Health Care Data and SAS

Finally! A book that draws together tried-and-true techniques for using SAS to work with health care data. New and experienced SAS programmers and analysts working in health care data analysis will find Health Care Data and SAS invaluable in their daily professional lives. Health care data can be diverse and complicated. With this book, you will learn how to use SAS to access the information within the data. A terrific primer for new health care analysts and a reference for long-time practitioners, this book, written by Marge Scerbo, Craig Dickstein, and Alan Wilson, defines the types of health care data and explores a wide range of tasks, including reading, validating, and manipulating the data, and producing reports. The combination of basic information and tricks of the trade make this a must-have resource for health care programmers and analysts.

Marge Scerbo
As a Senior Analyst at the Center for Health Program Development and Management at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Marge has filled many roles. She has designed analytic databases of both claims and encounters in the Maryland Medicaid system and was the principal developer of a major data warehouse and decision support system, specifically in the area of health care. Her expertise is in the area of quality assessment and clinical evaluation of health care delivery systems. Marge has been a user of SAS software for over 15 years and has 20 years of experience in health care from pediatric oncology to laboratory medicine, from private to public organizations. Marge has participated in local, regional, and international SAS user groups as an invaluable organizer and popular speaker.

Craig Dickstein
Craig is the SAS Practice Manager for Intellicisions Data, Inc. As a senior consultant in Business Development, he works directly with key clients to assess their unique business needs and to design appropriate technology solutions. Craig began his career in medical research, gaining an appreciation for the rigors of applied research methodology. A SAS user for over 23 years, he has significant experience managing and developing SAS applications. His expertise is with large database reporting applications, statistical analysis, and data management. With a masters degree in statistics, Craig served as Director of Statistical Services with Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Hampshire. For many years Craig has been involved with SAS user groups and currently serves on the Executive Committee of the NorthEast SAS Users Group, Inc.

Alan Wilson, Ph.D.
Alan is Associate Professor of Medicine at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He is scientific director of the Lipid Disorder Center there, and manages the New Jersey Myocardial Infarction Data Acquisition System (MIDAS). Alan trained in Aberdeen, Scotland, as a lipid biochemist and did fellowships in Texas and Ontario, Canada, as a researcher in polyunsaturated fatty acids, cardiovascular diseases, and hypertension. He has been using SAS to manage and analyse data from clinical trials and administrative records for over 17 years. An active contributor to local, regional, and international SAS user conferences, Alan is also a SAS Certified Professional.