Dr. Nichols was responsible for constructing Kaiser Permanente Northwest's Diabetes Registry in 1989. Since then, he has been using this registry to conduct health services, economic, and epidemiologic research studies on patients before and after diabetes diagnosis. A recent focus of his work has been anti-hyperglycemic treatment failure in type 2 diabetes, and the development of decision rules to assist clinicians in responding to treatment failure.

Dr. Nichols's other areas of interest include cardiovascular disease and depression, as well as the precursors to both diabetes and cardiovascular disease, commonly known as metabolic syndrome. Because these conditions affect nearly all aspects of medical care, this type of research requires the rich data available unique to Kaiser Permanente Northwest. Dr. Nichols's research experience melds scientific training and policy vision with a hands-on understanding of the complexities of obtaining and analyzing health utilization data.

Dr. Nichols serves as the Principal Investigator of the Characteristics and Costs and Impaired Fasting Glucose, which seeks to determine how impaired fasting glucose progresses into diabetes, and the costs associated with each stage of progression. Dr. Nichols was the Principal Investigator of a study of congestive heart failure (CHF) in diabetes that estimated the incidence of CHF in diabetic patients, and also the association between anti-hyperglycemic therapies and CHF diagnosis. Dr. Nichols served as Co-Investigator on the Cross-sectional Survey and Retrospective Database Study of Patients with Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy study, which sought to determine the health care utilization and costs for patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Dr. Nichols served as Co-Investigator on the AHRQ-funded Factors Associated with Gaps in Osteoporosis Treatment study, which explored the patient, provider, and system features that are associated with osteoporosis treatment in older patients who had sustained a prior fracture.

Dr. Nichols holds a PhD in Public Administration and Policy from Portland State University and an MBA from Pepperdine University. Before becoming a CHR Investigator, Dr. Nichols served as a senior research associate at the CHR, a rate analyst for Kaiser Permanente, and a financial analyst for the Northrop Corporation.

Current Studies:

	Insulin Therapy in Type 2 Diabetes—AMGEN ITD
	Optimizing Secondary Prevention in Type 2 Diabetes—OSPID
	Pre-Diabetes Burden of Illness
	Prevelance, Treatment Patterns & Resource Use in Patients With Mixed Dyslipidemia Using Lipid Lowering Agents
	Process of Care and LDL-C Goal Attainment in the US Elderly Population
	Reducing weight and diabetes risk in an undeserved population — STRIDE
	Residual risk of cardiovascular disease in patients treated under standard care
	Residual risk of CVD in Patients Treated Under Standard Care — GSK CVD
	Success an Durability of First-Line Metformin Therapy for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes — Novomet

Recently Completed Studies:

	Clinical Prioritization Using Simulation Modeling
	Effectiveness of Biophosphonates in a Real-World Setting—PAI
	The Relationship Between Immunological Status and Type 2 Diabetes—BMS IMDM
	Weight Gain Associated with the Use of Anti-Hyperglycemic Therapies for Type 2 Diabetes
	Weight in Secondary Prevention — WISP

E-mail: Greg.Nichols@kpchr.org