Patricia M. Herman

Biography

Patricia Herman is a senior behavioral scientist at the RAND Corporation. Her research centers on the economics of health care, innovative models of care, individuals' health decisions, and overall quality of life. A NIH/NCCAM-trained research methodologist, a licensed practicing naturopathic doctor, and a resource economist for more than 30 years, Herman has worked in policy and cost-effectiveness analysis across a number of disciplines including water rights, waste recycling, energy and water conservation, and health care. Her current projects in the area of health care include analyzing the cost-effectiveness of treatments and interventions including yoga for low back pain, mindfulness-based stress reduction for low back pain, a two-phase tailored navigation program for colorectal cancer screening, and a drug treatment as an alternative to prison program. Herman was invited to co-author a commissioned paper on the economics of integrative medicine for the Institute of Medicine's 2009 Summit on Integrative Medicine and the Health of the Public; wrote three books on the methods involved in economic evaluation; taught over 100 workshops on the topic; and published two systematic reviews of economic evaluations of complementary and integrative medicine. Other projects include testing whether conjoint analysis could improve the incorporation of behavioral health into primary care, a study of the predictors and consequences of medical debt, and estimating the health impacts of a statewide smoking ban. Herman received her Ph.D. in psychology program evaluation and research methods from the University of Arizona.