Research Activities

Dr. Marshall leads the health economics, socioeconomic benefits, patient preferences, and patient engagement activities for several national and international research programs in precision health and patient-oriented research to develop health economic tools and approaches to evaluate precision health funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Genome Canada. 

Featured Research Networks and Programs

Deborah Marshall is the Co-Principal Investigator and Patient Engagement working group Co-Lead for the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) Chronic Disease Network (Inflammation, Microbiome, and Alimentation: Gastro-Intestinal and Neuropsychiatric Effects, CIHR SPOR) on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and the microbiome.

Members of Dr. Marshall's team help coordinate and conduct multiple studies focusing on patient preferences in the treatment of IBD as well as irritable bowel syndrome. They also liaise with Patient Research Partners in the IMAGINE Network, involving patients meaningfully in a variety of roles from research participants to co-investigators.

https://imaginespor.com/

Care4Rare Canada - harnessing multi-omics to deliver innovative diagnostic care for rare genetic diseases.

http://care4rare.ca/

TIGeR (Translational Implementation of Genomics for Rare diseases), partnership with Medical Genetics and Alberta Provincial Laboratory for the clinical application of genome wide sequencing. 

https://www.genomecanada.ca/en/tiger-translational-implementation-genomics-rare-diseases

UCAN CAN-DU (Understanding Childhood Arthritis Network Canada-Netherlands) and UCAN CURE (Precision Decisions for Childhood Arthritis) personalized medicine networks in childhood arthritis combining genomic techniques, machine learning methods, and simulation modeling to predict response to treatment and its associated health outcomes and economic impact. 

https://www.ucancandu.com/

Measurement Frameworks, Models of Care and Key Performance Indicators for Quality Improvement

The Marshall Health Economics and Health Services Team contributed to the development and testing of multiple measurement frameworks and key performance indicators for quality of care including centralized intake, rehabilitation, and system and process measures for managing patients with osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis. Through this work we also identified gaps in care and service delivery and using simulation modeling, identified opportunities for improving patient flow through the system. Our research on a new model of care, measurement framework and performance metrics to improve access and care quality for joint replacement won the prestigious CIHR/ Canadian Medical Association Journal National Research Excellence Award.

Leadership in Health Services and Systems Research and Knowledge Translation

Dr. Deborah Marshall is recognized nationally as a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. She also received a Killam Professorship Award, a CIHR Celebration of Excellence in Health Research Knowledge Translation Prize and the Dr. Jill M Sanders Award of Excellence in Health Technology Assessment Award from the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technology in Health (CADTH). Dr. Marshall was elected President, Board of Directors for the International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR), the leading professional organization in this field with 11,000 members worldwide.

Methodological Research Contributions

Dr. Marshall contributed expertise to develop methodological guidance and advance methods in healthcare delivery research.

Chair of Two Simulation Modeling Task Forces

Dr. Marshall chaired two international expert task forces on simulation modeling in health care delivery research and integrating dynamic simulation modeling and big data.

 

ISPOR Simulation Modeling Emerging Good Practices Task Force - Selecting a Dynamic Simulation Modeling Method for Health Care Delivery Research, International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, 2015 to 2016

 

ISPOR Simulation Modeling Emerging Good Practices Task Force - Applying Dynamic Simulation Modeling Methods in Health Care Delivery Research—The SIMULATE Checklist, International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, 2014 to 2015

 

Impact: These task forces developed methodological guidance and advanced methods in the field.

 

 

Expert Member of Three International Task Forces

Dr. Marshall is an expert member of three international Task Forces on Good Research Practices on methods for measuring patient preferences.

Impact: Each task force published methodological recommendations that are highly cited and have influenced how these methods are applied to inform patient-centered care.  

Founding Investigator of PaCER Program

Dr. Marshall is the founding investigator of the Patient and Community Engagement Research (PaCER) program to train people with lived experience to design and conduct health research using an established protocol of qualitative inquiry.  

Impact: Through this work, research practice has changed to include co-design and co-execution of research with patients. 

Dr. Marshall's Scholarly and Community Service Commitments and Affiliations 

     

  • International Academy for Health Preferences Research, tenured member 

  • International Health Economics Association (iHEA), member 

  • Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi), Founding Board of Directors 

  • International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR), member 

  • International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR), Student Council Faculty Advisor, member 

  • Society for Medical Decision Making (SMDM), member 

  • International Journal for Technology Assessment in Health Care, Editorial Board, 1998 to present 

  • The Patient, 2010 to present 

    

  1. International Groups

    • Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi) Patient and Community Interest Group (PCIG), ___ to present 

    • Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi) Patient Preference Working Group (PPWG), ___ to present 

    • Founding Member, GEECs (The Global Economics and Evaluation of Clinical Genomics Sequencing Working Group), 2017 to present 

    • Panel Member, UCAN (Understanding Childhood Arthritis Network, 2017 to present 

    • Member, Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi), Board of Directors, 2013 to present 

    • Scientific and Organising Committee, Conjoint Analysis in Health Care (CAHC) Conference, Florida, 2012 

    • Scientific Committee, Conjoint Analysis in Health Care (CAHC) Conference, Newport Beach, CA, October 3-8, 2010, Member 2009-2010 

    • Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Working Group member, US National Cancer Institute, January 2010 to present  

