Douglas Barthold

Ph.D. Economics

Associate Professor

University of Washington, Department of Pharmacy

The Comparative Health Outcomes, Policy, and Economics (CHOICE) Institute

Plein Center for Aging

CHOICE Institute Endowed Faculty Fellow

Associate Graduate Program Director, CHOICE Institute


Co-Director - Program in Health Economics and Outcomes Research Methodology (PHEnOM)

Board Member - Washington State Prescription Drug Affordability Board


I am a health economist, broadly interested in the relationships between health policies, healthcare utilization, and health outcomes. My current research examines the intersection between health policies, chronic disease management, and cognition, as well as the value of care for conditions that influence healthy aging. In my K01 award from the National Institute on Aging, I am examining how health insurance design and prescription drug costs influence management of mid-life risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). 

My teaching interests include health economics, health policy, and applied microeconomics.


New course announcement:

This Fall (2026), we will be offering a first-of-its-kind undergraduate course in health economics at the UW School of Pharmacy.


HEOR 340 / PHRMSC 330 / ECON 344: Introduction to Health Economics (3 credits)

Autumn 2026 | MW 10:00–11:20am | HST T639

Cross listed with PHRMSC 330 and ECON 344

 

This new course teaches students to use the core tools of microeconomics to understand U.S. markets for healthcare and health insurance. Through the lens of modern health policy debates, the course tackles pressing questions in health economics:

 

The course fulfills the Social Sciences (SSc) general education requirement and is open to undergraduate students across UW. 70 seats are available.

 

Register now (HEOR 340, SLN 22676)

 

For questions, contact Susan Inman, Undergraduate Program Specialist at the UW School of  Pharmacy: sop-ugrad@uw.edu.