UMB Named Partner in Optum Labs Research Collaborative

September 9, 2014--Optum Labs has named the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) as one of the latest partners to join its research collaborative. Led by Eleanor Perfetto, PhD, MS, professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research (PHSR) at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, this new partnership will enhance and augment UMB’s existing research and informatics resources with the data, tools, expertise, and infrastructure available at Optum Labs to increase the scope and impact of Alzheimer’s disease and healthy aging research.

“This partnership with Optum Labs enhances UMB’s recognition as a leader in ‘big data’ research,” says Perfetto. “In addition to expanding research opportunities for faculty and students across the University, the partnership increases our competitiveness for grants and contracts from industry, government, and philanthropic organizations. We look forward to combining our expertise and resources with those at Optum Labs to pursue innovative projects that will improve health care delivery and patient outcomes for individuals with Alzheimer’s diseases and other aging-related issues.”

In addition to expanding the University’s partnerships with other prestigious organizations across the health care industry, the new partnership allows researchers across UMB to access Optum Labs’ high-quality, integrated clinical and claims data. These data will expand research opportunities for faculty and students in a wide range of fields, including comparative effectiveness, behavioral and policy topics, translation and dissemination, epidemiology and economics, safety and pharmacovigilance, heterogeneity in treatment response, resource utilization, and variations in care.

“Optum Labs houses one of the largest linked and de-identified claims and electronic medical records repositories in the country,” says Perfetto. “Researchers across the University can now access these data to conduct studies that will inform better decision making, support caregivers, and improve care for elderly patients.”

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