    • CADTH/NCIC Working Group on Guidelines for Economic Evaluation in Oncology, 2006 to 2009 

    • Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi), founding Board Director, 2003-2004 (elected) 

    • Scientific Program Committee, member, International HTAi Annual Meeting in Krakow, Poland, 2004 

    • International Society for Technology Assessment in Health Care (ISTAHC), Board Director, 1998 to 2003 (elected) 

    • ISTAHC Board liaison to Special Purpose Interest Group on Information Resources, 1998-2000 

    • ISTAHC Education Committee Chair, 2000-2003 (elected) 

    • ISTAHC Education committee member, 1998-2000 (elected) 

    • International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment, representative for The Swedish Council on Technology Assessment in Health Care, 1993-95 

    • Organizing Committee and Local Working Group for the Eleventh International Meeting of the International Society for Technology Assessment in Health Care, 1993-95 

    • Coordination and Development of Health Care Technology Assessment in Europe (EUR-ASSESS), Subcommittee on Dissemination and Evaluation of Impact, 1993-96 

  2. National Groups

    • Co-Founder, Patient and Community Engagement Research (PaCER) Advisory Group, 2019 to present 

    • Council of Canadian Academies Workshop on Gene Therapies, 2019 to present 

    • Co-Chair, Canadian Association for Health Services and Policy Research (CAHSPR) Program Committee for 2020 CASHPR Meeting  

    • Member, Canadian Institutes of Health Research College of Reviewers 

    • Panel Member, Arthritis Society Strategic Operating Grant Review Committee, 2016 

    • Scientific Committee Co-Chair, Arthritis Alliance of Canada, 2015 

    • Arthritis Alliance of Canada Research Committee, National Framework for Improving Pan-Canadian Co-operation and Co-ordination for Arthritis, December 2011 to present 

    • CIHR Institute of Genetics and CIHR Institute of Health Services and Policy Research, Health Services for Genetic Diseases Priority & Planning Committee, Member 2010 to Present  

  3. Local Groups

    • Co-PI, SPOR IMAGINE Project with Paul Moayyedi 

    • Chair, O’Brien Institute of Public Health, Internal Peer Review Committee 2019 - Present 

    • Member, UofC Strategic University Proposal and Platform Opportunity Review Team (SUPPORT) Committee, 2019 

    • Member, Health Economics Scholar (Fellowship) and Graduate (Internship) Evaluation Committee, 2017 

    • Member, UofC CRC Support – Chair & Professorships Committee, 2017 

    • Member, McCaig Research Committee, 2016 

    • Neutral Chair, UofC Community Health Sciences Student Thesis Defense, 2015 

    • Member, Division of Rheumatology -- University of Calgary, April 2013 

    • AHFMR Osteoarthritis Team Grant, Training Committee Member, 2010 to Present 

    • Alberta Improvements for Musculoskeletal Disorders Study (AIMS) member, Scientific Committee, 2003 

    • The Nordic Cochrane Centre, Advisory Board, 1993-94 

  • Member, ISPOR Measuring Patient Preferences Task Force, 2020 

  • Member, ISPOR Optimization Methods Emerging Good Practices Task Force -Application of Constrained Optimization Methods: Report 2 of the ISPOR Optimization Task Force, ISPOR, 2016 to 2018 

  • Chair, ISPOR Simulation Modeling Emerging Good Practices Task Force - Selecting a Dynamic Simulation Modeling Method for Health Care Delivery Research, International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, 2015 to 2016  

  • Member, ISPOR Optimization Methods Emerging Good Practices Task Force -Constrained Optimization Methods in Health Services Research—An Introduction, International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, 2015 to 2016 

  • Member, ISPOR Conjoint Analysis Good Research Practices Task Force - Statistical Methods for the Analysis of Discrete Choice Experiments, International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, 2014 to 2016 

  • Chair, ISPOR Simulation Modeling Emerging Good Practices Task Force - Applying Dynamic Simulation Modeling Methods in Health Care Delivery Research—The SIMULATE Checklist, International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, 2014 to 2015 

  • Member, ISPOR Good Research Practices for Conjoint Analysis Task Force - Conjoint Analysis Applications in Health—a Checklist, International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, 2009 to 2011 

  • Member, ISPOR Conjoint Analysis Experimental Design Good Research Practices Task Force - Constructing Experimental Designs for Discrete-Choice Experiments, International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, 2011 to 2013 

  • Member, ISPOR, Patient Reported Outcomes (PRO) Special Interest Group: Patient Preference Methods – Conjoint Analysis Working Group, 2007 to present 

  • Member, ISPOR Task Force on Real World Data in Coverage and Reimbursement Decisions, 2004-2006  

  • Co-Chair, ISPOR Task Force Review Committee, 2019 

  • Chair, ISPOR Avedis Donabedian Outcomes Research Achievement Lifetime Awards Committee, 2017 to present 

  • Chair, ISPOR Nominations Committee, Board of Directors, 2014 to present 

  • Chair, ISPOR Health Science Policy Council, Board of Directors, 2015 to present 

  • Past-President, Board of Directors, ISPOR, 2013 to 2014 

  • President, Board of Directors, ISPOR, 2012 to 2013 

  • President-Elect, Board of Directors, ISPOR, May 2011 to May 2013 

  • ISPOR, Co-chair, Scientific Program Committee for 2007 meeting, 2006