Peter Mendel

Senior Sociologist; Faculty, Pardee RAND Graduate School

Santa Monica Office

Education

Ph.D. in sociology, Stanford University

One Page Bio

Overview

Peter Mendel (he/his) is a senior sociologist at the RAND Corporation and a member of the Pardee RAND Graduate School faculty. He specializes in organizational dynamics, improvement, and global and comparative institutions, particularly related to health care systems.

Mendel has led or co-led evaluations ranging from federal investments in health services and primary care research and national partnerships to promote patient safety, to local community-based networks to improve the delivery and coordination of health and related services. Other specific areas of research include stakeholder engagement and participatory research methods, inter-organizational networks for health care delivery and policy, and innovations in health care delivery such as collaborative care models and patient-centered medical homes.

He has also co-authored books on the sustainability of quality improvement in leading medical centers in the U.S. and Europe and on broad-scale institutional changes in health care and their effects on medical delivery organizations in the San Francisco Bay area over a half century. Mendel received his Ph.D. in sociology from Stanford University.

Research Focus

Recent Projects

Implementation and Evaluation of a Video-based Prospective Feedback Intervention to Improve Antimicrobial Stewardship in Neonatal intensive Care Units
Health Services and Primary Care Research Study (PI)
Co-Design of Services for Health and Reentry (CO-SHARE): First Pilot of Experience-Based Co-Design in the U.S. (Co-PI)
Evaluation of the HHS Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) National Action Plan, Phase II (RAND PI)
Evaluation of the Federally Qualified Health Center Advance Primary Care Practice Demonstration (Qualitative Task Lead)

Selected Publications

Mendel, Peter, Courtney A. Gidengil, Andrada Tomoaia-Cotisel, Sean Mann, Adam J. Rose, Kristin J. Leuschner, Nabeel Qureshi, Vishnupriya Kareddy, Jessica L. Sousa, and Daniel Kim, Health Services and Primary Care Research Study: Comprehensive Report, RAND Corporation (RR-A1503-1), 2021

Mendel P, O’Hora J, Zhang L, Stockdale S, Dixon EL, Gilmore J, Jones F, Jones A, Williams P, Sharif MZ, Masongsong Z, Kadkhoda F, Pulido E, Chung B, Wells KB, "Engaging Community Networks to Improve Depression Services: A Cluster-Randomized Trial of a Community Engagement and Planning Intervention," Community Mental Health Journal, 57(3), 2021

Mendel P, Green HD, Palar K, Kanouse DE, Bluthenthal RN, Mata MA, Oden CW, Derose KP, "Congregational Involvement in HIV: A Qualitative Comparative Analysis of Factors Influencing HIV Activity Among Diverse Urban Congregations," Social Science and Medicine, 246, 2020

Mendel P, Chen EK, Green HD, Armstrong C, Timbie JW, Kress AM, Friedberg MW, Kahn KL, "Pathways to Medical Home Recognition: A Qualitative Comparative Analysis of the PCMH Transformation Process," Health Services Research, 53(4, Part I), 2018

Peter Mendel, Sari Siegel, Kristin Leuschner, Elizabeth M. Gall, Daniel Weinberg, and Katherine Kahn, "The National Response for Preventing Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs): Infrastructure Development," Medical Care, 52(2 Suppl 1), 2014

Peter Mendel, Cheryl Damberg, Melony E. Sorbero, Danielle M. Varda, and Donna O. Farley, "The Growth of Partnerships to Support Safe Practice Adoption," Health Services Research, 44(2 Part II), 2009

Paul Bate, Peter Mendel, and Glenn Robert, Organizing for Quality: The Improvement Journeys of Leading Hospitals in Europe and the United States, Radcliffe Publishing, 2008

Peter Mendel, Lisa S. Meredith, Michael Schoenbaum, Cathy D. Sherbourne, and Kenneth B. Wells, "Interventions in Organizational and Community Context: A Framework for Building Evidence on Dissemination and Implementation in Health Services Research," Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research (APMH & MHSR), 35(1-2), 2008

