Ji E Chang
Ji E Chang
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Associate Professor of Public Health Policy and Management
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Professional overview
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Ji Eun Chang, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health Policy and Management at the New York University School of Global Public Health, where she also serves as the public health policy and management concentration director for the Ph.D. program. Professor Chang uses mixed-methods research designs and draws from qualitative, quantitative, and geospatial data to demonstrate disparities and highlight barriers faced by safety net providers and underserved patients in accessing equitable care.
Professor Chang is the principal investigator of the AI4Healthy Cities Initiative in New York City, a multi-city collaboration between the Novartis Foundation, Microsoft AI4Health, and local health officials to reduce cardiovascular health inequities through big data analytics. Dr. Chang is also the co-principal investigator of an NIH NIDA-funded study to support implementing transitional opioid programs in safety net hospitals. Dr. Chang received a B.A. in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley, an M.S. in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University, and a Ph.D. in Public Administration from New York University in 2016. -
Education
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BA, Economics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CAMS, Public Policy and Management, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PAPhD, Public Administration, New York University, New York, NY
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Honors and awards
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Governor’s Scholar (2007)Regents and Chancellors’ Scholar (2005)
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Areas of research and study
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Cardiovascular DiseaseHealth DisparitiesHealth EquityPublic Health ManagementPublic Health ManagementSafety Net Providers and PatientsSubstance Use Disorders
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Publications
Publications
Initiatives to Support the Transition of Patients With Substance Use Disorders From Acute Care to Community-based Services Among a National Sample of Nonprofit Hospitals
AbstractChang, J. E., Krawczyk, N., Rivera, B. D., Chang, J. E., Lindenfeld, Z., & Franz, B. (n.d.).Publication year
9900Journal title
Journal of Addiction MedicineAbstract~Access to Mental Health Treatment Services in Asian Languages
AbstractChang, J. E., Suryavanshi, A., Cantor, J. H., Choi, S., & Chang, J. E. (n.d.).Publication year
2026Journal title
JAMA Health ForumVolume
7Issue
2Page(s)
e256858Abstract~Determinants of Implementation and Sustainability of Transitional Opioid Programs within Rural and Urban Safety Net Hospitals
AbstractChang, J. E., Fenstemaker, C., Lai, A. Y., Chang, J. E., Pag??n, J. A., Lindenfeld, Z., Cronin, C. E., & Franz, B. (n.d.).Publication year
2026Journal title
Substance Use & Addiction JournalAbstract~Implementation Strategies to Enhance Safety-Net Hospitals' Adoption of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder
AbstractChang, J. E., Lindenfeld, Z., Franz, B., Fenstemaker, C., Lai, A. Y., Pag??n, J. A., Cronin, C. E., & Chang, J. E. (n.d.).Publication year
2026Journal title
Journal of General Internal MedicineVolume
41Page(s)
26Abstract~Strategies to Support Care Transitions for Patients With Opioid Use Disorder: Pathways and Partnerships for Success
AbstractChang, J. E., Lindenfeld, Z., Chang, J. E., Fenstemaker, C., Lai, A. Y., Pag??n, J. A., Cronin, C. E., Shelley, D. R., & Franz, B. (n.d.).Publication year
2026Journal title
Primary Care & Community HealthVolume
17Abstract~Team-based care in small primary care practices: a scoping review
AbstractChang, J. E., Zein, D., Brown, D., Shelley, D. R., & Chang, J. E. (n.d.).Publication year
2026Journal title
BMC Health Services ResearchVolume
26Issue
1Page(s)
348Abstract~A Year After Implementation of the Telehealth Waiver: Being Offered and Utilizing Video-Specific Telehealth Among Dual-Eligible Medicare Recipients During the COVID-19 Pandemic
AbstractChang, J. E., Choi, J., Kim, G., Choi, S., & Chang, J. E. E. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
Journal of public health management and practice : JPHMPVolume
30Issue
2Page(s)
255-266AbstractTelehealth is an essential tool to provide access to care while reducing infection exposure for high-risk populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study aims to examine factors associated with telehealth availability and usage among Medicare and dual-eligible recipients 1 year after implementation of the Medicare's temporary telehealth waiver.Antecedents and outcomes of health equity orientation in US hospitals: A publicness perspective
AbstractChang, J. E., Puro, N., Zein, D., McNeill, E., Chang, J. E., Franz, B., & Cronin, C. E. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
International Journal of Public Sector ManagementPage(s)
1Abstract~Association of Hospital Decision-making and Adoption of Health-Related Social Needs Programs Among US Hospitals
AbstractChang, J. E., Zein, D., Cronin, C., Puro, N., & McNeil, E. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
JAMA Network OpenAbstract~Examining the Relationship between Local Governmental Expenditures on the Social Determinants of Health and County-Level Overdose Deaths, 2017-2020
AbstractLindenfeld, Z., Mauri, A. I., & Chang, J. E. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
