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Delivery worker wearing a medical mask and carrying packages.
Feature: The Impact of State Paid Sick Leave Laws on Service Workers

Daniel Schneider finds that state paid sick leave laws increased service workers’ access to paid sick leave and reduced the share of service workers who worked while sick.

A family with a father, mother, and two small children walking on a dirt path.
Feature: Connecting Absolute and Relative Intergenerational Mobility

Deirdre Bloome offers two frameworks for understanding the relationship between types of intergenerational mobility, or whether people are socioeconomically better off than their parents.

Two women in rural India dressed colorfully and carrying baskets on their heads.
Feature: Studying a Government Program to Support Women’s Self-Help Groups

Michael Walton explores the interactions between state and society in rural India within a major community-based development program, finding two major tensions.

A network of computer motherboards and other parts assembled to look like a miniature city.
Feature: The Data-Informed City

Jorrit de Jong presents a comprehensive framework for how cities can use data to address problems more effectively, efficiently, equitably, and with better accountability.

Harvard Kennedy School faculty disseminate their research in working publications and papers that contribute to public knowledge and fuel policy innovation. This list features recent faculty publications, including journal articles, books, edited volumes, research papers, and public testimony.

Faculty Publications

Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Emergency Department Vertical Patient Flow Optimization

Hodgson, Nicole R., Soroush, Saghafian, Wayne A. Martini, Arshya Feizi, and Agni Orfanourdaki. "Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Emergency Department Vertical Patient Flow Optimization." Journal of Personalized Medicine 15.6 (June 2025): 219.

Excess Mortality Rate in Black Children Since 1950 in the United States: A 70-Year Population-Based Study of Racial Inequalities

Paternina-Caicedo, Angel, Oscar Espinosa, Sangini S. Sheth, Nathaniel Hupert, and Soroush Saghafian. "Excess Mortality Rate in Black Children Since 1950 in the United States: A 70-Year Population-Based Study of Racial Inequalities." Annals of Internal Medicine (25 March 2025).

Digital phenotyping in bipolar disorder: Using longitudinal Fitbit data and personalized machine learning to predict mood symptomatology

Lipschitz, Jessica M., Sidian Lin, Soroush Saghafian, Chelsea K. Pike, and Katherine E. Burdick. "Digital phenotyping in bipolar disorder: Using longitudinal Fitbit data and personalized machine learning to predict mood symptomatology." Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 151.3 (March 2025): 434-447.

Variation in batch ordering of imaging tests in the emergency department and the impact on care delivery

Jameson, Jacob C., Soroush Saghafian, Robert S. Huckman, and Nicole Hodgson. "Variation in batch ordering of imaging tests in the emergency department and the impact on care delivery." Health Services Research 60.1 (February 2025): e14406.

A Framework for Considering the Value of Race and Ethnicity in Estimating Disease Risk

Coots, Madison, Soroush Saghafian, David M. Kent, and Sharad Goel. "A Framework for Considering the Value of Race and Ethnicity in Estimating Disease Risk." Annals of Internal Medicine 178.1 (January 2025): 98-107.

Effective Generative AI: The Human-Algorithm Centaur

Saghafian, Soroush, and Lihi Idan. "Effective Generative AI: The Human-Algorithm Centaur." Harvard Data Science Review Special Issue 5 (December 19, 2024).

Genomic heterogeneity and ploidy identify patients with intrinsic resistance to PD-1 blockade in metastatic melanoma

Tarantino, Giuseppe, Cora A. Ricker, Annette Wang ... Soroush Saghafian et al. "Genomic heterogeneity and ploidy identify patients with intrinsic resistance to PD-1 blockade in metastatic melanoma." Science Advances 10.48 (29 November 2024): eadp4670.

Ambiguous Dynamic Treatment Regimes: A Reinforcement Learning Approach

Saghafian, Soroush. "Ambiguous Dynamic Treatment Regimes: A Reinforcement Learning Approach." Management Science 70.9 (September 2024): 5667-5690.

Drivers, adaptations, and public impacts of hospital closures, implications for policy

Saghafian, Soroush. "Drivers, adaptations, and public impacts of hospital closures, implications for policy." Perspectives: Frontiers in Public Health 12 (August 12, 2024): 1415033.

Diabetes mellitus and blood glucose variability increases the 30-day readmission rate after kidney transplantation

Orfanoudaki, Agni, Curtiss B. Cook, Soroush Saghafian, Janna Castro, Heidi E. Kosiorek, Harini A. Chakkera. "Diabetes mellitus and blood glucose variability increases the 30-day readmission rate after kidney transplantation." Clinical Transplantation 38.1 (January 2024): e15177.

The Impact of Vertical Integration on Physician Behavior and Healthcare Delivery: Evidence from Gastroenterology Practices

Saghafian, Soroush, Lina Song, Joseph Newhouse, Mary Beth Landrum, and John Hsu. "The Impact of Vertical Integration on Physician Behavior and Healthcare Delivery: Evidence from Gastroenterology Practices." Management Science 69.12 (December 2023): 7151-7882.