Honors & Awards

CPIC study team awards: ACT Team Science Award; Tom Bruce Award-Community Based Public Health Caucus; Community-Campus Partnerships for Health Award, UCLA Landmark Award, 2014-2015
Eliot Freidson Award, Most Outstanding Book Contribution to Medical Sociology, American Sociological Association 2002
Max Weber Award, Best Scholarly Book Publication in Organizational Sociology, American Sociological Association 2001

Publications

Report
Strategies for Enhancing Prehospital Outcomes for Cardiac Arrest (EPOC)
The Enhancing Prehospital Outcomes for Cardiac Arrest study sought to identify best practices to address out-of-hospital cardiac arrest events. RAND researchers developed 49 strategies covering all levels of prehospital response.
Jul 20, 2022
Report
A Process Evaluation of Primary Care Behavioral Health Integration in the Military Health System
Research suggests that primary care–behavioral health (PCBH) integration can improve behavioral health outcomes. The authors conducted a process evaluation of the PCBH program in the military health system to inform quality improvement.
Sep 8, 2021
Report
Health Services and Primary Care Research Study: Comprehensive Report
This report provides an independent assessment of the breadth, scope, and impact of health services and primary care research funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs from FYs 2012 to 2018.
Jul 19, 2021
Journal Article
Evaluation of Initial Progress to Implement Common Metrics Across the NIH Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Consortium
Mixed-methods evaluation of the implementation of three Common Metrics and the performance improvement framework by The Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Consortium.
Oct 2, 2020
Journal Article
A Scoping Review of Strategies for Financing the Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices in Behavioral Health Systems: State of the Literature and Future Directions
We conducted a scoping review that assessed the current state of evidence on EBP financing strategies for behavioral health. We defined financing strategies as techniques that secure and direct financial resources to support evidence-based practice implementation.
Sep 15, 2020
Journal Article
Engaging Community Networks to Improve Depression Services: A Cluster-Randomized Trial of a Community Engagement and Planning Intervention
The study results help to identify plausible mechanisms of action for the Community Partners in Care interventions for depression and can be used to guide development of future community health engagement interventions and evaluations in under-resourced communities.
Aug 4, 2020
Research Brief
Investing in the Future of Health Care: A Strategic Assessment of Federally Funded Health Services Research and Primary Care Research
Health services research and primary care research portfolios funded by agencies have distinct focus areas, and most overlap is complementary, but there are gaps in research, driven by the complexity and pace of change in the U.S. health system.
Jul 7, 2020
Journal Article
Congregational Involvement in HIV: A Qualitative Comparative Analysis of Factors Influencing HIV Activity Among Diverse Urban Congregations
This paper utilizes comparative case methods and qualitative case data from a sample of urban congregations, and examines a range of factors to identify case scenarios associated with congregations involved in different levels of HIV activity.
Dec 13, 2019
Journal Article
Urban Religious Congregations' Responses to Community Substance Use: An Exploratory Study of Four Cases
This paper explores the characteristics of congregation-based substance abuse disorder treatment programs in a diverse sample of urban religious congregations.
Oct 22, 2019
Report
Co-Design of Services for Health and Reentry (CO-SHARE): An Experience-Based Co-Design (EBCD) Pilot Study with Individuals Returning to Community from Jail and Service Providers in Los Angeles County
This report describes the Co-Design of Services for Health and Reentry (CO-SHARE) pilot study that engaged individuals returning to the community from jail and varied service providers to improve health and reentry services in Los Angeles County.
Jul 24, 2019
Report
Perspectives of Physicians in Small Rural Practices on the Medicare Quality Payment Program
Significant concerns have been raised about the ability of small rural practices to participate in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' Quality Payment Program. RAND researchers interviewed physicians to investigate these concerns.
Mar 5, 2019
Report
Practice Expenses Associated with Comprehensive Primary Care Capabilities
