Greg Simon, MD, MPH, is a psychiatrist and senior investigator well-known for his extensive research on practical approaches to improving mental health care. He seeks to develop and evaluate effective real-world strategies that support better mental health and wellness. Current areas of emphasis include identifying and assessing suicide risk, improving care for treatment-resistant depression, and reducing racial and ethnic disparities in mental health care.
Dr. Simon leads the Mental Health Research Network (MHRN), a consortium of research centers affiliated with 13 large health systems across the United States, including Kaiser Permanente Washington. This network, originally funded through a cooperative agreement with the National Institute of Mental Health, aims to improve the efficiency, relevance, and impact of mental health clinical and health services research. The MHRN is exploring a broad range of issues—including suicide prevention, improving heart health in people with serious mental illness, using electronic medical records to improve follow-up care for depression, and understanding the causes of racial and ethnic disparities in mental health care.
Dr. Simon and his MHRN colleagues have conducted several large studies across MHRN health systems, including:
Dr. Simon sits on the editorial board for the journal General Hospital Psychiatry, and co-chairs the National Academy of Medicine’s Forum on Drug Discovery, Development and Translation.. Dr. Simon has practiced adult psychiatry in Kaiser Permanente Washington's Mental Health and Wellness Service since 1990. He is also a professor in the department of Health Systems Science at the Bernard J Tyson Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine and an adjunct professor inPsychiatry and Behavioral Dciences at the University of Washington.
Depression; bipolar disorder; suicide prevention; self-management; treatment adherence
Comorbidity of mental health conditions with obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and substance use disorders.
Young BA, Lin E, Von Korff M, Simon G, Ciechanowski P, Ludman EJ, Everson-Stewart S, Kinder L, Oliver M, Boyko EJ, Katon WJ. Diabetes complications severity index and risk of mortality, hospitalization, and healthcare utilization. Am J Manag Care. 2008;14(1):15-23. PubMed
Simon GE, Ludman EJ, Linde JA, Operskalski BH, Ichikawa L, Rohde P, Finch EA, Jeffery RW. Association between obesity and depression in middle-aged women. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2008;30(1):32-9. PubMed
Patel V, Araya R, Chowdhary N, King M, Kirkwood B, Nayak S, Simon G, Weiss HA. Detecting common mental disorders in primary care in India: a comparison of five screening questionnaires. Psychol Med. 2008;38(2):221-8. Epub 2007 Nov 30. PubMed
Wang PS, Simon GE, Avorn J, Azocar F, Ludman EJ, McCulloch J, Petukhova MZ, Kessler RC. Telephone screening, outreach, and care management for depressed workers and impact on clinical and work productivity outcomes: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2007;298(12):1401-11. PubMed
Simon GE, Rutter CM. Accuracy of recall for mania symptoms using a three month timeline follow-back interview. J Affect Disord. 2008;107(1-3):271-4. Epub 2007 Sep 19. PubMed
Frederick JT, Steinman LE, Prohaska T, Satariano WA, Bruce M, Bryant L, Ciechanowski P, Devellis B, Leith K, Leyden KM, Sharkey J, Simon GE, Wilson N, Unutzer J, Snowden M. Community-based treatment of late life depression an expert panel-informed literature review. Am J Prev Med. 2007;33(3):222-49. PubMed
Scott KM, Bruffaerts R, Simon GE, Alonso J, Angermeyer M, de Girolamo G, Demyttenaere K, Gasquet I, Haro JM, Karam E, Kessler RC, Levinson D, Medina Mora ME, Oakley Browne MA, Ormel J, Villa JP, Uda H, Von Korff M. Obesity and mental disorders in the general population: results from the World Mental Health Surveys. Int J Obes (Lond). 2008 Jan;32(1):192-200. Epub 2007 Aug 21. PubMed
Simon GE, Hunkeler E, Fireman B, Lee JY, Savarino J. Risk of suicide attempt and suicide death in patients treated for bipolar disorder. Bipolar Disord. 2007;9(5):526-30. PubMed
Simon GE, Bauer MS, Ludman EJ, Operskalski BH, Unutzer J. Mood symptoms, functional impairment, and disability in people with bipolar disorder: specific effects of mania and depression. J Clin Psychiatry. 2007;68(8):1237-45. PubMed
Ludman EJ, Simon GE, Grothaus LC, Luce C, Markley DK, Schaefer J. A pilot study of telephone care management and structured disease self-management groups for chronic depression. Psychiatr Serv. 2007;58(8):1065-72. PubMed
In a new multistate study, the Zero Suicide Model reduced suicide rates by 25%.
Safety planning and risk screening improved outcomes for adult patients.
A new grant funds modeling work to make personalized treatment possible.
KPWHRI research finds ways to increase use of a firearm safety tool.
Study finds that many patients who might benefit from clozapine don’t receive it.