Global Health
How we work
We use systems thinking and simulation modeling to untangle complex health challenges and support real‑world decisions. Our approach blends stakeholder engagement, causal mapping, data synthesis, and policy‑focused modeling. Results show up as practical tools: dashboards, decision briefs, and teaching materials that local partners can actually use.
Examples of projects
Here are a few selected examples of where we’ve applied our systems approaches. These illustrate the range of settings we’ve worked in, but are not exhaustive.
Ethiopia
- Focus: Non‑communicable diseases and health financing reforms.
- Approach: Built a system dynamics model to test policy options that improve treatment uptake, access to essential medicines, and care quality; ran capacity‑building workshops with public health partners.
- Partners & outputs: Amhara Public Health Institute and Regional Health Bureau; modeling to inform insurance enrollment strategies, training sessions, and a shareable dashboard.
Thailand
- Focus: Cancer screening pathways and COVID‑19 policy responsiveness.
- Approach: Modeled access and throughput in colorectal cancer diagnosis, and analyzed how policy responsiveness and culture shaped epidemic outcomes.
- Partners & outputs: University and ministry collaborators; policy memos and scenario tools for planners.
South Korea
- Focus: Substance use epidemiology and surveillance.
- Approach: Synthesized data systems and identified priorities for more equitable monitoring.
- Partners & outputs: Academic and public health teams; recommendations for strengthening data pipelines.
China
- Focus: Digital health and hospital operations.
- Approach: Studied e‑hospital adoption, provider readiness, and the role of telemedicine during COVID‑19; shared methods through talks and short courses.
- Partners & outputs: Leading universities and health systems; guidance on implementation and evaluation.
Zimbabwe
- Focus: Pediatric HIV care and diagnostic access.
- Approach: Used modeling to locate bottlenecks in pediatric ART initiation and design better placement of diagnostics; part of a long‑running NIH‑funded collaboration.
- Outputs: Published findings, including a journal article on innovation in pediatric HIV care, and recognition at the Zimbabwe National AIDS Council Symposium.
Canada (developed‑country example)
- Focus: Opioid overdose crisis modeling.
- Approach: Adapted our U.S. SOURCE model to Canada to examine trends, drivers, and policy responses.
- Partners & outputs: Health Canada and PHAC; an adapted simulator, policy scenarios, and briefings.
What makes our work useful
- Whole‑system perspective: We connect behavior, capacity, resources, and policy in one coherent structure, then test “what‑if” scenarios.
- Tight linkage to decisions: We co‑design questions with local teams and translate results into stakeholder‑friendly dashboards.
- Learning and handoff: We train partners to run, interpret, and extend the models so the work keeps delivering after the project ends.
Teaching and capacity building
MJ regularly teaches systems thinking and simulation modeling with universities, ministries, and multilateral agencies worldwide. Offerings include short courses, hands‑on modeling studios, and executive sessions. We’re happy to tailor workshops to local priorities.
Interested in collaborating?
If your team faces a complex health policy challenge and wants a structured way to test options before rolling them out, let’s talk. We can scope a rapid mapping sprint, a full simulation study, or a training series aligned to your goals.