To help the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reimburse primary care practices for investing in "comprehensive primary care" capabilities, the authors developed and piloted a method for estimating related practice expenses.
Nov 15, 2018
Research Brief
The Effects of Alternative Payment Models on Physician Practices: Follow-Up Study
Physician practice engagement with alternative payment models (APMs) would be enhanced by simpler APMs, a slower pace of change, greater support for new capabilities and timely data, and reexamination of practice response to APMs with financial risk.
Oct 24, 2018
Report
Effects of Health Care Payment Models on Physician Practice in the United States: Follow-Up Study
This report, sponsored by the American Medical Association (AMA), describes how alternative payment models (APMs) affect physicians, physicians' practices, and hospital systems in the United States.
Oct 24, 2018
Journal Article
Implementation of Medical Homes in Federally Qualified Health Centers
A 3-year demonstration to strengthen the delivery of primary care in federally qualified health centers provides some empirical evidence in support of medical-home transformation..
Sep 13, 2017
Report
Evaluation of CMS's Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Advanced Primary Care Practice (APCP) Demonstration: Final Report
This report contains an independent evaluation of the Federally Qualified Health Center Advanced Primary Care Practice Demonstration for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.
Jun 26, 2017
Research Brief
The Role of Urban Congregations in Addressing HIV
In a series of collaborative studies, RAND researchers sought to better understand urban congregations' capacity for HIV prevention and care, specifically in the areas of stigma reduction and HIV testing. This research brief outlines their findings.
Apr 27, 2017
Report
Evaluation of CMS's Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Advanced Primary Care Practice (APCP) Demonstration: Final Second Annual Report
This second of three reports follows the progress of a three-year project intended to support the transformation of federally qualified health centers into advanced primary care practices in support of Medicare beneficiaries.
Jul 29, 2015
Report
Evaluation of CMS' FQHC APCP Demonstration: Final First Annual Report
RAND was asked to evaluate a demonstration of federally qualified health centers becoming advanced primary care practices for Medicare beneficiaries and to assess the effects on care provided. This is the first report in a series of three.
Apr 9, 2015
Journal Article
Use of CAHPS Patient Experience Survey Data as Part of a Patient-Centered Medical Home Quality Improvement Initiative
Practice leaders at a large urban Federally Qualified Health Center in California. regularly engaged and used CAHPS scores, trends, and benchmarks alongside other data while making changes related to QI and patient centered medical homes
2015
Journal Article
Using Institutional Theory to Analyse Hospital Responses to External Demands for Finance and Quality in Five European Countries
Through the lens of institutional theory, this paper explores pressures experienced by hospital leaders to improve quality and constrain spending, focusing on how they respond to these often competing demands.
2015
Journal Article
Facilitators and Barriers to HIV Activities in Religious Congregations: Perspectives of Clergy and Lay Leaders from a Diverse Urban Sample
This paper examines facilitators and barriers to HIV activities within religious congregations, the relative internal or external sources of these influences, and suggestive differences across congregational types.
Oct 1, 2014
Journal Article
An Implementation Evaluation of the Community Engagement and Planning Intervention in the CPIC Depression Care Improvement Trial
The goal of this paper is to document and evaluate the process of implementing an evidence-based depression intervention in community settings through the use of community-academic partnered approaches.
Apr 1, 2014
Journal Article
Approach for Conducting the Longitudinal Program Evaluation of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Action Plan to Prevent Healthcare Associated Infections: Roadmap to Elimination
In response to mounting evidence about skyrocketing morbidity, mortality, and costs associated with healthcare–associated infections (HAIs), in 2009, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued the HHS HAI Action Plan to enhance collaboration and coordination and to strengthen the impact of national efforts to address HAIs.
Feb 1, 2014
Journal Article
Lessons Learned and Future Directions: The National Response for Preventing Healthcare-Associated Infections
