Bio

DR. JIM BAILEY has dedicated his career to empowering people to take charge of their health. But after working as a physician, professor, community health advocate, and healthcare researcher for ten years, he realized that his scientific papers on improving health care quality were not likely to reach the general public. For Americans to get safe, effective and affordable health care, they first had to know why and how they were getting scammed. An avid reader of novels and lover of the classics, Dr. Bailey became convinced that America needed a story to point the way to the true healing Americans need most.

Dr. Bailey’s interest in writing fiction predated his medical career. After studying the great books at St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland, he took creative writing for a semester at the University of Alabama, and quickly discovered he did not yet know the story he needed to tell. As he struggled to discern his career path, a family friend recruited him to work in rural Alabama on a child survival project. To his surprise, the experience sparked an interest in the healing professions and he enrolled at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, where he earned his masters in public health and medical degree. Dr. Bailey completed his residency in primary care internal medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle and stayed on an additional year as a chief medical resident. He moved to Memphis in 1994 to become professor of medicine and preventive medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

In 2004 on sabbatical in Florence, Italy, Bailey began writing what he thought would be a work of narrative nonfiction about the path to better health care. A year later, he realized that his manuscript was taking the form of a novel—a story with fictional characters, but one firmly set in the real world that would reveal the disturbing truth about our broken healthcare system. Here, finally, was the story he was meant to tell. He wrote at daybreak, nights, and weekends for ten years to complete the story of the awakening of young Dr. Don Newman in The End of Healing.

Today, Dr. Bailey holds the Robert S. Pearce Endowed Chair in Internal Medicine at the University of Tennessee, where he continues to care for the sick and teach doctors in training. He directs the Center for Health System Improvement, an interdisciplinary research center dedicated to demonstrating how we can best improve health care for everyday Americans. He is principal investigator for a large study of health coaching and motivational text messaging aimed at helping people with uncontrolled diabetes improve their self-care. And he recently led the award winning SafeMed program to show how to simultaneously improve care and reduce costs for patients experiencing frequent hospitalizations.

Dr. Bailey is a fellow in the American College of Physicians and has published over seventy journal articles, book chapters, and editorials. His research appears in many peer-reviewed medical journals, including JAMA, Journal of General Internal Medicine, and Annals of Internal Medicine. His first novel, The End of Healing, gives voice to the many victims of our dysfunctional healthcare system whose stories need to be heard if we are to learn the truth about our broken healthcare system and find the path to true healing.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT TO RECLAIM HEALTH CARE THAT HEALS

Share The End of Healing with your family, friends, neighbors, and health care providers. Go to TheHealthyCity.org to learn more about how to take charge of your health and healthcare resources, get updates, or ask Dr. Bailey to speak or lead a discussion in your community.

