Essays on Quasi-Experimental Methods in Measuring Access to Care

Natural experiments provide a valuable tool in determining the implications of changes in public policies when conducting “true” experiments would be either too costly or unethical. A variety of techniques have been developed over time and applied to many different research questions in causal inference and applied econometrics settings. My research focuses on topics related to access to care but addresses important questions in emergency medical as well as primary care settings. The first section of the dissertation will provide an evaluation of Illinois’ Trauma Care System. The remainder provides an in-depth analysis of a federal program intended to guide resource allocation to address medical needs among the medically underserved.