In this special issue, we have described results from the IMPAQ-RAND team's formal longitudinal evaluation of HHS's National Action Plan to Prevent Healthcare-associated Infections and have discussed efforts to address healthcare–associated infections (HAIs) at the state, regional, and local levels.
Feb 1, 2014
Journal Article
The National Response for Preventing Healthcare-Associated Infections: Infrastructure Development
This article examines the unique infrastructure developed through the Action Plan to support adoption of HAI prevention practices.
Feb 1, 2014
Journal Article
The National Response for Preventing Healthcare-Associated Infections: Research and Adoption of Prevention Practices
This paper describes progress and challenges in Healthcare–associated infections (HAI) research and prevention practices, as explained through an examination of Health and Human Services (HHS) Action Plan's goals, inputs, and implementation in each area.
Feb 1, 2014
Journal Article
The National Response for Preventing Healthcare-Associated Infections: System Capacity and Sustainability for Improvement
The objective of this analysis was to identify key system capacity issues for sustainability from evaluation of the Action Plan to prevent healthcare–associated infections, a major national initiative launched by the US Department of Health and Human Services in 2009.
Feb 1, 2014
Journal Article
The National Response for Preventing Healthcare-Associated Infections: Data and Monitoring
Historically, the ability to accurately track healthcare–associated infections (HAIs) was hindered due to a lack of coordination among data sources and shortcomings in individual data sources.
Feb 1, 2014
Journal Article
Social Entrepreneurship in Religious Congregations' Efforts to Address Health Needs
Examines how religious congregations engage in social entrepreneurship as they strive to meet health-related needs in their communities.
2014
Journal Article
The Organization of HIV and Other Health Activities Within Urban Religious Congregations
The authors conducted a qualitative case study of HIV involvement among 14 urban congregations in Los Angeles County in 2007.
2013
Journal Article
Attitudes and Beliefs Related to HIV/AIDS in Urban Religious Congregations: Barriers and Opportunities for HIV-Related Interventions
Affirming norms and attitudes are not a prerequisite for urban congregations to initiate HIV prevention and care activities, a finding relevant for HIV services providers and researchers seeking to engage congregations on this issue.
May 1, 2012
Journal Article
Implementation of the CALM Intervention for Anxiety Disorders: A Qualitative Study
Investigators recently tested the effectiveness of a collaborative-care intervention for anxiety disorders, Coordinated Anxiety Learning and Management(CALM), in 17 primary care clinics around the United States.
Apr 1, 2012
Journal Article
Standardization
The development of standards is normally justified with functional and economic rationales.
2012
Journal Article
Religious Congregations' Involvement in HIV: A Case Study Approach
Congregations can address a variety of HIV-related needs but activities such as providing pastoral care for people with HIV, raising awareness, and promoting testing appear easier for them to undertake than activities aimed at harm reduction.
2011
Journal Article
Partnered Evaluation of a Community Engagement Intervention: Use of a Kickoff Conference in a Randomized Trial for Depression Care Improvement in Underserved Communities
This article evaluates a community engagement strategy employed in the Community Partners in Care (CPIC) study, the first randomized controlled trial of the role of community engagement in adapting and implementing evidence-based depression care.
2011
Journal Article
Institutional Change and the Organization of Health Care: The Dynamics of "Muddling Through"
This chapter reflects important changes in the study of health care organizations, delivery, and impact.
2010
Journal Article
Learning About Urban Congregations and HIV/AIDS: Community-Based Foundations for Developing Congregational Health Interventions
A community based participatory approach is helping to define a role for urban congregations in preventing HIV/AIDS
2010
Draft
How Hospitals Have Implemented the National Quality Forum Safe Practices
Examines in detail how hospitals implemented some of the specific safe practices endorsed by the National Quality Forum.
Nov 11, 2009
Report
Assessing Patient Safety Practices and Outcomes in the U.S. Health Care System
Presents the results of a two-year study that analyzes the extent to which patient safety practices are being adopted by U.S. health care providers, and assesses trends in patient safety outcomes.
Aug 24, 2009
Journal Article
The Growth of Partnerships to Support Patient Safety Practice Adoption