Journal of Public Health Management and PracticeVolume
31Issue
1Page(s)
20-28AbstractContext Prior studies have examined the social determinants of health (SDOH) characteristics of counties with elevated rates of overdose deaths. However, this research often ignores variation in upstream governmental investment in these SDOH categories. Objective To examine the association of local governmental investments in SDOH with drug overdose mortality at the county level, controlling for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Design Longitudinal analysis from 2017 to 2020. Setting United States counties. Participants 3126 counties. Main Outcome and Measures The primary study outcome was county overdose death rates per 100 000 population taken from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The main predictor of interest was the per capita average of local governmental expenditures in public health, social service, and education drawn from the US Census of Governments, categorized into quartiles. Covariates included county-level socioeconomic and demographic characteristics as well as county-level SUD services from the AHRQ SDOH Database. Results In longitudinal multivariate linear regression models with state and year fixed effects, counties in the highest 3 quartiles of SDOH spending had significantly lower rates of overdose deaths compared with counties in the lowest quartile of SDOH spending; in particular, counties in quartile 2 had an average of 9.09 fewer overdose deaths per 100 000 population (95% CI: -12.58, -5.60), counties in quartile 3 had an average of 13.18 fewer deaths per 100 000 population (95% CI: -17.56; -8.80), and counties in quartile 4 had an average of 13.92 deaths per 100 000 population (95% CI: -19.16, -8.68). Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that higher levels of local governmental investments in SDOH were associated with significantly lower rates of overdose death in US counties after controlling for socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Going forward, research should focus on determining causality in this relationship, the mechanisms through which this relationship occurs, as well as assess the impact of local public health expenditures allocated toward SUD prevention and treatment specifically on substance use outcomes at the local level.Examining the Relationship Between Local Governmental Expenditures on the Social Determinants of Health and County-Level Overdose Deaths, 2017-2020
AbstractChang, J. E., Lindenfeld, Z., Mauri, A. I., & Chang, J. E. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
Journal of public health management and practice : JPHMPVolume
31Issue
1Page(s)
20-28AbstractPrior studies have examined the social determinants of health (SDOH) characteristics of counties with elevated rates of overdose deaths. However, this research often ignores variation in upstream governmental investment in these SDOH categories.Forging hospital and community partnerships to enable care coordination for opioid use disorder
AbstractChang, J. E., Lindenfeld, Z., Franz, B., Lai, A. Y., Pag??n, J. A., Fenstemaker, C., Cronin, C. E., & Chang, J. E. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
Addiction Science & Clinical PracticeVolume
20Issue
1Page(s)
37Abstract~Forging hospital and community partnerships to enable care coordination for opioid use disorder
AbstractLindenfeld, Z., Franz, B., Lai, A., Pagán, J. A., Fenstemaker, C., Cronin, C. E., & Chang, J. E. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
Addiction Science and Clinical PracticeVolume
20Issue
1AbstractBackground: Programs that aim to increase access to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment in hospital-based settings have proliferated in recent years. These efforts include transitional opioid programs (TOPs), which navigate patients to community-based SUD treatment programs post-discharge. Successful navigation from TOPs to outpatient treatment hinges on effective coordination between hospitals and post-discharge endpoints, yet it is unclear how hospitals can best develop effective partnerships with outpatient treatment organizations. The objective of this study is to synthesize the common themes underpinning the development of partnerships to facilitate care transitions between TOPs and ongoing SUD treatment. Methods: Qualitative study with staff and providers from hospitals affiliated with four safety-net health systems (n = 21) and leaders from community-based organizations (CBOs) and treatment facilities that had established referral partnerships with one of the four health systems in our study (n = 4). Results: Analysis of interview transcripts revealed seven common themes that underpinned the development of care transitions partnerships: (1) Active, intentional outreach; (2) Responding to a community need; (3) External Enabling Factors; (4) Leveraging reputations and community connections; (5) Focusing on operations; (6) Reciprocal relationships; and (7) Building Infrastructure and Processes to Ensure Collaboration. The seven identified themes were categorized into three groups corresponding to different partnership development stages. The first group revolves around the initial stage of meeting and developing a relationship (themes #1–4). The second set focuses on navigating and resolving challenges that arise in the partnership (themes #5–6). Lastly, the third group pertains to sustaining a partnership long-term (theme #7). Conclusions: This study identifies seven core themes underlying the development of care transition partnerships for SUD patients within four safety net health systems and their CBO partners. These themes demonstrate how partner organizations can establish the trust, reciprocity, and commitment necessary to support patients through the critical transition period.Forging Hospital and Community Partnerships to Enable Care Coordination for Opioid Use Disorder
