Sally Stearns

Sally Stearns is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Administration at UNC-CH. Dr. Stearns' research on economics and aging includes projects related to the use of acute care by the elderly, the cost of care at the end of life, nursing home use, and alternatives to nursing home use. Recently, she has studied the likelihood and intensity of decrease in hospital use as prognosis declines, patient and physician attitudes toward life-sustaining treatments for terminally ill patients, and the relationships between home care use and nursing home use. Dr. Stearns has substantial experience working with Medicare claims data and with the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey.