Additional Roles
Professor, Division of Pharmaceutical Evaluation and Policy, College of Pharmacy (Secondary Appointment)
Director, Health Systems and Services PhD Program
Director, Healthcare Data Analytics MS Program
Graduate Faculty
Education
Ph.D. – Economics, Wayne State University
M.A. – Economics, Central Michigan University
B.S. – Business & Economics, Central Michigan University
Areas of Expertise
Economic Evaluation of Health Services
Modeling Impact of Policies on Health Outcomes
Racial/Ethnic Health Disparities
Health Care Analytics/Data Science
Health Care Economics
Introduction
I have served as the chair of numerous dissertations for PhD students and mentored junior faculty in their pursuit of grant funding. My research seeks to improve health outcomes and health equity.
Credentials, Accreditations, and Awards
2021 Chancellor’s Award for Society and Health Education Excellence, UAMS
2018 Outstanding Faculty Award, College of Public Health Student Council, UAMS
2006 Best Project Award, Emergency Medical Services for Children Program
2000 Educator of the Year Award, UAMS
Teaching Focus
Dr. Tilford’s teaching underlines the idea of uncertainty in medical care to explain non market social institutions like not-for-profit healthcare and licensing to protect against failures of market-oriented practices. Variation in healthcare treatment and spending is widespread in the US healthcare system and is a mark of inefficiency. He enjoys mentoring students and faculty in grantsmanship.
Research Overview
Dr. Tilford focuses on quality-of-life outcomes of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, including autism, and their caregivers. His work aims to improve the economic evaluation of interventions. Using the Arkansas All Payers Claims Database to investigate population health outcomes, he has shown the importance of social determinants of health in rates of ADHD diagnosis across schools.
Selected Recent Books and Publications
Lazic A, Tilford JM, Davis VP, Brown CC. Association of Copayments with Healthcare Utilization and Expenditures Among Medicaid Enrollees with a Substance Use Disorder. J Subst Use Addict Treat. 2024 Jun; 161:209314. PMCID: PMC11090739.
Rezaeiahari M, Brown CC, Eyimina A, Perry TT, Goudie A, Boyd M, Tilford JM, Jefferson AA. Predicting Pediatric Severe Asthma Exacerbations: An Administrative Claims-Based Predictive Model. J Asthma. 2024 Mar; 61(3):203-211. PMID: 37725084.
Tilford JM, Tarlan A. The Carer QALY Trap and Altruism in Economic Evaluation. 2023; 41:1553-1555. PMID: 3791741.
Jefferson AA, Brown CC, Eyimina A, Goudie A, Rezaeiahari M, Perry TT, Tilford JM. Asthma Quality Measurement and Adverse Outcomes in Medicaid-Enrolled Children. 2023 Aug 1; 152(2):e2022059812. PMCID: PMC10389769.
Schuldt R, Lallier A, Chen H-F, Tilford JM. Geographic Variation in Medicare Home Health Expenditures. Am J Manag Care. 2022 Jul; 28(7):322-328. PMID: 35852881.
Fun Fact
People ask what I would do if I was not a health economist. My answer is to become a health economist. I cannot imagine a more rewarding profession (it’s not a job). I do love to fish and collect antique fishing lures; so, if you don’t want grandpa’s (or grandma’s) lures, let’s talk!