Catherine C. Cohen

Policy Researcher

Santa Monica Office

Education

B.A. in economics, biology, Swarthmore College; B.S. in nursing, Columbia University; Ph.D. in nursing, Columbia University

Overview

Catherine "Katie" Cohen (she/her) is a nurse scientist and health services researcher at the RAND Corporation. Her work advances health care quality through research and policy. Her work often includes mixed-methods, including large data analysis and primary data collection, especially from nurses, health care administrators, physicians, and other health care clinicians. Cohen's research interests center on the prevention of health care-associated infections, particularly those with antibiotic resistance, and improvements in nursing homes and hospice, especially for older adults. Since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, her work has also included estimating hospital surge capacity during the COVID pandemic, ways to improve utilization of Army-enlisted health care workers during pandemics and other public health emergencies, and the dissemination and implementation of COVID care innovations among emergency department clinicians. Further, she is currently co-leading a strategic assessment of the US Coast Guard healthcare system (PIs: Cohen, Chan). Her work has been funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, National Institutes of Nursing Research, National Institute on Aging and The Wonderful Company. She completed post-doctoral training in comparative and cost-effectiveness methodology at Columbia University School of Nursing's Center for Health Policy. She earned her B.A. in economics and biology from Swarthmore College and completed her B.S. and Ph.D. at Columbia University School of Nursing.

Research Focus

Honors & Awards

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award, National Institute of Nursing Research
Dissertation Award, Eastern Nursing Research Society and Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science
Dissertation Excellence Award, Columbia University School of Nursing

Commentary

Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy

Biden's Proposed New Health Agency Would Emphasize Innovation. Here's How It Might Work
President Biden has proposed a new health agency modeled on DARPA to work on groundbreaking research. This agency could pursue the kind of high-risk research that can lead to high-reward results and help get more medical treatments to market sooner.
May 24, 2021
Los Angeles Times