Publications

PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL ARTICLES

1. Nault Connors JD, Binkley BL, Graff JC, Surbhi S, Bailey JE. How Patient Experience Informed the SafeMed Program: Lessons Learned During a Health Care Innovation Award Initiative to Improve Care for Super-Utilizers. Healthcare: The Journal of Delivery Science and Innovation, 2018 Feb 21. pii: S2213-0764(17)30254-3. doi: 10.1016/j.hjdsi.2018.02.002.
2. Surbhi S, Graetz I, Wan JY, Gatwood J, Bailey JE. The Effect of Opioid Use and Mental Illness on Chronic Disease Medication Adherence in Super-Utilizers. Journal of Managed Care and Specialty Pharmacy, 24 (3), 198-207, 2018.
3. Galloway AP, Graff JC, Diloreto NA, Michalak IW, Tolley EA, Bailey JE. Primary Care Clinics in Medically Underserved Areas Not Routinely Receiving Diabetes Educational Materials. Tennessee Medicine E-Journal, 2017;3(2), Article 16. Available at: https://ejournal.tnmed.org/home/vol3/iss2/16
4. Jackson, B, Carlton E, Ahn, S, Relyea, G, Bailey J. Unmet Primary Care Needs in Diabetes Patients with Multimorbidity in a Medically Underserved Area. Health Services Research & Managerial Epidemiology, 2017 Jan-Dec;11(4), doi: 10.1177/2333392817702760.
5. Tang J, Chang CF, Levin MC, Hong SH, Faris R, Bailey JE. Effects of specialty pharmacy care on health outcomes in multiple sclerosis. American Health & Drug Benefits. Nov. 2016;9(8):420-429.
6. Surbhi S, Munshi KD, Bell PC, Bailey JE. Drug Therapy Problems and Medication Discrepancies during Care Transitions in Super-utilizers. J Am Pharm Assoc. 2016 Nov – Dec;56(6):633-642.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.japh.2016.07.004.
7. Hussein M, Waters TM, Chang CF, Bailey JE, Brown LM, Solomon DK. Impact of Medicare Part D on Racial Disparities in Adherence to Cardiovascular Medications among the Elderly, Medical Care Research and Review, 2015 Nov 16. pii: 1077558715615297. [Epub ahead of print]
8. Harris LJ, Graetz I, Podila PSB, Wan J, Waters TM, Bailey JE. Characteristics of Hospital and Emergency Care Super-utilizers with Multiple Chronic Conditions, J Emerg Med, 2015 Oct 12. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2015.09.002 [Epub ahead of print].
9. Bailey JE, Surbhi S, Bell PC, Jones AM, Rashed S, Ugwueke MO. SafeMed: Utilizing Pharmacy Technicians in a Novel Role as Community Health Workers to Improve Transitions of Care. J Am Pharm Assoc. 2016;56(1):73-81, doi:10.1016/j.japh.2015.11.011.
10. Humble JR TE, Krukowski, RA, Debon M, Womack CR, Motley TS, Bailey JE. Use of and Interest in Mobile Health for Diabetes Self-Care in Vulnerable Populations. J Telemed and Telecare. 2016 Jan;22(1):32-8. doi: 10.1177/1357633X15586641. Epub 2015 May 29.
11. Bailey JE, Pitts WJ, Nault JD. Statewide Survey Identifies Major Opportunities to Improve Patient-centered Care. Tennessee Medicine E-Journal. 2014; 1(1):Article 7. Available at: http://ejournal.tnmed.org/home/vol1/iss1/7
12. Gatwood J, Bailey JE. Improving medication adherence in hypercholesterolemia: challenges and solutions. Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2014 Nov 6;10:615-625. eCollection 2014.
13. Graetz I, Kaplan CM, Kaplan EK, Bailey JE, Waters TM. The U.S. Health Insurance Marketplace: Are Premiums Truly Affordable? Ann Intern Med. 2014 Sep 9. doi: 10.7326/M14-0757. [Epub ahead of print].
