Annual Scientific Session

JOHN R. CLARKE KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Stephanie B. Wheeler, PhD, MPH, is a health services researcher and decision scientist focused on quantifying the social, behavioral, clinical, and organizational factors that affect healthcare access, quality, value and equity. Her research portfolio is primarily focused on cancer care delivery, with particular emphasis on improving value, understanding the financial and psychosocial impacts of cancer, and reducing health disparities. She also is a methodological resource for simulation modeling and systems science, ‘big data’ linkages and analytics, behavioral intervention studies, and comparative and cost effectiveness research. 

Dr. Wheeler is especially knowledgeable and well-versed in using economic, epidemiologic, and systems modeling to support better healthcare decisions, and she is adept in handling and analyzing complex datasets, including SEER-Medicare data, state cancer registry data linked to all payer claims data, epidemiologic cohort data (e.g., Carolina Breast Cancer Study), and healthcare workforce data, among other datasets.

Projects currently led or co-led by Dr. Wheeler include CDC-funded and NCI-funded studies focusing on implementation of colorectal cancer screening in low income populations; American Cancer Society-funded and NCI R01-funded studies focusing on implementation of a behavioral intervention to optimize ET adherence among black and white breast cancer survivors; NCI R01-funded, Pfizer/NCCN-funded and CDC-funded studies examining the financial impact of metastatic breast cancer; and an American Cancer Society-funded study developing survivorship risk stratification algorithms. Other NIH-supported work focuses on interventions to increase HPV testing and HPV vaccination in underserved populations and understanding how care coordination can influence adherence to chronic comorbid disease medications during cancer treatment and survivorship. 

Dr. Wheeler directs the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement within the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.  She also directs the CDC-funded Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network as PI of the Coordinating Center; co-directs the NCI-funded T32 Cancer Care Quality Training Program (CCQTP); and co-directs the NCI-funded Geographic Management of Cancer Heath Disparities Program (GMaP) Region 1 South. She was awarded the 2017 Hettleman Prize for Scholarly and Artistic Achievement and the 2017 Early Career Award from the Association of Schools and Programs in Public Health (ASPPH).