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Bradley Gordon Hammill

Associate Professor in Population Health Sciences
Population Health Sciences
Duke Box 104023, Durham, NC 27710
215 Morris St, Suite 210, Durham, NC 27701

Research Interests


I believe that we can and should leverage electronic health data for clinical research and quality assessment. While not the answer to all questions, real-world data (RWD) like health care claims data and electronic health record (EHR) data contain a wealth of information.

I’m currently working to bring RWD to many different projects:
- FDA Sentinel Initiative: I am responsible for the team that transforms and manages the 100% Medicare and 100% Medicaid claims data, within the CMS Virtual Research Data Center (VRDC), for the Sentinel distributed database. FDA uses this database to monitor its regulated medical products.

- Pragmatic Clinical Trials: I am working with the Data Coordinating Centers for multiple trials to obtain and incorporate RWD for participants into clinical trial databases. This is one way we hope to make trials more pragmatic and lower cost. Good examples of this work include the ADAPTABLE [ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02697916] and PREVENTABLE [NCT04262206] trials. Both are pragmatic mega-trials relying on RWD for outcomes. Other trials leveraging real-world data that I am or have been involved with include HARMONY [NCT02465515], CEPIO-D [NCT03749629], and PRECIDENTD.

- NIH Cohort Studies: I have partnered with multiple investigators at other universities who run cohort studies sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to link Medicare claims data for their study participants. These studies include the Framingham Heart Study, the Strong Heart Study, the Jackson Heart Study, the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS), and MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis). 

- Health System Performance: I am working closely with Duke University Health System quality leadership to explore and benchmark performance using the same claims data that CMS, US News & World Report, and other ratings groups rely on. We have a keen interest in understanding the potential role of neighborhood deprivation on clinical outcomes and how this may affect hospital performance estimates.

Of course, for healthcare research, it is not easy to extract value out of RWD. Meaningful, actionable results require rigorous study design, a deep knowledge of data provenance, and appropriate statistical methods. I have a commitment to quality in all of these areas.

Selected Grants


UrogynCREST Program

ResearchCourse Faculty · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2019 - 2029

PDUFA VII: Task 1, Project 1, Signal Detection - Pregnancy registries versus electronic healthcare database studies (MAX Data Incorporation)

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. · 2024 - 2027

The REHAB-HFpEF Trial - Year 2

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Wake Forest University · 2022 - 2027

HOME RUN HITTER - Blue Button

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Vanderbilt University Medical Center · 2023 - 2027

A Life Course Approach to Identify Risks of Hospitalization in Older Adults with Heart Failure

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2022 - 2027

The Path to Improving Diabetic Retinopathy Outcomes: Evaluating Neighborhood Characteristics and Healthcare Quality

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2026

Strong Heart Study Coordinating Center

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center · 2019 - 2026

Jackson Heart Study Cardiovascular Disease Working Group and Medicare Data Linkage

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by University of Mississippi Medical Center · 2023 - 2025

Use and Effectiveness of Outpatient Intravenous Diuretic Therapy as Treatment for Worsening Heart Failure

ResearchMentor · Awarded by American Heart Association · 2022 - 2025

Framingham Heart Study

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Boston University · 2019 - 2025

Sentinel Year 10 (OY2024) Querying Work Order Activity 1: ARIA

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. · 2023 - 2024

Sentinel Year 10 (OY2024) Infrastructure

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. · 2023 - 2024

SCDM 8.2.0 Implementation

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. · 2023 - 2024

Sentinel Year 10 (OY2024) Querying Work Order Activity 2: COVID ARIA

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. · 2023 - 2024

Data Expansion: Integration of T-MSIS Medicaid Data for Sentinel Routine Querying

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. · 2021 - 2024

COPD, Asthma, And Respiratory Disease Effectiveness (CARE) For 21st Century Cures

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. · 2019 - 2024

FDA-Catalyst alignment with the CMS linkage to the PCORI RELIANCE trial

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. · 2019 - 2024

Sentinel WO2016 Mod #8: Approaches to handling partially observed confounder data from (EHR) in NRS of MC

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. · 2022 - 2024

Framingham Heart Study

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Boston University · 2023 - 2024

Strong Heart Study Coordinating Center

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center · 2023 - 2024

Examining Medicare Reliance after Implementation of Medicare Payment Reform and the ACA Marketplace

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation · 2021 - 2023

Sentinel Year 9 (OY2023) Querying Work Order - CMS and ASMD (Activity 1)

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. · 2022 - 2023

Sentinel Year 9 (OY2023) Infrastructure

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. · 2022 - 2023

Sentinel Year 9 (OY2023) Querying Work Order - CMS and ASMD (Activity 2)

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. · 2022 - 2023

Jackson Heart Study Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Working Group and Medicare Data Linkage

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by University of Mississippi Medical Center · 2022 - 2023

ADAPTABLE Supplement

Clinical TrialProgram Director · Awarded by Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute · 2015 - 2023

SCDM 8.1.0 Implementation

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. · 2022 - 2023

Strong Heart Study Coordinating Center

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center · 2022 - 2023

Comparative Effectiveness of Pharmacogenomics for Treatment of Depression (CEPIO-D)

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Massachusetts General Hospital · 2020 - 2023

Evaluating fitness-for-use of Electronic Health Records in Clinical Research

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Food and Drug Administration · 2019 - 2022

Sentinel Year 8 (OY2022) Infrastructure

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. · 2021 - 2022

Sentinel Year 8 (OY2022) Querying

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. · 2021 - 2022

Jackson Heart Study Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Working Group and Medicare Data Linkage

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by University of Mississippi Medical Center · 2021 - 2022

Framingham Heart Study

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Boston University · 2021 - 2022

Strong Heart Study Coordinating Center

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center · 2021 - 2022

Administrative Claims-based Efficiencies for the Advancement of Regulatory Sciences

ResearchSenior Statistician · Awarded by Burroughs Wellcome Fund · 2014 - 2021

Sentinel Year 7 (OY2021) Infrastructure

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. · 2020 - 2021

Sentinel Year 7 (OY2021) Querying - Duke University (for Medicare FFS)

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. · 2020 - 2021

Jackson Heart Study Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Working Group and Medicare Data Linkage

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by University of Mississippi Medical Center · 2020 - 2021

Characterizing Health Disparities in the Shift to North Carolina Medicaid Managed Care

ResearchInvestigator · Awarded by Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust · 2020 - 2021

Strong Heart Study Coordinating Center

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center · 2020 - 2021

Sentinel Year 6 (OY2020) Infrastructure

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. · 2019 - 2020

Fitness-for-Use of Electronic Health Records as Source Data for Clinical Research Option Period 3

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Food and Drug Administration · 2019 - 2020

Fitness-for-Use of Electronic Health Records as Source Data for Clinical Research- Option 1

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Food and Drug Administration · 2016 - 2020

Aspirin Dosing: A Patient-centric Trial Assessing Benefits and Long-term Effectiveness (ADAPTABLE)

Clinical TrialInvestigator · Awarded by Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute · 2015 - 2020

Jackson Heart Study Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Working Group and Medicare Data Linkage

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by University of Mississippi Medical Center · 2019 - 2020

Framingham Heart Study

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Boston University · 2019 - 2020

Linking Medicare Claims and the SJM Patient Database

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by St. Jude Medical Inc. · 2017 - 2019

Opioid Utilization and Treatment in North Carolina

ResearchInvestigator · Awarded by Laura and John Arnold Foundation · 2018 - 2019

Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Available Data Evaluation

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. · 2019 - 2019

Methodology for Linking Clinical and Administrative Databases

ResearchSenior Statistician · Awarded by Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute · 2014 - 2019

Fitness-for-Use of Electronic Health Records as Source Data for Clinical Research- Option 2

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Food and Drug Administration · 2018 - 2019

Task Order S08: 2018 Data Partner Summit

ConferencePrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. · 2018 - 2018

Jackson Heart Study

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of Mississippi Medical Center · 2013 - 2018

A Collaboration for Improving Outcomes of African Americans with Heart Failure

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2013 - 2018

Trends in Outpatient Heart Failure Management over time

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Amgen, Inc. · 2017 - 2018

CMS Linkage in Distributed Data Research Networks - Pilot Project

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute · 2015 - 2018

Fitness-for-Use of Electronic Health Records as Source Data for Clinical Research

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Food and Drug Administration · 2016 - 2018

Increasing Patient and System Value with Community Based Palliative Care

ResearchStatistician · Awarded by Four Seasons · 2014 - 2017

Urinary Dysfunction in the Elderly: Informing Accountable Urologic Care

ResearchSenior Statistician · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2014 - 2017

Fragmentation of Medication Management in Medicare

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality · 2014 - 2016

Increasing Patient and System Value with Community Based Palliative Care

ResearchStatistician · Awarded by Four Seasons · 2014 - 2015

MESA

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of Washington · 2009 - 2015

MESA

ResearchBiostatistician · Awarded by University of Washington · 2009 - 2015

CHS

ResearchBiostatistician · Awarded by University of Washington · 2012 - 2015

Jackson Heart Study

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of Mississippi Medical Center · 2013 - 2015

Framingham Study - Amendment 3

ResearchStatistical Programmer · Awarded by Boston University · 2014 - 2015

CHS

ResearchBiostatistician · Awarded by University of Washington · 2009 - 2014

Patterns of Health Care Use, Treatment & Outcomes in Atrial Fibrillation: PATH-AF

ResearchStatistician · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2010 - 2014

ICD Therapy in Patients with Congestive Heart Failure

ResearchSenior Statistician · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2009 - 2014

Comparative Effectiveness of Therapies for Heart Failure

ResearchBiostatistician · Awarded by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality · 2010 - 2013

DEcIDE DES TO4 W3

ResearchStatistician · Awarded by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality · 2009 - 2012

Novel Group Parent Training Program for Anorexia Nervosa

ResearchStatistician · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2005 - 2010

Fatigue in HIV Positive People

ResearchStatistician · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2004 - 2010

DEcIDE Health Outcomes of Carotid Artery Disease

ResearchStatistical Programmer · Awarded by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality · 2007 - 2010

Heart Failure : Epidemiology & Outcomes in the Elderly

ResearchStatistical Programmer · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2006 - 2009

DCRI Research Center for CERTs

ResearchStatistical Programmer · Awarded by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality · 1999 - 2008

DCRI CERT for Cardiovascular Therapies

ResearchStatistician · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 1999 - 2002

External Relationships


  • JAMA Network Open
  • National Institute of Mental Health

This faculty member (or a member of their immediate family) has reported outside activities with the companies, institutions, or organizations listed above. This information is available to institutional leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts of interest.