14. Melton C, Graff C, Holmes GN, Brown L, Bailey J. Health literacy and asthma management among African-American adults: an interpretative phenomenological analysis. J Asthma. 2014 Apr 9. [epub ahead of print]
15. Ahn S, Smith ML, Cho J, Bailey JE, Ory MG. Hypertension awareness and associated factors among older Chinese adults. Frontiers in Public Health. 2013;1(67):1-7,doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2013.00067
16. Thorn SA, Carter MA, Bailey JE. Emergency physicians’ perspectives on the usability of health information exchange. Annals of Emergency Medicine. 2013 Oct 22. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2013.09.024. [Epub ahead of print]
17. Shirneshan E, Bailey J, Relyea G, Franklin BE, Solomon DK, Brown LM.  Incremental direct medical expenditures associated with anxiety disorders for the U.S. adult population: Evidence from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Journal of Anxiety Disorders. 2013;27:720-727.
18. Bailey JE, Pope RA, Elliott E, Wan JY, Waters TM, Frisse ME.   Health information exchange reduces repeat diagnostic imaging for back pain.  Annals of Emergency Medicine. 2013;vol:(doi:10.1016/j.annemergmed.2006.09.019).
19. Bailey JE, Wan JY, Mabry LM, Landy SH, PopeRA, Waters TM, Frisse ME.  Does health information exchange reduce unnecessary neuroimaging and improve quality of headache care in the emergency department?  J Gen Intern Med, 2013;28(2):176–83.
20. Bailey JE, Hajjar A, Shoib B, Tang J, Ray M, Wan J.  Risk factors associated with antihypertensive medication nonadherence in a statewide Medicaid population, American Journal of Medical Sciences.  2012 Aug 9. [Epub ahead of print]
21. Johnson KB, Unerti KM, Chen Q, Lorenzi NM, Nian H, Bailey J, Frisse M. Health information exchange usage in emergency departments and clinics: The who, what and why. JAMIA. 2011 Sep;1;18(5):690-7.
22. Bailey JE, Wan JY, Tang J, Ghani MA, Cushman WC. Antihypertensive medication adherence, ambulatory visits, and risk of stroke and death. J Gen Intern Med, 2010 Jun;25(6):495-503.
23. Russell SC, Cutts T, Bailey JE. Consumer evaluation of three online health risk appraisals. Tenn Med, 2008 Jul;101(7):43-7
24. Tang, J, Wan, JY, and Bailey, JE. Performance of comorbidity measures to predict stroke and death in a community-dwelling, hypertensive medicaid population. Stroke 2008;39:1938-1944.
25. Hall CJ, Thompson JW, Bailey JE.  Health care reform:  Pediatric elective surgery payer mix and utilization under TennCare managed competition. Tenn Med, 2007 Aug; 100 (8): 41-5
26. Bailey JE. Sprabery LR.  Inequitable funding may cause health care disparities. Arch Int Med, Vol. 167, June 25, 2007
27. Bailey JE, Mirvis DM, Key CM, Kyte RL, McCord MJ. HealthCARE principles: a model for healthy city collaboratives.  Prev Chronic Dis 2007 Apr; 4(2): A35. Epub 2007 Mar 15
28. Connelly SA, Sprabery LR, Bailey JE. Perceived impact of TennCare reform on patients’ health in a medical teaching practice.  Tenn Med, 2006; 99(3):33-6, 42
29. Bailey JE, Van Brunt DL, Jenkins PH, Somes GW, Dorko CS. Quality of care for HIV and AIDS in Tennessee’s statewide Medicaid managed care system. Am J Med Sci, 2005;328(6):305-314
30. Womeodu RJ, Graney MJ, Gibson DV, Bailey JE.  Diabetic patient experiences in a Medicaid managed care system. Tenn Med, 2003;465-469