AbstractLindenfeld, Z., Lai, A., Pagan, J., Cronin, C., Franz, B., & Chang, J. E. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
Addiction Science & Clinical PracticeAbstract~Health Care Professional Willingness to Treat Opioid Use Disorder vs Type 2 Diabetes in Primary Care
AbstractChang, J. E., Dhanani, L. Y., Brook, D., Hall, O. T., Chang, J. E., & Franz, B. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
JAMA Network OpenVolume
8Issue
9Page(s)
e2534680Abstract~Hospital Decision-Making and Adoption of Health-Related Social Needs Programs in US Hospitals
AbstractChang, J. E., Zein, D., Cronin, C. E., Puro, N., Franz, B., McNeill, E., & Chang, J. E. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
JAMA Network OpenVolume
8Issue
6Page(s)
e2516351Abstract~Implementation Strategies to Enhance Safety-Net Hospitals’ Adoption of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder
AbstractLindenfeld, Z., Franz, B., Fenstemaker, C., Lai, A., Pagan, J. A., Cronin, C. E., & Chang, J. E. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
Journal of general internal medicineAbstractBackground: To support adoption of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) for opioid use disorder (OUD), hospitals are likely to benefit from implementation strategies that are responsive to their unique environments. Yet there remains a gap in knowledge regarding which implementation strategies are needed to support SBIRT implementation and sustainment for OUD within safety-net hospitals. Objectives: To obtain expert consensus on the most effective implementation strategies to enhance the adoption of SBIRT for OUD in safety-net hospitals. Design and Setting: A modified Delphi study, with two rounds of online surveys. Participants: Eighteen US-based experts from within the fields of OUD-focused health services research, addiction medicine, and emergency medicine. Main Measures: The primary outcome was consensus on 35 potential SBIRT implementation strategies, ranked on a 5-point Likert scale across three domains: Effectiveness, Feasibility, Impact on Equity. Consensus across respondents within both rounds was evaluated using the interquartile range. If the IQR was 1 or below on the 0 to 5 Likert scale, consensus was considered obtained. Items with a median value of 4 or higher were considered high priority. Results: Following two rounds of ranking, consensus was achieved for all survey items. In total, 62.85% strategies (n = 22) were rated as High in Effectiveness, 20.0% (n = 7) were rated as High in Feasibility, and 11.42% (n = 4) were rated High in Impact on Equity. Seven strategies ranked high in two areas, with three—Identify and Prepare Champions, Identify Early Adopters, and Conduct Educational Meetings—ranked as highly effective and feasible. Conclusions: This consensus process provides strong support for implementation strategies that can be used to guide future practice and study. This work can encourage implementation of SBIRT for OUD within safety-net hospitals, and set the stage for future studies to evaluate the impact of different implementation strategies on patient outcomes following SBIRT.Initiatives to Support the Transition of Patients With Substance Use Disorders From Acute Care to Community-based Services Among a National Sample of Nonprofit Hospitals
AbstractChang, J. E., Krawczyk, N., Rivera, B. D., Chang, J. E., Lindenfeld, Z., & Franz, B. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
Journal of addiction medicineVolume
18Issue
2Page(s)
115-121AbstractHospitals are a key touchpoint to reach patients with substance use disorders (SUDs) and link them with ongoing community-based services. Although there are many acute care interventions to initiate SUD treatment in hospital settings, less is known about what services are offered to transition patients to ongoing care after discharge. In this study, we explore what SUD care transition strategies are offered across nonprofit US hospitals.Inpatient Psychiatric Unit Availability Within US Short-Term Acute Care Hospitals, 2011-2023
AbstractLindenfeld, Z., Chang, J. E., Cantor, J., McCollough, C., & McBain, R. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
JAMA Network OpenAbstract~Inpatient Psychiatric Unit Availability Within US Short-Term, Acute-Care Hospitals, 2011-2023
AbstractChang, J. E., Lindenfeld, Z., McCullough, C. M., Chang, J. E., Cantor, J. H., & McBain, R. K. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
JAMA Network OpenVolume
8Issue
6Page(s)
e2518881Abstract~Patient-Provider Communication for Lonely, Socially Isolated Adults in Medicare
AbstractChang, J. E., Park, S., Nguyen, A. M., Lindenfeld, Z., & Chang, J. E. E. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
American journal of preventive medicineAbstractOlder adults experiencing loneliness or social isolation may experience poor patient-provider communication, potentially contributing to suboptimal healthcare utilization, particularly in mental healthcare. However, empirical evidence is limited. Thus, this study examined whether there were differences in patient-provider communication and healthcare utilization between Medicare beneficiaries with and without loneliness and social isolation.Patient–Provider Communication for Lonely, Socially Isolated Adults in Medicare
