Dr. Scott Halpern

Biography

Scott D. Halpern, MD, PhD, MBE, is the John M. Eisenberg Professor in Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania, where he also serves as the Founding Director of the Palliative Advanced Illness Research Center (PAIR). His research integrates empirical methods from epidemiology and health services research with decision-making sciences, underpinned by moral philosophy. Dr. Halpern's work focuses on the allocation of scarce healthcare resources, including ICU beds and solid-organ transplants, investigating the trade-offs made between individual interests and the needs of various groups. He utilizes behavioral economic strategies to examine how framing effects, default options, and financial incentives influence the decisions of patients and providers, especially concerning end-of-life care. Furthermore, he aims to enhance the ethical and efficient conduct of randomized clinical trials by analyzing the consequences of incentives for research participation and developing novel patient-centered outcome measures. His work has received funding from notable organizations including the National Cancer Institute and the American Thoracic Society, and he is a recognized scholar in bioethics.

Research Interests

Experience