email: dtjuarez@hawaii.edu phone: (808) 956-4548 fax: (808) 956-5818

Academic Degrees
ScD (Health Economics), Harvard School of Public Health
MPA, Woodrow Wilson School of Public Health and International Affairs, Princeton University
BA, Amherst College

Dr. Deborah Taira Juarez is Associate Professor of health economics and Head of the Health Policy and Management specialization in the Department of Public Health Sciences. Dr. Taira is a health economist whose main research interests include promoting cost-effective care, improving patient compliance with treatment, and eliminating racial disparities in health care and health status. Upon receiving her doctorate, she joined the research team at The Health Institute at the New England Medical Center, where she worked on an AHRQ-funded grant examining differences in primary care across systems of care. To expand the scope of her research to include both economic and quality of life outcomes of care, Dr. Taira joined the Cardiovascular Data Analysis Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and became an Instructor of Medicine at the Harvard Medical School. During this time, her research focused on analyzing data from clinical trials to compare the cost and quality of life outcomes from invasive cardiovascular procedures. In 1999, Dr. Taira became Research Manager in the Care Management Department of the Hawaii Medical Service Association (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Hawaii), where she continues to work part-time.

Courses Taught
PH 797U Exploration in Public Health

Selected Publications
Zhu J, Davis J, Taira DA, Yamashita M. Screening rates and characteristics of health plan members who respond to screening reminders. Prev Chronic Dis. 2006 Apr;3(2):A56. Epub 2006 Mar 15.

Davis JW, Taira DA, Chung RS. Health Disparities in 30 Indicators of Recommended Clinical Care, Journal of Healthcare Quality 2006;28:32-41.

Davis JW, Taira DA, Chung RS. Variations in clinical practice among the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii Med Journal. 2006;65:226-230.

Zhu J, Davis JW, Taira DA. The Impact of Visits to New Physicians on Patient Response to Health Screening Reminders. Medical Care 2006;28:32-41.

Taira DA, Gelber RP, Davis J, Gronley K, Chung RS, Seto TB. Anti-hypertensive Adherence and Drug Class among Asian Pacific Americans. Ethnicity & Health. 2007;12(3):265-281.

Taira DA, Wong K, Frech-Tamas F, Chung RS. Copayment Level and Compliance with Antihypertensive Medication: Analysis and Policy Implications for Managed Care, Am J Manag Care. 2006;12(11):678-83.

Berthiaume J, Davis J, Taira DA, Thein KK. A managed care organization’s use of integrated health management to improve secondary prevention of coronary artery disease. Am J Manag Care. 2007;13(3):142-7.

Gilmore AS, Zhao Y, Kang N, Ryskina, Legorreta, Taira DA, Chung RS. Patient Outcomes and Evidence-Based Medicine in a PPO Setting: A Six-Year Evaluation of a Physician Incentive Program. Health Services Research. 2007;42(6):2140-2159.

Breton A, Taira D, Burns E, O’Leary J, Chung RS. Follow-up Services after an Emergency Department Visit for Substance Abuse. Am J Manag Care. 2007;13(9):497-505.

Halliday T, Taira DA, Davis H, Chan H. Socioeconomic Disparities in Breast Cancer Screening in Hawai’i. Preventing Chronic Disease 2007 Oct;4(4):A91. Epub 2007 Sep 15.

Gilmore AS, Zhao Y, Kang N, Ryskina KL, Legorreta AP, Taira DA, Chung RS. Patient outcomes and evidence-based medicine in a preferred provider organization setting: a six-year evaluation of a physician pay-for-performance program. Health Serv Res. 2007 Dec;42(6 Pt 1):2140-59.

Davis J, Fujimoto RY, Juarez DT, Hodges K, Asam K. Major Depression Associated with Rates of Transition Between Cardiovascular Diseases. Am J Manag Care. 2008;14(3):125-129.

Kretzer K, Taira Juarez D, Davis J. Initial Antihypertensive Prescriptions, Switching Patterns and Adherence Among Insured Patients in Hawai‘i. Hawaii Med J. 2008;67(4):96-100.

Taira Juarez D, Osheroff W. Patient Perceptions of Inter-Provider Coordination of Care. Hawaii Med J. 2008;67(5):121-125.