Our Mission
KECC seeks to improve the effectiveness of clinical practice and inform health policy through utilization of healthcare data to evaluate and disseminate information about the quality and cost of healthcare. This mission is pursued through interdisciplinary research with a focus on advances in data science and improving clinical care and health outcomes for all. We empower faculty and staff, prioritize continuous improvement, and enable exceptional educational and professional development opportunities.
About KECC
The University of Michigan Kidney Epidemiology and Cost Center (UM-KECC) is an interdisciplinary research group located at the University of Michigan's School of Public Health. Founded in 1993, we carry out research in epidemiology, public policy, economics, outcomes relating to End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), chronic kidney disease, kidney dialysis, and organ transplantation. Our projects are funded by multiple government and private sources, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Renal Research Institute, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.
Our research involves statistical analysis of large data sets drawn from clinical and administrative data systems, and a number of our projects also involve primary data collection. We maintain a comprehensive historical database of about 3.1 million ESRD patients drawn primarily from Medicare data. We prepare extensive facility-specific reports for the 7,000 dialysis facilities in the U.S. and provide support for other University projects using Medicare claims data.
Our faculty are experts in Biostatistics, Cardiovascular Medicine, Epidemiology, Gastroenterology, Health Management and Policy, Internal Medicine, Nephrology, and Surgery, among others. In addition to executing critical contract deliverables for our sponsors, we provide our staff with meaningful work experience and career development and offer learning and research opportunities to medical fellows and graduate students. Our projects have provided the data and motivation for many dissertation topics and the development of methodological work in numerous areas.
Our Values
Integrity: We are open and honest with each other and our sponsors, and operate with scientific integrity. We understand that our work impacts people’s lives around the country and beyond, and we take this responsibility very seriously.
Accountability: We are each accountable for the quality of our own work, our team’s work, and the work of the organization. We acknowledge mistakes and collectively address them. We accurately reflect our costs and maintain the highest information security standards.
Teamwork: We collaborate to achieve common goals. All team members have both something to offer and something to learn.
Excellence: We exceed expectations. We rely on our expert and knowledgeable faculty, staff, and students to deliver high quality results. We strive for continuous improvement in all aspects of our work and operations.
Compassion: We care about the well-being of the people and patients affected by our work. We care about each other as individuals and value a work-life balance.