31. Bailey JE, Van Brunt DL, Raffanti SP, Long WJ, Jenkins PH.  Improvements in access to care for HIV and AIDS in a statewide Medicaid managed care system.  Am J Manag Care. 2003;9(9):595-600
32. Mirvis DM, Bailey JE, Chang CF.  TennCare – Medicaid managed care in Tennessee in jeopardy.  Am J Manag Care, January 2002;8(1):57-68
33. Rogers LQ, Bailey JE, Gutin B, Johnson KC, Levine MA, Milan F, Seelig CB, Sherman SE.  Teaching resident physicians to provide exercise counseling: a needs assessment.  Acad Med, 2002;77:841-844
34. Bailey JE, Womeodu RJ, Wan JY, Van Brunt DL, Somes GW.  Improvements in diabetes management and outcomes in a Medicaid managed care system. Tenn Med, 2001;94(11):425-429
35. Mirvis DM, Bailey JE.  Commentary:  Justice in health care—a response to Tavistock.  BMJ, 2001;323:619-620
36. Bailey JE, Van Brunt DL, Mirvis DM, McDaniel S, Spears CR, Chang CF, Schaberg DR.  Academic managed care organizations and adverse selection under Medicaid managed care in Tennessee.  JAMA, 1999;282(11):1067 – 1072
37. Bailey JE, Bush AJ, Bertram PD, Somes GW.  Physicians’ experiences with Medicaid managed care:  the Tennessee American College of Physicians survey on TennCare. Tenn Med, 1998;91(8)313-316
38. Chang CF, Kiser LJ, Bailey JE, Martins M, Mirvis DM, Applegate WB.  TennCare Partners:  Tennessee’s failed managed care program for mental health and substance abuse services. JAMA, 1998;279(22):864 – 869
39. Shorr RI, Johnson KC, Wan JY, Sutton – Tyrrell K, Pahor M, Bailey JE, Applegate WB.  The prognostic significance of asymptomatic carotid bruits in the elderly.  J Gen Int Med, 1998;13:86 – 90
40. Richey PA, Jones CL, Harshfield GA, Somes GW, Johnson KC, Bailey JE, Soberman JE.  The AM5600 ambulatory blood pressure recording system.  Blood Press Monit, 1997;2(No.3/4):193 – 195
41. Pahor M, Shorr RI, Somes GW, Cushman WC, Ferrucci L, Bailey JE, Elam JT, Applegate WB.  Diuretic – based treatment and cardiovascular events in patients with mild renal dysfunction enrolled in the Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program.  Arch Int Med, 1998;158(12):1340-1345
42. Bailey JE, Kellermann AL, Somes GW, Banton JG, Rivara FP, Rushforth NB. Risk factors for violent death of women in the home. Arch Int Med, 1997;89(4):122 – 125
43. Bailey JE, Womeodu RJ.  Prevention in managed care:  obstacles and opportunities. J Tenn Med Assoc, 1996;89(4):122 – 125
44. Bailey JE, Lee MD, Somes GW, Graham RL.  Risk factors for antihypertensive medication refill failure by patients under Medicaid managed care.  Clin Therap, 1996;18:(6)1252 – 1262
45. Bailey JE.  Asklepios: ancient hero of medical caring. Ann Int Med, 1996;124(2):257 – 263
46. Bailey JE, Coombs DW.  Effectiveness of an Indonesian model for rapid training of Guatemalan health workers in diarrhea case management.  J Comm Health    1996;21(4):269 – 276
47. Bowen J, Patz J, Bailey J, Hansen K.  Dissection of vertebral artery after cervical trauma.  Lancet, 1992;339:435 – 436
48. 48. Bailey JE, Leeper JD. Social consequences of early childbearing in a southern rural black community, J Adol Health Care, 05/1990; 11(3):276. DOI:10.1016/0197-0070(90)90408-T
49. Bailey JE.  “Authorship in Don Quixote de la Mancha,” Prize Essays, St. John’s College Press, 1982 – 83
50. Bailey JE.  “Making much ado about nothing,” Energeia, St. John’s College, in Press, 1982.

