Blake McGee

PhD, Nursing, Emory University (2018)
MPH, Population & Family Health, Columbia University (2007)
BSN, Nursing, Emory University (2013)
BSFS, Middle East Regional Studies, Georgetown University (2003)

Clinical Expertise
Emergency nursing/EMS, ambulatory care, clinical trials, and adult health

Research Interests
I am a former emergency room nurse with a PhD in nursing science and a focus on health policy. My research looks at policy trade-offs and their effects on vulnerable patient populations. I recently completed two studies of how the outcomes of ischemic stroke differ between states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act and states that did not. Previously, I examined the effects of prescription drug co-pays on treatment adherence, hospital use, and medical costs among Medicare Part D subscribers with heart failure.

I teach health policy, research methods, and statistics to nursing and other health professions students. I also serve on committees of the Georgia Nursing Leadership Coalition, the Southern Nursing Research Society, and AcademyHealth's Interdisciplinary Research Group on Nursing Issues (IRGNI)

Selected Publications

Kim, S., & McGee, B. (2023). Racial/ethnic differences in associations between Medicaid expansion and causes and costs of readmission after acute ischemic stroke. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. Online ahead of print. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-022-01501-5

Atraga, C., McGee, B., LeBlanc, R., & Fugiel, L. (2022). Feasibility of technology-enhanced faculty mentorship to increase retention of minority nursing students. Journal of the National Black Nurses Association, 33(1), 29–32.

McGee, B., Kim, S., Aycock, D., Hayat, M., Seagraves, K., & Custer, W. (2021). Medicaid expansion and racial/ethnic differences in readmission after acute ischemic stroke. INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 58. https://doi.org/10.1177/00469580211062438

McGee, B., Seagraves, K., Smith, E., Xian, Y., Zhang, S., Alhanti, B., Matsouaka, R., Reeves, M., Schwamm, L., & Fonarow, G. (2021). Associations of Medicaid expansion with access to care, severity, and outcomes for acute ischemic stroke. Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, 14(10), e007940. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.121.007940 *Featured in the American Heart Association “Questions with the Experts” spotlight

McGee, B., Parikh, R., & Phillips, V. (2021). Cost implications of patient spending on heart failure medications in the U.S. Medicare program. Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research, 12(2), 101–108. https://doi.org/10.1093/jphsr/rmaa018

McGee, B., & Breslin, S. (2021). The Affordable Care Act 10 years in: What nursing leaders should know. Nurse Leader, 19(1), 57–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2020.03.022

McGee, B., Higgins, M., Phillips, V., & Butler, J. (2020). Prescription drug spending and hospital use among Medicare beneficiaries with heart failure. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 16(10), 1452–1458. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2019.12.019

Derington, C., King, J., Bryant, K., McGee, B., Moran, A., Weintraub, W., Bellows, B., & Bress, A. (2019). Cost-effectiveness and challenges of implementing intensive blood pressure goals and team-based care. Current Hypertension Reports, 21(12), Article 91. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-019-0996-x

McGee, B., Phillips, V., Higgins, M., & Butler, J. (2019). Prescription drug spending and medication adherence among Medicare beneficiaries with heart failure. Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy, 25(6), 705–713. https://doi.org/10.18553/jmcp.2019.25.6.705

Selected Presentations

Kim, S., & McGee, B. (2022). Medicaid expansion and causes and costs of readmission after acute ischemic stroke with special attention to racial differences. AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting, Washington, DC.

Barfield, L., & McGee, B. (2021). Urban-rural influence on readmission after acute ischemic stroke in younger adults. International Stroke Conference, New Orleans, LA & virtual.

McGee, B., Seagraves, K., Smith, E., Xian, Y., Zhang, S., Alhanti, B., Matsouaka, R., Reeves, M., Schwamm, L., & Fonarow, G. (2021). Associations of Medicaid expansion with access to care, severity, and outcomes for acute ischemic stroke. AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting, online due to COVID-19.

McGee, B., & Kim, S. (2021). Medicaid expansion did not reduce stroke readmissions after one year. International Stroke Conference, online due to COVID-19.

McGee, B., Parikh, R., & Phillips, V. (2019). Heart failure prescription drug spending and medical costs in Medicare Part D. American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, Philadelphia, PA.

McGee, B. (2019). Prescription drug spending and hospital use among Medicare beneficiaries with heart failure. AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting, Washington, DC.

Funding

Building Research Expertise Across Teams for Health Equity (BREATHE) in Sickle Cell Disease. (PIs: Snyder & Cohen). Co-Investigator. GSU Research Innovation & Scholarly Excellence (RISE) Initiative. Awarded $250,000 (07/2022–06/2023).

The Impact of State Decisions about the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid Expansion on Acute Ischemic Stroke Severity, Outcomes, and Rehabilitation Use. Principal Investigator. American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Young Investigator Database Research Seed Grant. Awarded $1,500 and 200–250 hours of statistical consulting paid by funder (10/2019–09/2020).

Medicaid Coverage Expansion and 30-day Readmission after Acute Ischemic Stroke. Principal Investigator. American Nurses Foundation Anne Zimmerman Research Endowment Fund. Awarded $4,950 (09/2019–08/2020).

Memberships
American Heart Association
AcademyHealth
American Nurses Association
Georgia Nurses Association
Southern Nursing Research Society

Service
Data Advisory Committee, Georgia Nursing Leadership Coalition
University Senate, Georgia State University
Legislative Committee, Georgia Nurses Association
Communications Committee, Southern Nursing Research Society
Advisory Board, Interdisciplinary Research Group on Nursing Issues, AcademyHealth

Awards and Honors
Fellow, U.S. Ten-Day Seminar on the Epidemiology and Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke, American Heart Association, 2019
Georgia Nurses on Boards inaugural cohort, 2019
Sigma Theta Tau (nursing honor society) induction, 2017
AcademyHealth Alice S. Hersh Scholarship alternate, 2017
Georgia Nursing Leadership Coalition Health Policy Scholarship, 2015
Sigma Theta Tau International Rising Star of Scholarship and Research, 2015
Fuld Fellowship for Leadership and Social Responsibility in Nursing, 2012