Robert Wellman, MS

Wellman_Robert_D_205x293.jpg

“Being part of Kaiser Permanente research teams gives me a chance to develop cutting-edge biostatistical methods while contributing to health care research with a national impact.”

Robert Wellman, MS

Principal Collaborative Biostatistician, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute

Biography

A graduate of the University of Washington (UW) biostatistics program, Robert Wellman, MS, joined the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) Biostatistics Unit in 2009. His work spans a diverse collection of topics including mental health, pharmacoepidemiology, postmarketing drug safety surveillance, obesity, diagnostic test accuracy, back pain, and breast cancer. Prior to this, he spent 5 years in the Biostatistics Core at the UW Center for AIDS Research.

Research interests and experience

  • Biostatistics

    Causal inference; longitudinal data; diagnostic and screening test accuracy; clinical trials; survival analysis: rare disease outcomes; nonparametrics; missing data; electronic data; distributed data; statistical computing

    Vaccines & Infectious Diseases

    Biostatistics; HIV/AIDS; vaccine safety

    Complementary & Integrative Health

    Biostatistics; clinical trials; back pain

    Obesity

    Biostatistics; bariatric surgery

  • Cancer

    Biostatistics; breast cancer; effects of chemotherapy; accuracy of automated data; screening test accuracy; advanced imaging

    Medication Use & Patient Safety

    Biostatistics; pharmacoepidemiology; postmarketing drug safety surveillance; big data; electronic health record and claims data

    Mental Health

    Biostatistics; suicide risk prediction, machine learning

  •  
  •  

Recent publications

Sherman KJ, Cherkin DC, Wellman RD, Cook AJ, Hawkes RJ, Delaney K, Deyo RA. A randomized trial comparing yoga, stretching, and a self-care book for chronic low back pain.  Arch Intern Med. 2011 2011 Dec 12;171(22):2019-26. Epub 2011 Oct 24. PubMed

Hecht F, Wellman R, Busch M, Little S, Markowitz M, Collier A, Margolick J, Norris P, Routy JP, Holte S Identifying the early post-HIV antibody seroconversion period. J Infect Dis. 2011 Aug 15;204(4):526-33. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jir304. PubMed

Cherkin DC, Sherman KJ, Kahn J, Wellman R, Cook AJ, Johnson E, Erro JH, Delaney KM, Deyo RA. A comparison of the effects of 2 types of massage and usual care on chronic low back pain: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 2011 Jul 5;155(1):1-9. PubMed

Sherman KJ, Cherkin DC, Cook AJ, Hawkes RJ, Deyo RA, Wellman R, Khalsa PS. Comparison of yoga versus stretching for chronic low back pain: protocol for the Yoga Exercise Self-care (YES) trial.  Trials. 2010;11(1):36. PubMed

 

Research

Acupuncture_for_back_pain_1col.png

Acupuncture safe and effective for chronic low back pain in older adults

NIH-funded study finds that acupuncture improves pain, physical functioning.

Research

RESOLVE_trial_1col.png

Remote programs effective for chronic pain, study finds

Telehealth and online cognitive behavioral therapy could expand treatment options for chronic pain in rural areas.

New findings

Suicide-risk-modeling-story_1col.jpg

Simpler models to identify suicide risk perform similarly to more complex ones

Models that are easier to explain, use could have better uptake in health care settings.