BOOKS AND BOOK CHAPTERS

1. Bailey JE.  Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) – Physician Of The Soul. In: Cooper DK, ed. Physicians of Another Calling.  Accepted for publication, University of Delaware Press, June 2012
2. Womeodu RJ, Bailey JE.  Barriers to Cancer Screening.  In:  Herold AH, Woodard LJ, eds. The Medical Clinics of North America: Cancer Screening and Diagnosis.  Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company;  80(1):115-133, January 1996

OTHER ARTICLES:                                                                                                                               

1. Mabry LM, Bailey JE.  HIE, Imaging & Appropriate Use: Rads Need to Lead the Charge.  Health Imaging.  Sept. 2012.
2. Strong C, Bailey J. Cherry-picking patients leaves sour taste. AMA News -Ethics Forum. 2011 Apr 18; 54(8).
3. Bailey JE.  Does health information technology dehumanize health care?  Virtual Mentor –American Medical Association Journal of Ethics, Mar 2011; 13(3): 181-185.
4. Noblett S, Bailey J.  What should healthcare look like?  Health and Development, 2010; 30(2):4-7.
5. Bailey JE.  The case for public reporting, SGIM Forum (Society of General Internal Medicine), 2010 Nov; 33(11):5,10.
6. Nault JD, Bailey JE.  Health system improvement:  Developing regional capacity across Tennessee.  Tenn Med, 2010 Oct; 103(10):31-3,44.
7. Bailey J, Cates M and Jain M. “Common Table Update,” Memphis Medical News, October 2008:4. Accessed at: http://www.memphismedicalnews.com/mod/secfile/viewed.php?file_id=65 July 15, 2011
8. Bailey J, Cates M, FitzGerald D and Travis C. “Common Table Update,” Memphis Medical News, November 2008:4. Accessed at: http://www.memphismedicalnews.com/mod/secfile/viewed.php?file_id=66 July 15, 2011
9. Bailey J, and Frazier R.  “Common table update: First private primary care physician quality reports forthcoming”, Memphis Medical News, December 2008:18. Accessed at:  http://www.memphismedicalnews.com/mod/secfile/viewed.php?file_id=67  July 15, 2011
10. Bailey J, and Frazier R.  “Common table update: Help your patients take charge for better health – with a quality checklist,” Memphis Medical News, April 2009:6. Accessed at: http://www.memphismedicalnews.com/mod/secfile/viewed.php?file_id=71 July 15, 2011
11. Bailey JE. Can insurance claims and patient survey data really help us improve quality, Memphis Medical Society Quarterly, 2010 Summer; 13(2):26-7.
12. Bailey JE, Wan JY, Tang J, Ghani MA, Cushman WC.  Response to letters to the editor regarding “Antihypertensive Medication Adherence, Ambulatory Visits, and Risk of Stroke and Death,” J Gen Intern Med, 2010; 25(8):764.
13. Bailey JE.  From a doctor’s point of view: making billing better, for better care, The Users’ Guide to the Health Reform Galaxy, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation health reform blog, http://rwjfblogs.typepad.com/healthreform/2010/05/james-e-bailey-md-mph-an-practicing-internal-medicine-physician-director-of-the-healthy-memphis-data-center-and-a-p.html#more published May 5, 2010, accessed May 7, 2010.
14. Bailey JE.  A Memphis Rx:  A physician’s thoughts on what Santa should bring us in the form of health-care reform.  The Memphis Flyer, December 17, 2009.  Accessed at http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/a-memphis-rx/Content?oid=1867158 1/25/11.
15. Bailey JE. Memphis Health Care is reaching beyond its walls to improve breast cancer screening, Memphis Medical Society Quarterly, 2009 Summer; 12(2).
16. Bailey JE. Building a medical home at the MedPlex, Memphis Medical Society Quarterly, 2009 Spring; 12(1):16.
17. Bailey JE. EHR initiatives in the Mid-South. Tenn Med, 2008 Jul; 101(7):27-8.
18. Bailey JE. Connecting patients to a medical home, Memphis Medical Society Quarterly, 2008 Summer; 11(2):24.
19. Bailey JE, Gibson DV.  Public reporting needed to improve the health of Tennesseans.  Tenn Med, 2005; 98(11):539-545
20. Bailey JE, Gibson DV, Jain M, Connelly SA, Ryder KM, Dagogo-Jack S. Reversing the diabetes epidemic in Tennessee. Tenn Med, 2003;559-563
21. Bailey JE, Chang CF. The cure for TennCare:  Run it like a family business.  Tenn Business, 2001;10(2):15-19
22. Bailey JE. Response to letters to the editor regarding “Asklepios: Ancient hero of medical caring”.  Ann Int Med, 1996;125(3):254.