Summary
Sarah Friedman is a quantitative health services researcher who studies how health care policies and delivery system changes affect access to care, particularly for underserved populations such as Medicaid recipients, individuals with substance use disorders and veterans. She specializes in using large administrative datasets, including Medicaid and Optum claims, cancer registries and Veterans Health Administration electronic health records, to examine issues such as opioid prescribing, access to medications for opioid use disorder, mental health services, cancer care for people experiencing homelessness and health care use within the VA.
In addition to her research, Friedman serves as the officer for evaluation at Project ECHO Nevada, where she leads impact evaluations of telementoring programs aimed at expanding access to high-quality health care across the region. Her goal is to connect rigorous data analysis with real-world policy challenges to promote more equitable and effective health care systems.
Professional affiliations
- Member, College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD)
- Member, Academy Health
Course taught
- PBH 341: Health Policy
- CHS 719: Advanced Research Methods in Social and Behavioral Science
- CHS 741: Methods in Health Policy Analysis
- CHS 757: Health Economics
Selected publications
2025
- Friedman, S. A., Lewandowski, M., Patterson, D., Snyder, P., Sangoleye, D., Jorgensen, T. C., Militante, N. & Lavi, M. S. (2025). Health Education Research.
- Friedman, S. A., Snyder, P., Patterson, D., Hartzell, S. T. Y., Albertson, A. & Keller, M. (2025). Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment.
2024
- Ajumobi, O., Friedman, S. A., Westhoff, J., Granner, M., Lucero, J., Koch, B. & Wagner, K. D. (2024). Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians Open, 5(5).
- Ajumobi, O., Friedman, S. A., Granner, M., Lucero, J., Westhoff, J., Koch, B. & Wagner, K. D. (2024). Implementation Science Communications, 5, 104.
2023
- Qiu, S., Liu, Y., Adetunji, D., Hartzell, S. Y., Larson, M. J. & Friedman, S. A. (2023). Medical Care, 61(10), 657-664.
- Park, S. Y., Hill, K., Yun, G. W., Friedman, S. A. & Coppes, M. J. (2023). Health Communication, 38(10), 2067-2079.
- Hartzell, S., Friedman, S. A., Keller, M. & Albertson, E. (2023). Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment, 145, 208940.
2022
- Friedman, S. A., Xu, H., Azocar, F. & Ettner, S. L. (2022). Psychiatric Services, 73(9), 1019-1026.
- Friedman, S. A., Shaw, J., Hamilton, A. B., Vinekar, K., Washington, D. L., Mattocks, K., Yano, E. M., Phibbs, C. S., Johnson, A. M., Saechao, F., Berg, E. & Frayne, S. M. (2022). Journal of General Internal Medicine, 37 (Suppl 3), 690-697.
- Friedman, S. A., Xu, H., Azocar, F. & Ettner, S. L. (2022). Medical Care, 60 (4), 279-286.
- Friedman, S. A., Azocar, F., Xu, H. & Ettner, S. L. (2022). Psychiatric Services.
2021
- Schwartz, R., Frayne, S. M., Friedman, S. A., Romodan, Y., Berg, E., Haskell, S. G., Hayes, P. & Shaw, J. G. (2021). Journal of General Internal Medicine, 36(3), 614-621.
2020
- Park, S. Y., Yun, G. W., Friedman, S. A., Hill, K., Ryu, S. Y., Schwenk, T. & Coppes, M. J. (2020). Journal of Medical Ethics.
- Friedman, S. A., Patel, K., Liu, Y., Hartzell, S. & Michelle, K. (2020). Substance Use & Misuse, 55(14), 2314-2320.
- Friedman, S. A., Xu, H., Azocar, F. & Ettner, S. L. (2020). Health Services Research, 55(6), 924-931.
2019
- Friedman, S. A., Ettner, S. L., Chuang, E., Azocar, F., Harwood, J. M. & Ong, M. (2019). Journal of Mental Health Policy and Economics, 22(2), 43-59.
2018
- Thalmayer, A. G., Harwood, J. M., Friedman, S. A., Azocar, F., Watson, L. A., Xu, H. & Ettner, S. L. (2018). Health Services Research, 53(6), 4584-4608.
- Friedman, S. A., Azocar, F., Xu, H. & Ettner, S. L. (2018). Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 190, 151-158.
- Friedman, S. A., Thalmayer, A. G., Azocar, F., Xu, H., Harwood, J. M., Ong, M. & Ettner, S. L. (2018). Health Services Research, 53(1), 366-388.
2017
- Friedman, S. A., Xu, H., Azocar, F., Harwood, J. M. & Ettner, S. L. (2017). Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 80, 67-78.
- Thalmayer, A. G., Friedman, S. A., Azocar, F., Harwood, J. M. & Ettner, S. L. (2017). Psychiatric Services, 68(5), 435-442.
2016
- Harwood, J. M., Azocar, J., Thalmayer, A. G., Xu, H., Ong, M., Tseng, C. H., Wells, K. B., Friedman, S. A. & Ettner, S. L. (2016). Medical Care, 55(2), 164-172.
2015
- Schmitt, S. K., Turakhia, M. P., Phibbs, C. S., Moos, R. H., Berlowitz, D., Heidenreich, P., Chiu, V. Y., Go, A. S., Friedman, S. A., Than, C. T. & Frayne, S. M. (2015). American Journal of Managed Care, 21(11), e609-e617.
- Friedman, S. A., Frayne, S. M., Berg, E., Hamilton, A. B., Washington, D. L., Saechao, F., Maisel, N. C., Lin, J. Y., Hoggatt, K. J. & Phibbs, C. S. (2015). Medical Care, 53(4 Suppl 1), S15-S22.
2013
- Holmes, G. M., Pink, G. H. & Friedman, S. A. (2013). Journal of Rural Health, 29(2), 140-149.
2011
- Friedman, S. A., Phibbs, C. S., Schmitt, S. K., Hayes, P. M., Herrera, L. & Frayne, S. M. (2011). Women's Health Issues, 21(4 Suppl), S103-S111.
Education
- Ph.D. in Health Policy and Management, University of California, Los Angeles, 2017
- MSPH in Health Policy and Management, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 2009
- B.A. in Economics and Mathematics, Bryn Mawr College, 2005