Improving healthcare through research.

The Center for Health Services & Outcomes Research (CHSOR) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine's Institute for Public Health and Medicine generates new knowledge to improve healthcare practice, population health and health equity by discovering which healthcare interventions work best for which people. Our research interests span a broad spectrum, from preventive services to diagnostic approaches and treatments to different forms of healthcare delivery, organization or financing.

About Us Meet our Members

What We Do

Methods & Expertise

Our members support other investigators by sharing their extensive experience and knowledge in various research methods.

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Clinical & Research Interests

Our research utilizes data collected under routine clinical conditions across a wide range of medical specialties.

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Education

Learn more about the different graduate program offerings in our area of health science, from master's to PhD degrees.

Visit the Center for Education in Health Sciences

Staff Spotlight

Owusu Bekoe

Program Assistant

Owusu Bekoe joined Northwestern University in 2021 as CHSOR's Program Assistant after graduating from Howard University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Sociology. Owusu provides vital administrative support for the center while spearheading its communication strategy. During his time at CHSOR, he has earned a professional certificate in Data Analysis and Visualization from Northwestern University. He enjoys exploring Chicago's diverse arts and music scene in his free time.

Carolyn Schafer, MPH

Center Administrator

Carolyn Schafer joined CHSOR as a Research Project Manager in December 2021 and started as the Center Administrator in April 2023. Carolyn is pursuing an MBA at Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management. Outside of work she enjoys working out and reading.

Clancy Jones Barry

Research Coordinator

Clancy Barry joined Northwestern University in 2024 as a research coordinator for Dr. Carol Haywood. Clancy works on projects aimed at improving disability access in healthcare. Clancy holds a bachelor's degree in neuroscience, global health, and Middle Eastern studies from Oberlin College. Her professional experience includes harm reduction, disability advocacy, and work as an EMT. She loves spending time outdoors in her free time and has been enjoying all the live music in Chicago.

Jessica Gacki-Smith, MPH

Clinical Research Associate

Jessica Gacki-Smith is a Clinical Research Associate at the Center for Health Services and Outcomes Research (CHSOR) and the Comprehensive Transplant Center, Department of Surgery. She joined CHSOR in August 2020, bringing over 15 years of experience in behavioral and social science research. In her role, Jessica works closely with research teams on multi-site clinical trials and social behavioral studies related to kidney transplantation, living kidney donation, and diabetes. Current studies involve mixed methods and focus on developing and implementing interventions to improve patient treatment decision-making, self-care, safety, and outcomes.

Juliana Pinheiro

Research Study Assistant

Juliana Pinheiro joined Northwestern in 2022. She studied biochemistry and neuroscience at Augustana College and then worked as a research associate at MD Anderson Cancer Center, spearheading a project studying a novel therapeutic treatment in glioblastomas. She enjoys running, soccer and geeking out over Philosophy of Mind theories.

Ellie Suse, MPH

Nurse Quality Manager, ILPQC

Ellie is a Nurse Quality Manager at the Illinois Perinatal Quality Collaborative (ILPQC) working on the Promoting Vaginal Birth and Equity for Safe Sleep in Infants initiatives. She studied nursing at Villanova University and worked in the labor and delivery, postpartum, and Neonatal Intensive Care units at Northwestern Medicine before joining ILPQC. Ellie attended the University of Michigan for her MSN in Population Health and MPH in Health Behavior and Health Education. Outside of work, she enjoys baking, reading, and hiking.

Katie Liebaert, MPH

Research Study Coordinator

Katie Liebaert joined CHSOR in 2023 as a Research Study Coordinator after graduating from Grand Valley State University with a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology. She supports orthopedics research on Dr. Rowland Chang’s team and diabetes research on Dr. Amisha Wallia’s team. At CHSOR, she has supported patient recruitment and retention, research development, and daily study operations. Katie enjoys spending time by the lake and playing tennis in her free time.

Xueqing Zhou, MS

Research Data Analyst

Xueqing Zhou joined Northwestern University in 2023 as CHSOR’s Research Data Analyst. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Statistics from Ohio State University and a Master of Science in Biostatistics and Data Science from Weill Cornell Medicine. Xueqing collaborates with various principal investigators to support analytical work for grants. She enjoys spending time with her pet and exploring new experiences.

Lynn Huang, MS

Research Data Analyst

Lynn Huang joined CHSOR in 2022 as a Research Data Analyst. She has an MS in Statistics and collaborates with research teams across the center to support the analysis and data management of several R01 grants. During her time in CHSOR, Lynn has attended workshops on Causal Inference methods and cost-effectiveness. Some of her work has been accepted to conferences such as Academy Health and ASC. In her free time, she enjoys working on creative art projects, trying new foods, and exploring the coffee shops around Chicago.