University of Pennsylvania LDI CHI | Center for Health Incentives at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics | Home of the UPHS Innovation in Healthcare Financing Center & Penn CMU Roybal P30 Center on Behavioral Economics and Health

Principal Investigators: Kevin Volpp, Mitesh Patel

Employers are increasing looking for opportunities to encourage weight loss among employees. While studies have shown that financial incentives can effectively encourage weight loss, little is known about their use in health benefits design. The goal of this study is to determine whether a financial incentive program for obese University of Pennsylvania Health System employees can effectively encourage weight loss when compared to changes in health benefit design.

Funder: University of Pennsylvania Health System

Principal Investigators: Kevin Volpp, Iwan Barankay, Peter Reese

The application of conceptual approaches from behavioral economics offers considerable promise in advancing health and health care. In patients with suboptimal cholesterol control who are at high risk for CVD, this study will test the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different behavioral economic techniques to improve statin adherence following discontinuation of the intervention. Investigative team leaders Iwan Barankay, Kevin Volpp and Peter Reese will use a 4-arm randomized controlled trial to compare the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of alternative approaches to inducing habit formation among CVD patients with poorly controlled cholesterol who have been prescribed statins.

Funded by: NIH/National Institute on Aging

Principal Investigators: Kevin Volpp, David Asch

The goal of this project is to improve medication adherence and health outcomes in post-discharge patients who are recovering from acute myocardial infarctions in metropolitan Philadelphia and adjoining areas of New Jersey.  Such patients typically have high rates of poor medication adherence and hospital readmissions and are costly to monitor through intensive case management.  The intervention will increase medication adherence through telemonitoring and a visual and audible “reminder” system. It will also retrain social workers as engagement advisors to monitor adherence, offer incentives, and enlist patient support from family and friends. The anticipated result will be improved health outcomes and lower cost.

Funder: Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation