Matchar, David Bruce

Research Interests:

My research relates to clinical practice improvement - from the development of clinical policies to their implementation in real world clinical settings. Most recently my major content focus has been cerebrovascular disease. Other major clinical areas in which I work include the range of disabling neurological conditions, cardiovascular disease, and cancer prevention.

Notable features of my work are:
(1) reliance on analytic strategies such as meta-analysis, simulation, decision analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis;
(2) a balancing of methodological rigor the needs of medical professionals; and
(3) dependence on interdisciplinary groups of experts.

This approach is best illustrated by the Stroke Prevention Patient Outcome Research Team (PORT), for which I served as principal investigator. Funded by the AHCPR, the PORT involved 35 investigators at 13 institutions. The Stroke PORT has been highly productive and has led to a stroke prevention project funded as a public/private partnership by the AHCPR and DuPont Pharma, the Managing Anticoagulation Services Trial (MAST). MAST is a practice improvement trial in 6 managed care organizations, focussing on optimizing anticoagulation for individuals with atrial fibrillation.

I serve as consultant in the general area of analytic strategies for clinical policy development, as well as for specific projects related to stroke (e.g., acute stroke treatment, management of atrial fibrillation, and use of carotid endarterectomy.) I have worked with AHCPR (now AHRQ), ACP, AHA, AAN, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, NSA, WHO, and several pharmaceutical companies. Key Words: clinical policy, disease management, stroke, decision analysis, clinical guidelines. 

Selected Publications:

Singh S, Chang SM, Matchar DB, Bass EB; Chapter 7: Grading a Body of Evidence on Diagnostic Tests. Journal of General Internal Medicine. In Press.

Heneghan C, Ward A, Matchar DB; Self-monitoring of oral anticoagulation: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual patient data. Lancet. In Press.

Atkins D, Chang S, Gartlehner G, Buckley DI, Whitlock EP, Berliner E, Matchar D; Assessing applicability when comparing medical interventions: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Effective Health Care Program. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. Epub ahead of print.

Setia M, Islam AM, Thompson JP, Matchar DB; Stakeholders’s perspective on issues and challenges associated with care and treatment of aging-related cognitive impairment disorders in Singapore. International Psychogeriatric Association. 1-12, 2011.

Carrasco LR, Lee VJ, Chen MI, Matchar DB, Thompson JP, Cook AR; Strategies for antiviral stockpiling for future influenza pandemics: a global epidemic-economic perspective. Journal of Royal Society Interface. 8(62):1307-13, 2011.

Orlando LA, Belasco EJ, Patel UD, Matchar DB; The Chronic Kidney Disease Model: A General Purpose Model of Disease Progression and Treatment. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making. 11(1):41, 2011.

Curtis L, Duncan PW, Matchar DB, Greiner MA, Patel MR, Schulman KA; Geographic variation and trends in cartroid imaging among Medicare beneficiaries, 2001-2006. Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. 3(6):599-606, 2010.

Mercaldi CJ, Ciarametaro M, Hahn B, Chalissery G, Reynolds MW, Sander SD, Samsa GP, Matchar DB; Cost efficiency of anticoagulation with warfarin to prevent stroke in medicare beneficiaries with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. Stroke. 42(1):112-8, 2010.

Matchar DB, Jacobson A, Dolor RJ, Edson RG, Uyeda L, Phibbs CS, Vertrees JE, Shih MC, Holodniy M, Lavori P; Effect of home testing of international normalized ratio on clinical events. New England Journal of Medicine. 363(17):1608-1620, 2010.

Patel MR, Greiner MA, DiMartino LD, Schulman KA, Duncan PW, Matchar DB, Curtis LH. Geographic variation in carotid revascularization among Medicare beneficiaries, 2003-2006. Archives of Internal Medicine. 17(14):1218-1225, 2010.

Matchar DB, McCrory DC, Orlando LA, Patel MR, Patel UD, Patwardhan MB, Powers B, Samsa GP, Gray RN. Systematic review: Comparative effectiveness of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers for treating essential hypertension. Annals of Internal Medicine. 148(1):16-29, 2008.

Matchar DB, Mark DB. Strategies for incorporating resource allocation and economic considerations. Chest. 133(6):132S-140S, 2008.