Ambiguous Dynamic Treatment Regimes: A Reinforcement Learning Approach

Saghafian, Soroush. "Ambiguous Dynamic Treatment Regimes: A Reinforcement Learning Approach." Management Science (2023).

Health and Economic Impacts of Lockdown Policies in the Early Stage of COVID-19 in the United States.

Boloori, Alireza, and Soroush Saghafian. "Health and Economic Impacts of Lockdown Policies in the Early Stage of COVID-19 in the United States." Service Science 15.3 (September 2023): 188-211.

Physician-Driven Early Evaluation: Encounters Seen in a Vertical Model

Hodgson, Nicole R., Soroush Saghafian, Molly C. Klanderman, Andrej Urumov, Stephen J. Traub. "Physician-Driven Early Evaluation: Encounters Seen in a Vertical Model." Journal of Emergency Medicine Reports 2.2 (June 2023): 100028.

Who should see the patient? on deviations from preferred patient-provider assignments in hospitals

Atkinson, Mariam K., and Soroush Saghafian. "Who should see the patient? on deviations from preferred patient-provider assignments in hospitals." Health Care Management Science 26.2 (June 2023): 165-199.

Joint patient selection and scheduling under no-shows: Theory and application in proton therapy

Saghafian, Soroush, Nikolaos Trichakis, Ruihao Zhu, and Helen A. Shih. "Joint patient selection and scheduling under no-shows: Theory and application in proton therapy." Production and Operations Management 32.2 (February 2023): 547-563.

Towards a more efficient healthcare system: Opportunities and challenges caused by hospital closures amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Saghafian, Soroush, Lina D. Song, and Ali S. Raja. "Towards a more efficient healthcare system: Opportunities and challenges caused by hospital closures amid the COVID-19 pandemic." Health Care Management Science 25 (June 2022).

The Internet of Things and Information Fusion: Who Talks to Who?

Saghafian, Soroush, Brian Tomlin, and Stephan Biller. "The Internet of Things and Information Fusion: Who Talks to Who?" Manufacturing & Service Operations Management 24.1 (January-February 2022): 333-351.

Employee Health Plans Powered by Analytics

Hopp, Wallace, Jun Li, Soroush Saghafian, and Guihua Wang. "Employee Health Plans Powered by Analytics." Management and Business Review 1.3 (2021).

Innovative Healthcare Delivery: The Scientific and Regulatory Challenges in Designing mHealth Interventions

Saghafian, Soroush, and Susan A. Murphy. "Innovative Healthcare Delivery: The Scientific and Regulatory Challenges in Designing mHealth Interventions." National Academy of Medicine (August 2021).

Use of Imputation and Decision Modeling to Improve Diagnosis and Management of Patients at Risk for New Onset Diabetes After Transplantation

Munshi, Vidit N., Soroush Saghafian, Curtiss B. Cook, Sumhith Veda Aradhyula, and Harini A. Chakkera. "Use of Imputation and Decision Modeling to Improve Diagnosis and Management of Patients at Risk for New Onset Diabetes After Transplantation." Annals of Transplantation 26 (2021).

Data-Driven Management of Post-Transplant Medications: An Ambiguous Partially Observable Markov Decision Process Approach

Boloori, Alireza, Soroush Saghafian, Harini A. Chakkera, and Curtiss B. Cook. "Data-Driven Management of Post-Transplant Medications: An Ambiguous Partially Observable Markov Decision Process Approach." Manufacturing and Service Operations Management 22.5 (October 2020): 1066-1087.

Incidence, Risk Factors, and Trends for Postheart Transplantation Diabetes Mellitus

Munshi, Vidit N., Soroush Saghafian, Curtiss B. Cook, Eric Steidley, Brian Hardaway, and Harini A. Chakkera. "Incidence, Risk Factors, and Trends for Postheart Transplantation Diabetes Mellitus." The American Journal of Cardiology 125.3 (February 2020): 436-440.

Comparison of Post-Transplantation Diabetes Mellitus Incidence and Risk Factors Between Kidney and Liver Transplantation Patient

Munshi, Vidit N., Soroush Saghafian, Curtiss B. Cook, K. Tuesday Werner, and Harini A. Chakkera. "Comparison of Post-Transplantation Diabetes Mellitus Incidence and Risk Factors Between Kidney and Liver Transplantation Patient." PLOS ONE 15.1 (January 2020): 1-12.

Can Public Reporting Cure Healthcare? The Role of Quality Transparency in Improving Patient-Provider Alignment

Saghafian, Soroush, and Wallace J. Hopp. "Can Public Reporting Cure Healthcare? The Role of Quality Transparency in Improving Patient-Provider Alignment." Operations Research 68.1 (January 2020).

Data-Driven Percentile Optimization for Multi-Class Queueing Systems with Model Ambiguity: Theory and Application

Bren, Austin, and Soroush Saghafian. "Data-Driven Percentile Optimization for Multi-Class Queueing Systems with Model Ambiguity: Theory and Application." INFORMS Journal on Optimization 1.4 (April 2019): 267-287.

