Prof. David B. MATCHAR

Prof. David B. Matchar, MD, was the Inaugural Director of the Programme in Health Services and Systems Research (HSSR), one of five Signature Research Programmes within the DukeNUS Medical School. Prof. Matchar is also a Professor of Medicine at Duke University in the United States. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Princeton University. After completing his Medical degree and Residency training he served as fellow in Internal Medicine at Duke University.

For over 35 years, Prof. Matchar has worked in clinical and health policy research. He served as Director of the Duke Center for Clinical Health Policy Research and established the Duke Evidence-based Practice Center, commissioned to support of coverage policy for the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

In 2008, Prof. Matchar moved to Singapore to set up HSSR. His own research focuses on the challenges of an aging population, health economics, and simulation modelling to promote informed clinical and public health policy. Prof. Matchar was awarded the prestigious STaR Award by the Singapore Ministry of Health's National Medical Research Council to establish a system modelling laboratory to evaluate clinical and public policy issues related to aging and disability in Singapore. He was PI of a large published trial of tailored falls rehabilitation, including a study of cost-effectiveness, and is co-investigator of an extension of this project to develop practical strategies to make falls prevention rehabilitation broadly available.