The authors document the numbers and types of interorganizational partnerships within the national patient safety domain, changes over time in these networks, and their potential for disseminating patient safety knowledge and practices.
Apr 1, 2009
Journal Article
Community Partners in Care: Leveraging Community Diversity to Improve Depression Care for Underserved Populations
This article describes the planning phase of the Community Partners in Care (CPIC) initiative, a community-based effort to improve quality and outcomes of depression treatment for adults.
2009
Report
Assessment of the AHRQ Patient Safety Initiative: Final Report -- Evaluation Report IV
Evaluates progress of the patient safety initiative led by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), focusing on how the current experiences of AHRQ and its funded projects can be used to strengthen subsequent program activities.
Jun 16, 2008
Research Brief
Organizing for Quality: Inside the ''Black Box'' of Health Care Improvement in Europe and the United States
This research brief summarizes a book on health care quality improvement efforts, suggesting a focus on the organizational and human dimensions of change and the processes by which these dimensions are set in motion and unfold over time.
Mar 10, 2008
Journal Article
Interventions in Organizational and Community Context: A Framework for Building Evidence on Dissemination and Implementation in Health Services Research
The effective dissemination and implementation of evidence-based health interventions within community settings is an important cornerstone.
2008
Commercial Book
Organizing for Quality: The Improvement Journeys of Leading Hospitals in Europe and the United States
This book is designed to help practitioners and researchers understand the factors and processes that enable healthcare organizations to achieve high-quality services for their users.
2008
Draft
Assessing the Diffusion of Safe Practices in the U.S. Health Care System: Interim Report to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Reports on RAND's FY 2007 work concerning the practice diffusion assessment component of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's patient safety activities.
Oct 9, 2007
Report
Assessment of the AHRQ Patient Safety Initiative: Moving from Research to Practice Evaluation Report II (2003-2004)
Evaluates progress of the patient safety initiative led by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, including updates of policy context and activities' status and a framework for assessing effects on patient outcomes and on other stakeholders.
Mar 28, 2007
Journal Article
How Do Teams in Quality Improvement Collaboratives Interact?
The multi-organizational collaborative is a popular model for quality improvement (QI) initiatives. It assumes organizations will share information and social support. Documents interactions among teams and examines associations between network roles and performance.
2007
Journal Article
Assessing Organizational Readiness and Change in Community Intervention Research: Framework for Participatory Evaluation
This paper describes a study currently underway that uses a collaborative approach to assess organizational capacity to form partnerships around mental health and substance abuse care.
2006
Journal Article
Implementation and Maintenance of Quality Improvement for Treating Depression in Primary Care
There was evidence of broad success at implementation and maintenance of quality improvement for depression treatment in primary care.
2006
Draft
Assessing the Implementation of the Chronic Care Model in Quality Improvement Collaboratives: Methods Appendix
Technical (Methods) Appendix to Assessing the Implementation of the Chronic Care Model in Quality Improvement Collaboratives (Health Services Research)
Feb 16, 2005
Journal Article
Assessing the Implementation of the Chronic Care Model in Quality Improvement Collaboratives
QI collaboratives are a useful method to foster change in real world settings.
2005
Journal Article
Motivation to Change Chronic Illness Care: Results from a National Evaluation of Quality Improvement Collaboratives
Motivation of health care professionals to improve quality of chronic illness care using the Chronic Care Model and Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles.
2005
Report
The Role of Perceived Team Effectiveness in Improving Chronic Illness Care
The data suggest the importance of developing effective teams for improving the quality of care for patients with chronic illness.
2004
Journal Article
Assessing the Implementation of the Chronic Care Model in Quality Improvement Collaboratives: Does Baseline System Support for Chronic Care Matter?
Little is known about the implementation of collaborative processes or organizational change activities motivated by collaborative participation.
2003