Ambiguous Partially Observable Markov Decision Processes: Structural Results and Applications

Saghafian, Soroush. "Ambiguous Partially Observable Markov Decision Processes: Structural Results and Applications." Journal of Economic Theory 178 (November 2018): 1-35.

Are Testers Also Admitters? Comparing Emergency Physician Resource Utilization and Admitting Practices

Hodgson, Nicole R., Souroush Saghafian, Lanyu Mi, Matthew R. Buras, Eric D. Katz, Jesse M. Pines, Leon Sanchez, Scott Silvers, Steven A. Maher, and Stephen J. Traub. "Are Testers Also Admitters? Comparing Emergency Physician Resource Utilization and Admitting Practices." Journal of Emergency Medicine 36.10 (October 2018): 1865-1869.

The Durability of Operational Improvements with Rotational Patient Assignment

Traub, Stephen J., Soroush Saghafian, Adam C. Bartley, Matthew R. Buras, Christopher F. Stewart, and Brian T.Kruse. "The Durability of Operational Improvements with Rotational Patient Assignment." The American Journal of Emergency Medicine 36.8 (August 2018): 1367-1371.

Interphysician Differences in Emergency Department Length of Stay

Traub, Stephen J., Soroush Saghafian, Kurtis Judson, Christopher Russi, Bo Madsen, Stephen Cha, Hannah C. Tolson, Leon D. Sanchez, and Jesse M. Pines. "Interphysician Differences in Emergency Department Length of Stay." Journal of Emergency Medicine 54.5 (May 2018): 702-710.

Workload Management in Telemedical Physician Triage and Other Knowledge-Based Service Systems

Saghafian, Soroush, Wallace J. Hopp, Seyed M.R. Iravani, Yao Cheng, and Daniel Diermeier. "Workload Management in Telemedical Physician Triage and Other Knowledge-Based Service Systems." Management Science 64.11 (February 2018): 5180-5197.

Emergency Department Holding Orders

Traub, Stephen J., M'Hamed Temkit, and Soroush Saghafian. "Emergency Department Holding Orders." Journal of Emergency Medicine 52.6 (June 2017): 885-893.

Resource Utilization in Emergency Department Patients with Known or Suspected Poisoning

Traub, Stephen J., Soroush Saghafian, Matthew R. Buras, and M'Hamed Temkit. "Resource Utilization in Emergency Department Patients with Known or Suspected Poisoning." Journal of Medical Toxicology (June 1, 2017).

Physician in Triage Versus Rotational Patient Assignment

Traub, Stephen J., Adam C. Bartley, Vernon D. Smith, Roshanak Didehban, Christopher A. Lipinski, and Soroush Saghafian. "Physician in Triage Versus Rotational Patient Assignment." The Journal of Emergency Medicine 50.5 (May 2016): 784-790.

A cµ Rule for Two-Tiered Parallel Servers

Saghafian, Soroush, and Michael H. Veatch. "A cµ Rule for Two-Tiered Parallel Servers." IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control 61.4 (April 2016): 1046-1050.

Compensating for Dynamic Supply Disruptions: Backup Flexibility Design

Saghafian, Soroush, and Mark P. Van Oyen. "Compensating for Dynamic Supply Disruptions: Backup Flexibility Design." Operations Research 64.2 (March-April 2016): 390-405.

Emergency Department Rotational Patient Assignment

Traub, Stephen J., Christopher F. Stewart, Roshanak Didehban, Adam C. Bartley, Soroush Saghafian, Vernon D. Smith, Scott M. Silvers, Ryan LeCheminant, and Christopher A. Lipinski. "Emergency Department Rotational Patient Assignment." Annals of Emergency Medicine 67.2 (February 2016): 206-215.

The Newsvendor under Demand Ambiguity: Combining Data with Moment and Tail
Information

Saghafian, Soroush, and Brian Tomlin. "The Newsvendor under Demand Ambiguity: Combining Data with Moment and Tail Information." Operations Research 64.1 (January-February 2016): 167-185.

Characterization of Remitting and Relapsing
Hyperglycemia in Post-Renal-Transplant
Recipients

Boloori, Alireza, Soroush Saghafian, Harini A. Chakkera, and Curtiss B. Cook. "Characterization of Remitting and Relapsing Hyperglycemia in Post-Renal-Transplant Recipients." Public Library of Science PLOS ONE (November 9, 2015).

Emergency Department Rapid Medical Assessment: Overall Effect and Mechanistic Considerations

Traub, Stephen J., Joseph P. Wood, James Kelley, David M. Nestler, Yu-Hui Chang, Soroush Saghafian, and Christopher A. Lipinski. "Emergency Department Rapid Medical Assessment: Overall Effect and Mechanistic Considerations." Journal of Emergency Medicine 48.5 (May 2015): 620-627.

Operations Research/Management Contributions to Emergency Department Patient Flow Optimization: Review and Research Prospects

Saghafian, Soroush, Garrett Austin, and Stephen J. Traub. "Operations Research/Management Contributions to Emergency Department Patient Flow Optimization: Review and Research Prospects." IIE Transactions on Healthcare Systems Engineering 5.2 (2015): 101-123.