Project Background:
Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is the remote transmission of physiologic measurements (such as blood pressure, blood glucose, or weight) from patients to their clinicians. Although broad insurance coverage for RPM was only expanded over the past half-decade, RPM has a long tradition in areas of disease management such as the care of patients with implantable cardiovascular devices (e.g., monitoring individuals with pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators) as well as supporting those with chronic conditions such as diabetes (e.g., by monitoring transmitted data from continuous glucose monitoring devices). RPM offers great promise for reducing costs and supplementing or replacing in-office care – all while providing greater convenience and increased clinician surveillance.
For our new project, Data Science and Social Science for In-Depth Evaluation of Remote Patient Monitoring Programs, a 3-year fully-funded PhD position is available.*
To date, virtually no research has linked RPM program enrollment data to detailed Electronic Health Record (EHR) data, nor have structured qualitative data been used to supplement outcomes, claims data, or EHR data on RPM. The planned project will evaluate RPM within the Mount Sinai Health System using detailed data from electronic health records, structured surveys, and semi-structured qualitative interviews. The PhD student will have the opportunity to contribute to all aspects of the project. The PhD student will spend 6-9 months total (over 1-3 stays) in New York and will serve as an interdisciplinary team member and bridge between the quantitative and qualitative research teams, based in Potsdam, Germany and New York, USA, respectively.
Your future tasks:
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Interdisciplinary research as part of this multi-year project, including:
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Supporting the data science and health economic/econometric aspects of the project under the mentorship of the HPI Principal Investigator, Prof. Ariel Dora Stern
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Coordinating and conducting semi-structured patient and provider interviews under the mentorship of the Mount Sinai Principal Investigator, Prof. Ksenia Gorbenko
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Designing, coordinating, and conducting structured surveys (to be deployed through existing infrastructure in the Mount Sinai Health System)
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Participate in research group activities of the Digital Health Cluster (including the annual retreat, joint seminars, and meetings of the HPI Research School) and activities at the Chair for Digital Health, Economics, and Policy
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Participate in research group activities of the Institute for Healthcare Delivery Science at Mount Sinai
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Conduct one or more extended research stay(s), ranging from one month to one semester, in New York City
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Annual participation in two Digital Health Partnership workshops: one week in New York (May) and one in Potsdam (October) of each year
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Serve as a bridge and project coordinator between the research teams in Potsdam and New York, including coordinating calls, sending project updates, and overall project management
Your skills:
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A stellar academic background with a master's degree or equivalent in social science, public policy, human-centered design, or a related program
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Enthusiasm for digital health, new health care delivery modalities, and interdisciplinary research
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Some experience with both quantitative and qualitative data analysis, either through academic or on-the-job experience
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Some experience in health care or related fields (e.g., health care policy, public policy, medicine, clinical research coordination, etc.)
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An independent working style, both analytical and operational
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Excellent research and communication skills in English; some knowledge of German may be helpful for the local work environment, but is not required
What we offer:
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A dynamic research environment, excellent mentorship, and an interdisciplinary team at the Chair for Digital Health, Economics, and Policy
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A collaborative culture celebrated through regular team events and developmental workshops
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A modern, well-connected workspace located at the HPI campus in Potsdam-Babelsberg, with swift access to Berlin
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Flexible working hours, including the possibility of partial remote work
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A travel subsidy for time spent with our research partners in New York City
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Attractive employee offers via corporate benefits (e.g., employer transportation subsidy, drinks and fresh fruit in the office, discounted on-campus lunches)
We will evaluate applications as they are submitted and begin conducting interviews immediately. The ideal start date would be during Q1 of 2025.
Please apply by sending a cover letter, describing your background and motivation for the job, a resume, or CV, and an optional writing sample ASAP, but no later than December 6th, 2024 to: office-stern@hpi.de.
The HPI's Digital Health Cluster (DHC):
The world is undergoing a rapid digital transformation. In the area of healthcare, this transformation already has great impact and the introduction of new technologies continues to shape changing healthcare practices. The digital health research cluster continues to enhance its research focus, by converging healthcare with public health and taking a more holistic approach towards digital health. Our cluster is dynamic, interdisciplinary, and dedicated to research with a patient-centered and data-driven approach. Our aim is to utilize and continuously develop digital technologies in the fields of medicine, healthcare, and public health in order to improve the health and well-being of an individual as well as larger communities.
Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI):
The HPI is Germany's center of excellence for digital engineering (www.hpi.de). The Digital Engineering Faculty, founded jointly by the University of Potsdam and HPI, offers a highly practical and engineering-oriented computer science study program, which is unique throughout Germany. HPI's university research earns international recognition, with the main focus of its teaching and research on the foundations and applications of large, highly complex, and networked IT systems. The Digital Engineering Faculty, established jointly by Hasso Plattner Institute and the University of Potsdam, is one of Germany's excellence centers in Computer Science and IT Systems Engineering.
Mount Sinai Health System Institute for Health Care Delivery Science (I-HDS):
The Institute for Health Care Delivery Science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (New York, NY, USA) is dedicated to improving the effectiveness, safety, and efficiency of patient care throughout the Mount Sinai Health System. While medical knowledge is increasing at an exponential rate, numerous studies have documented unexplained variations in practice and patient outcomes, with unacceptable rates of medical errors and inefficiencies in health care delivery worldwide. At the Institute, we are establishing new and innovative ways to measure the value of health care delivery and subsequently use this information to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of patient care.
*For additional information about the project, please contact office-stern@hpi.de
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Ariel Dora Stern
Professor
Hasso Plattner Institute
Potsdam
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