—Ph.D. in Health Systems Policy Analysis, Finance, and Research
—Managed Care Accrediation & Designing Outcome Measures; Auditing for Data Integrity / Designing Data Quality Review – National Committee on Quality Assurance, Washington, D.C
—M.A. in Counseling Psychology
—B.S. in Education
With over a decade of dissertation experience, Dr. Santos provides expert guidance and consultation on selecting a topic, narrowing your focus and crafting your research question (s), determining the best research design, specific step by step study implementation including designing tools, instruments, sample selection, and collection of data.  Her expertise also includes consultation and guidance on the construction of each chapter and productive ways to communicate and problem solve with your committee members.  Prior to Dr Santos’ role as a dissertation chair and methodology advisor, she spent over twenty years in the health care field in leadership and research roles in many areas of the country. 

Recent Professional Experience

American Cancer Society New England Division, Director of Cancer Detection & Health Systems Initiatives
Develop and promote effective cancer control policies, programs, and activities with a focus on health care systems through the building of relationships with providers, payers, managed care, and integrated delivery systems, among others.  Review and facilitate the development, design, and implementation of all research within the division.  Provide consultation and guidance to researchers on study area,  design, implementation, and publication. Provide leadership and facilitate the planning, training, implementation and evaluation of all cancer programs in the ACS New England Division.

Teaching and Academic Experience

Doctorate Dissertation Advisor and Committee Chair (1999 - Present)
Plan and facilitate courses for doctorate students in development of their dissertation, identifying the research area and questions, study methodology and design, construction of the proposal and review and guidance on each chapter of the dissertation.
Adjunct Faculty
Taught courses in research methods, health care, health care management, designing research, program evaluation, grant writing and administration and many other social science courses to undergraduate and graduate students. Provided guidance on the developed of their thesis, research question (s), design, implementation and final thesis.

Additional Professional Experience

Medicaid & Medicare, Anchorage, Alaska          1996-1999
Senior Administrator (New Product Development, Evaluation and Quality Measures)
Designed and tested outcome measures based on consumer-reported quality-of-life outcomes and best practice standards. Developed and oversaw PRO and QIO initiatives. Conducted quantitative and  qualitative analysis of complex data sets to evaluate and establish policy changes. Key liaison with all health care providers. Developed consumer satisfaction surveys. Pioneered program evaluation studies to monitor clinical outcomes. Wrote and presented reports to internal and external audiences including oversight and planning committees. Responded to data requests from outside agencies and organizations.
Participated in team effort to design complex information and data processing engineering.
Planned and executed a wide range of pertinent research studies on topics that included access to primary care physicians, cancer early detection outcome measurement, case management, emergency room usage, and many others.

Indepdent consultant, Anchorage, Alaska            1994-1996
Specialized in grant writing and grant writing training. Also worked with clients on outcome measures development, strategic planning for major health care clients including Providence Health System, PPO, and Managed Care Tribal Health Consortium. Created standards and outcome measurements. Provided training to all levels of personnel.

Eastern Aleutian Tribes, Inc., Sand Point, Alaska            1990-1994
Chief Executive Officer 
Developed this health care corporation from the ground up. Obtained funding through grant writing and successful administration of grants. Evaluated health and social needs, built consensus, secured financing and designed a system of care in one of the most remote areas of the world. Managed all facets of federal, state, and private grant funding and administration. Directed the development, implementation, and evaluation of health and social service systems/programs. Served as communication liaison and mediator for all stakeholders.  

Commonwealth Of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts          1987-1990
Senior Manager / Division of Clinical and Professional Services
Ensured the quality and integrity of clinical services in hospitals and practice groups.  Evaluated standards of care and designed outcome measurements within community and facility-based programs. Completed complex policy and efficacy analysis. Wrote regulations and analyzed policies. Represented the department at public forums, and presented testimony to the legislature.

Publications, Research and Evaluation Accomplishments (Partial List)

Rose AJ, Backus BM, Gershman ST, Santos P, Ash AS, Battaglia TA. 
Predictors of aggressive therapy for nonmetastatic prostate carcinoma in Massachusetts from 1998-2002. Medical Care: In Press.
Face of Cancer Survivorship six New England States by cancer, stage, quality of life indicators, three perspectives – person diagnosed with cancer, caregiver and loved one.
Designed, tested and implemented web based survey and population based survivorship surveillance strategy

Differences in Colorectal Cancer Screening Utilization of Colonoscopy and Flexible Sigmoidoscopy by Area, Payer, having a Regular Physician and Age.
Developed and tested survey question, formulated analysis, and final review and editing.

HEDIS Outcome Prevention & Early Detection Measurements Breast, Cervical & Colorectal  Cancer Screening
Developed methodology, analyzed claims data and conducted first-hand physician interviews.
Compiled and summarized findings.

Access to Primary Care Physicians – Women & Children
Formulated research methodology and facilitated focus groups and designed tested and over saw telephone surveys to gather appropriate data.

Emergency Room Usage Patterns – Medicaid Beneficiaries
Planned and implemented research methods and effectively analyzed/interpreted Medicaid claims data.

Case Management Models for Medically High Risk Populations
Determined research methodology and created case study and case management models.
Implemented and evaluated programs for high-risk populations; summarized results.

Medical Home Model for Pediatric & Prenatal Care
Established study methodology, analyzed medical records and claims data, designed and tested survey tool and conducted focus groups.

Telephone Triage Impact on Emergency Room Visits
Created methodology and performed detailed program evaluation and claims data analysis functions.

HEDIS Outcome Measurement for Diabetes Chronic Care
Designed and implemented study methodology; analyzed claims data and medical records.

Consumer Satisfaction with Culturally Dissimilar Providers in Remote Indigenous Communities
 Implemented surveys, interviews and clinical record reviews.

Consumer Perspective on Remote, Rural Health and Social Services
Determined research methodology and led focus groups; interpreted and summarized findings.

Involuntary Commitment of Mentally Ill Men, Women, Adolescents & Children
Designed methodology and conducted program evaluation and case study.

Consumer Hotline – Medicaid Beneficiaries
Developed research methodology, evaluated current programs and implemented consumer surveys.

Unangan Perspective, Licensed or Unlicensed Providers in Remote, Rural Villages Before and After the Realization of the Indian Self Determination Act
Managed all facets of research design, implementation and interpretation for Doctoral Dissertation at Brandeis University.
Performed data gathering and comprehensive statistical analysis.