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Robert E. Parson

M.A.S. (winter '05)

Robert Parson considers part of his job as supporting efforts to curb chronic disease. As a Senior Staff Biostatistician for Beckman Coulter, Parson develops, along with clinical researchers, clinical protocols and designs for clinical studies. He also writes statistical plans and conducts statistical analyses for submissions to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and global regulatory agencies. Beckman Coulter, which reported $2.4 billion in 2004 sales, manufactures biomedical testing instrument systems, tests and supplies that simplify and automate laboratory processes. “Our customers are the physicians and laboratory staffs, so we have to be able to show efficacy and effectiveness of our products in the management of their patients. We have to show the clinical and economic value of our tests. For example, can a $15 lab test help prevent a $10,000 surgical procedure down the road or prevent possible death?” Parson said.

To better understand a health care organization’s needs and challenges, Parson enrolled in UCSD Extension’s Healthcare Leadership Program (HELP). In June 2005, he received a Master’s Degree in The Leadership of Healthcare Organizations from UCSD. “These courses provided me with insight on how healthcare providers look at services to their patients. It taught me what is important, and how healthcare organizations calculate and control costs and decisions,” Parson said. “I also wanted to learn more about managed care and health care organizations to improve my pharmaco-economic modeling efforts by incorporating a better perspective from the providers.”

Parson’s current job entails applying biostatistics, quality and reliability engineering practices, finance and actuarial techniques to medical device and pharmaceutical research, development, manufacturing and regulatory approval. He said the UCSD Healthcare Leadership programs helped him understand his company’s needs. “It provided me with greater insight as far as what manufacturers need when considering new products,” said Parson, who joined Hybritech in 1990 as associate director of biostatistics. (Hybritech is now part of Beckman Coulter). “The courses also gave me an appreciation for what both health care providers and manufacturers need to consider in providing services and products for patient care. It’s a win-win solution. We have to both win to make it work.”

As part of his independent study project, Parson conducted a comprehensive review of diabetes chronic disease management programs for the purpose of identifying features to improve outcomes and to reduce costs while maintaining quality. “I needed to know the processes and issues as health care providers move from acute to chronic care for diseases like diabetes, asthma and cancer. We have an aging population, which demands more effective, tailored services in the care of chronically ill patients, including preventative services,” said Parson, who received a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Purdue University and a Master’s degree in Applied Math from the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York. Parson’s career has included analyzing pending healthcare legislation to members of the U.S. Congress; providing quarterly economic forecasts for medical insurance lines profits and losses for maintaining reserves; strategic planning for new lines of medical insurance business; statistical decision making medical diagnostic assays and regulatory submissions for a broad range of diseases and medical conditions.

In 2008, Robert became Vice President of Global Clinical/Regulatory Affairs at Inverness Medical Innovations, Biosite, Inc. As his job responsibilities continue to change and become more demanding, he feels confident in his new role due to the training and knowledge he obtained from the UCSD Healthcare Leadership program.

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