Yiran Zhang

Senior Researcher at Optum HEOR

Eden Prairie, Minnesota, United States

About

Yiran is a researcher with great passion in Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR). With over 10 years of experience in health service research and HEOR, she is a professional independent researcher, as well as a proactive collaborator mostly working in a multi-disciplinary research team. Her previous and current work include survey research, medical chart review, claims/EHR-based algorithm development and validation, pharmacoeconomics, product dossier development, statistical modeling, qualitative studies, and literature review. Yiran's research interests stem from her desire to understand decision making from a patient, an organization, or a societal perspective when considering the use of healthcare services and products. Specifically, she is passionate about the evaluation of patient-centered health outcomes resulting from using healthcare services, pharmaceutical therapies, and other clinical treatments, particularly in the area of chronic diseases. In the big data era, it just becomes so easy to get lost in the numbers and forget about the essentials of healthcare: it's all about the patient and their journey.

Experience

  • Senior Researcher, Health Economics & Outcomes Research (HEOR) at Optum
    Feb 2021 - Present · 5 yrs 5 mos

  • Indivior (Full-time · 2 yrs 5 mos)
    • Manager, Global Health Economics & Outcomes Research
      Aug 2019 - Dec 2020 · 1 yr 5 mos

      - Led the study design and analysis plan development, ensured quality of study execution, as well as developed publication plans in HEOR research projects utilizing payer’s real world data (RWD) - Executed activities regarding research design and project management in a multi-year prospective observational study that aims to understand recovery journey among opioid use disorder patient population - Developed and implemented HEOR real-world evidence generation strategies to support U.S. market access of company’s key assets in a cross-functional environment - Provided HEOR support to internal cross-functional teams in the development/update of value dossiers for company’s key assets

    • Post-doc Fellow (Year 2), Global Health Economics & Outcomes Research
      Aug 2018 - Aug 2019 · 1 yr 1 mo

      - Prepared a schizophrenia product’s AMCP dossier with cross-functional internal and external collaboration to support formulary decision-making - Contributed to the statistical analysis plan and interim report development for a multi-site prospective observational study among patients with opioid use disorder - Supported real-world evidence generation plans for in-line products for schizophrenia or opioid use disorder patient population in U.S. - Led and executed activities in the recruitment process for the 2019 Virginia Commonwealth University/Indivior HEOR Fellow Program

  • Post-doc Fellow (Year 1), Pharmacoeconomics and Health Outcomes Research at Virginia Commonwealth University
    Aug 2017 - Jul 2018 · 1 yr

    - Co-designed and conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis to support the strategic implementation plan for a clinical trial of Hepatitis C-positive donor kidney transplantation for Hepatitis C-negative recipients with concomitant direct-acting antiviral therapy - Drafted a research proposal for the Sheriff’s Office of a large county in Virginia, to evaluate an innovative program which is to help opioid-addicted inmates battle addiction - Conducted a national survey-based study using National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) data to characterize opioid overdose related emergency department visits and presented the findings at a departmental seminar - Coordinated and executed activities in the recruitment process for the 2018 Virginia Commonwealth University/Indivior HEOR Fellow Program

  • The University of Iowa (Iowa City-Cedar Rapids Area)
    • Research Assistant, Health Service Research
      Aug 2011 - May 2017 · 5 yrs 10 mos

      Responsibilities included developing research proposal, IRB submission, research/travel grant application, conducting literature review and data analysis, drafting abstract and posters and presenting (oral and poster) at national and international conferences on behalf the research team, and co-drafting manuscripts to peer-reviewed journals (see Publications).

    • Teaching Assistant, College of Pharmacy PharmD Program
      Aug 2014 - Dec 2016 · 2 yrs 5 mos

  • University of Macau (Macao SAR)
    • Teaching Assistant
      Oct 2009 - Jun 2011 · 1 yr 9 mos

    • Research Assistant
      Sep 2009 - Jun 2011 · 1 yr 10 mos