Publications

Journal Article
Evaluation of Phase II of the Medicare Advantage Value-Based Insurance Design Model Test: First Two Years of Implementation (2020–2021), and Appendixes
This report presents the RAND Corporation team's findings from its evaluation of Phase II of the Medicare Advantage Value-Based Insurance Design model test, for the years 2020 and 2021.
Oct 19, 2022
Report
Practice Expense Data Collection and Methodology: Phase II Final Report
In this report, the authors address how the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services might improve the methodology used in practice expense (PE) rate-setting, update data that inform PE rates, or both.
Nov 1, 2021
Tool
How to Integrate Pharmacotherapy for Substance Use Disorders at Your Mental Health Clinic: A Step-By-Step Guide for Screening and Treating Adults with Co-Occurring Mental Illness and Alcohol and/or Opioid Use Disorders with Pharmacotherapy in Mental Health Clinics
RAND researchers provide a toolkit to support the delivery of effective, evidence-based pharmacotherapy for clients with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders and simplify care implementation in mental health clinics.
Jul 8, 2021
Journal Article
Organizational Capacity and Readiness to Provide Medication for Individuals with Co-Occurring Alcohol Use Disorders in Public Mental Health Settings
Organizational capacity and readiness constraints impede the delivery of medication treatment for alcohol use disorder in a large mental health system.
Jul 1, 2021
Journal Article
Impact of Primary Care Worksite Health and Wellness Clinics on HbA1c Level Among Prediabetic or Diabetic Employees
This study determined whether the use of worksite health and wellness clinics reduced hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) for prediabetic and diabetic employees.
Dec 10, 2020
Journal Article
The Surgical and Anesthesia Workforce and Provision of Surgical Services in Rural Communities: A Mixed-Methods Examination
This mixed-methods study describes the distribution of the surgical and anesthesia workforce and qualitatively explores how such workforce and other factors influence rural hospitals' provision of surgical services.
Nov 24, 2020
Report
Practice Expense Methodology and Data Collection Research and Analysis: Interim Phase II Report
In this report, the authors address how the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services can improve the methodology or update data used for setting practice expense payment rates under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.
Aug 4, 2020
Journal Article
Top Priorities for the Next Decade of Nursing Health Services Research
This article presents a Nursing Health Services Research agenda for the 2020s.
2020
Journal Article
Trends in Antibiotics Use Among Long-Term US Nursing-Home Residents
The increased proportion of assessments recording antibiotics but no infection may not be clinically appropriate.
2020
Tool
Medications for Alcohol Use Disorder in Mental Health Settings
This tool reviews how clinicians who work in mental health settings can provide pharmacotherapy treatment for an alcohol use disorder that co-occurs with a primary mental health condition.
Dec 13, 2019
Report
Development and Evaluation of Candidate Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements: Findings from the National Beta Test (Volume 1: Executive Summary)
This report, part of a series, describes patient assessment data elements developed and tested by RAND on behalf of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services to comply with the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014.
Nov 15, 2019
Report
Development and Evaluation of Candidate Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements: Findings from the National Beta Test (Volume 3: Sample Description)
This report, part of a series, describes patient assessment data elements developed and tested by RAND on behalf of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services to comply with the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014.
Nov 15, 2019
Report
Development and Evaluation of Candidate Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements: Findings from the National Beta Test (Volume 8: Observational Assessments of Cognitive Function, Mental Status, and Pain)
This report, part of a series, describes patient assessment data elements developed and tested by RAND on behalf of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services to comply with the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014.
Nov 15, 2019
Report
Development and Evaluation of Candidate Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements: Findings from the National Beta Test (Volume 6: Impairments and Special Services, Treatments, and Interventions)
This report, part of a series, describes patient assessment data elements developed and tested by RAND on behalf of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services to comply with the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014.
Nov 15, 2019
Report
Development and Evaluation of Candidate Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements: Findings from the National Beta Test (Volume 7: Global Health, Care Preferences, and Medication Reconciliation)
This report, part of a series, describes patient assessment data elements developed and tested by RAND on behalf of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services to comply with the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014.
Nov 15, 2019
Report
Development and Evaluation of Candidate Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements: Findings from the National Beta Test (Volume 2: Background and Methods)
This report, part of a series, describes patient assessment data elements developed and tested by RAND on behalf of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services to comply with the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014.
Nov 15, 2019
Report
Development and Evaluation of Candidate Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements: Findings from the National Beta Test (Volume 4: Cognitive Function)
This report, part of a series, describes patient assessment data elements developed and tested by RAND on behalf of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services to comply with the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014.
Nov 15, 2019
Report
Development and Evaluation of Candidate Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements: Findings from the National Beta Test (Volume 5: Mental Status and Pain)
This report, part of a series, describes patient assessment data elements developed and tested by RAND on behalf of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services to comply with the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014.
Nov 15, 2019
Journal Article
Relationship Between State Policy and Anesthesia Provider Supply in Rural Communities
Rural communities have significantly fewer certified registered nurse anesthetists and fewer anesthesiologists than nonrural communities.
Apr 11, 2019
Report
Identification of Alternative Physician Assistant Recertification Models: An Analysis of the Landscape and Evidence Surrounding Approaches to Recertification in the Health Professions
Health professional recertification is meant to demonstrate and foster knowledge and competence. This report assesses recertification requirements for physician assistants, physicians, and advanced practice nurses in the U.S. and elsewhere.
Oct 3, 2018
Journal Article
Financial Incentives to Reduce Hospital-Acquired Infections Under Alternative Payment Arrangements
Hospital incentives for investing in patient safety vary by payer and payment configuration. Higher payments provide resources to improve patient safety, but current payment structures may also reduce the willingness of hospitals to invest in patient safety.
May 1, 2018
Journal Article
Infection Trends in US Nursing Homes, 2006–2013
The Minimum Data Set can help to identify trends in nursing home infections but nursing homes vary in how they define and track infections.
Jul 13, 2017
Journal Article
Isolation Precautions Use for Multidrug-Resistant Organism Infection in Nursing Homes
To examine factors associated with isolation precaution use in nursing home (NH) residents with multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) infection.
Mar 28, 2017
Journal Article
The Great American Recession and Forgone Healthcare: Do Widened Disparities Between African-Americans and Whites Remain?
Since the end of the Great Recession, disparities in the likelihood of forgone care have increased from pre-recession levels between African-Americans and whites; this may be a result of issues related to access, cost, and quality.
2017
Journal Article
Nursing Homes in States with Infection Control Training or Infection Reporting Have Reduced Infection Control Deficiency Citations
The objective of this study is to determine associations between specific state DOH activities and NH IC citation rates.
2015