Kristine Ria Hearld

Kristine Ria Hearld, Ph.D., is Professor of Health Services Administration at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) with joint appointments in Sociology and Health Policy & Organization. She also serves as Senior/Associate Scientist in five UAB School of Medicine centers, including the Center for AIDS Research and the Center for Outcomes and Effectiveness Research and Education. A demographer trained at the University of Pennsylvania and Cambridge, her research integrates health-services research with implementation science to improve care transitions, reduce ED crowding, and address social determinants of health among vulnerable populations.

Education:

• Ph.D. Demography & Population Studies, University of Pennsylvania
• M.Phil. (Demography), University of Cambridge
• M.A. Demography, University of Pennsylvania
• B.A. Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania

Research & Teaching Interests:

Dr. Hearld’s portfolio spans machine-learning predictive analytics, social risk screening, rural hospital sustainability, and patient-centered implementation strategies. She teaches quantitative methods, data analytics, and implementation science across graduate programs and has instructed over 200 doctoral committee members since 2013.

Recent Publication Trends:

Her 2023-2025 output reveals concentrated effort on (1) machine-learning models to predict appointment adherence and ICU admission, (2) mixed-methods evaluations of nurse-led intermediate-care and post-discharge clinics, (3) implementation trials of lupus patient decision aids across 15 rheumatology sites, and (4) policy analyses linking leadership, organizational characteristics, and service provision in rural hospitals, FQHCs, and Urban Indian Health Programs.

Grants & Awards:

• President’s Award for Excellence in Support of UAB & Shared Governance (2021)
• Excellence in Service Award – Faculty (2021)
• Sparkman Scholar (2019)
• PI/Co-I on six extramural grants (2011-2022) totaling > $5 M from NIH, HRSA, and international NGOs

Service & Leadership:

Past-Chair of the Health Care Management Division of the Academy of Management (2023-24), Chair-elect (2021-22), and multiple UAB committee roles including COERE Steering Committee and Racial Justice Task Force.

Labs & Teams:

She collaborates within the UAB Learning Health System Platform, directs program activities in Health Services Administration, and mentors interdisciplinary teams spanning medicine, public health, business, and data science.