AbstractPark, S., Nguyen, A. M., Lindenfeld, Z., & Chang, J. E. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
American journal of preventive medicineVolume
68Issue
5Page(s)
905-913AbstractIntroduction: Older adults experiencing loneliness or social isolation may experience poor patient–provider communication, potentially contributing to suboptimal healthcare utilization, particularly in mental healthcare. However, empirical evidence is limited. Thus, this study examined whether there were differences in patient–provider communication and healthcare utilization between Medicare beneficiaries with and without loneliness and social isolation. Methods: This study conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the 2021 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Outcomes were patient–provider communication and healthcare utilization. The primary independent variables were loneliness and social isolation. Regression analysis was conducted to estimate adjusted differences in outcomes between Medicare beneficiaries with and without loneliness and social isolation. The analysis was conducted in September 2024. Results: The sample included 4,433 Medicare beneficiaries. Medicare beneficiaries experiencing loneliness were 4.0 percentage points (95% CI=1.0, 7.1) more likely to report poor patient–provider communication compared to those without loneliness. Similarly, those with social isolation were 2.0 percentage points (1.1, 2.9) more likely to report poor communication than those without social isolation. The rates of mental healthcare utilization were higher among those with loneliness (1.8 [1.0, 2.6], 1.5 [0.8, 2.2], and 3.1 [1.1, 5.1] for social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists) or social isolation (2.3 [0.6, 4.0] for psychiatrists), but the overall level of mental healthcare utilization remained relatively low. Conclusions: These findings highlight significant disparities in patient–provider communication among Medicare beneficiaries experiencing loneliness and social isolation. These disparities may partly result from limited engagement with mental health services, which could help address their specific healthcare needs.Trends in the Prioritization and Implementation of Substance Use Programs by Nonprofit Hospitals: 2015-2021
AbstractChang, J. E., Chang, J. E. E., Cronin, C. E., Pagán, J. A., Simon, J., Lindenfeld, Z., & Franz, B. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
Journal of addiction medicineVolume
17Issue
4Page(s)
e217-e223AbstractHospitalizations are an important opportunity to address substance use through inpatient services, outpatient care, and community partnerships, yet the extent to which nonprofit hospitals prioritize such services across time remains unknown. The objective of this study is to examine trends in nonprofit hospitals' prioritization and implementation of substance use disorder (SUD) programs.A Year After Implementation of the Telehealth Waiver : Being Offered and Utilizing Video-Specific Telehealth Among Dual-Eligible Medicare Recipients During the COVID-19 Pandemic
AbstractChoi, J., Kim, G., Choi, S., & Chang, J. E. (n.d.).Publication year
2024Journal title
Journal of Public Health Management and PracticeVolume
30Issue
2Page(s)
255-266AbstractObjective: Telehealth is an essential tool to provide access to care while reducing infection exposure for high-risk populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study aims to examine factors associated with telehealth availability and usage among Medicare and dual-eligible recipients 1 year after implementation of the Medicare’s temporary telehealth waiver. Design, Setting, and Participant: A cross-sectional, phone survey with a national representative sample of Medicare recipients. We obtained a final study sample from the Winter 2021 COVID-19 Supplement of Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey dataset (N = 10 586). We examined associations for being offered and having had telehealth visits or any video telehealth visits during the pandemic since November 1, 2020. Main Outcome Measures: Our primary outcomes were being offered any telehealth, being offered any video telehealth, having had any telehealth visit, and having had any video telehealth. Results: Although dual eligibility was not significantly associated with being offered or having had any telehealth services during the pandemic, those who were dual eligible were more likely to have had video telehealth visits (adjusted odds ratio = 1.39, 95% confidence interval 1.04-1.86, P = .03) compared with those with non-dual eligibility. Recipients with disability eligibility, technology access, and severe chronic conditions were more likely to have been offered or have had telehealth. At the same time, those who lived in the nonmetropolitan area were less likely to have been offered or have had telehealth, including video telehealth. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the federal waivers to expand telehealth services were successful in continuing care for vulnerable Medicare recipients. The providers’ specific outreach and intervention efforts to offer telehealth visits are crucial for dual-eligible recipients. To increase video telehealth uptake, technology access and services to rural areas should be prioritized.Association of Telehealth Utilization Among Patients with Heart Disease with Fewer Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalizations during COVID-19 Pandemic
AbstractChang, J. E., Lee, J., Bhatt, A., Jackson, S., Ton, X., Chang, J., Pollack, M., & Luo, F. (n.d.).Publication year
2024Journal title
Health Affairs ScholarIssue
2047-9980 (Electronic)Abstract~