• Phone: 617-353-4243
  • E-Mail:  jres@bu.edu
  • Website: http://management.bu.edu
  • Office: 663
    • Office Hours: By Appointment
  • Address: Boston University School of Management
    595 Commonwealth Avenue
    Boston, MA 02215

Profile Summary

Joseph Restuccia, DrPH, MPH is Professor of Health Care and Operations Management and Dean’s Research Fellow in the BU School of Management’s Department of Operations and Technology Management. He also holds the positions of Research Scientist at the Veterans Health Administration’s Center for Organization, Leadership and Management Research; Senior Fellow at BU’s Health Policy Institute; and Visiting Professor at Bocconi University School of Management in Milan, Italy.
Dr. Restuccia’s teaching and research spans 35 years and has focused on issues related to health care quality measurement and improvement, cost containment, information technology, and evaluation of interventions intended to improve effectiveness of health care delivery. As well as Boston University School of Management, Restuccia has taught at BU’s School of Public Health, Bocconi University, University of Michigan, and University of California, Berkeley. He is co-developer of the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (AEP), a method to evaluate appropriateness of hospitalization that has been the basis of numerous research studies as well as operational quality improvement programs throughout the world. Dr. Restuccia is currently co-principal investigator of a study of the impact of organizational factors on cost and quality of inpatient medical services at VHA’s 129 medical centers, an investigator on three studies involving hospital readmissions: one to identify potentially preventable readmissions, a second investigating leadership and other factors impact on reducing readmission rates, and a third to test a method of reducing readmission. In the past, Dr. Restuccia has led studies supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Commonwealth Fund, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, among other funding organizations. He earned his doctoral degree in social and administrative health sciences and master’s degrees in health services management at the University of California, Berkeley and his bachelor’s degree at Tufts University. Between his studies at Tufts and Berkeley, Restuccia spent three years as a hospital manager.

  • Education Open or Close

    DrPH, University of California at Berkeley, Social and Administrative Health Sciences, School of Public Health, 1977.

    MPH, University of California at Berkeley, Social and Administrative Health Sciences, School of Public Health, 1974.

    BA, Tufts University, Political Science, 1969.

  • Current CoursesOpen or Close

    GSM HM703 F1 Health Sector Issues and Opportunities

    GSM HM703 G1 Health Sector Issues and Opportunities

  • PublicationsOpen or Close

    Journal Articles:

      Baurer, D., Yonek, J., Cohen, A., Restuccia, J., Hasnain-Wynia, R., (2012). System-level Factors Affecting Clinicians' Perceptions and Use of Interpreter Services in California Public Hospitals. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health,

      Restuccia, J., Cohen, A., Horwitt, J., Shwartz, M., (2012). Hospital Implementation of Health Information Technology and Quality of Care: Are They Related?. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 12(1), 109-116.

      McHugh, M., Kang, R., Cohen, A., Restuccia, J., Hasnain-Wynia, R., (2012). Reporting Information on Emergency Department Crowding to the Hospital Board and Delivery of Time-Sensitive Care. Joint Commission Journal On Quality and Patient Safety, 38(5), 229-234.

      Shwartz, M., Cohen, A., Restuccia, J., Ren, Z., Labonte, A., Theokary, C., Kang, R., Horwitt, J., (2011). How Well Can We Identify the High-Performing Hospital?. Medical Care Research and Review , 68(3), 290-310. Sage.

      Shwartz, M., Cramer, I., Holmes, S., Cohen, A., Restuccia, J., Lukas, C. V., Sullivan, J., Charns, M. P., (2010). Survey-Assessed Quality and Organizational Factors Related to Quality in Pursuing Perfection Hospitals. Quality Management in Health Care, 19(4), 349-363.

      Cohen, A., Restuccia, J., Shwartz, M., Drake, J., Kang, R., Kralovec, P., Holmes, S., Margolin, F., Bohr, D., (2008). A Survey of Hospital Quality Improvement Activities. Medical Care Research and Review, 65(5), 571-595.

      Shwartz, M., Ren, Z., Pekoz, E., Wang, X., Cohen, A., Restuccia, J., (2008). Estimating A Composite Measure of Hospital Quality From the Hospital Compare Database: Differences When Using a Bayesian Hierarchical Latent Variable Model Versus Denominator-Based Weights. Medical Care, 46(8), 778-785.

      Lukas, C., Holmes, S. C., Cohen, A. K., Restuccia, J., Cramer, I., Shwartz, M. E., Charns, M. P., (2007). Transformational Change in Health Care Systems: An Organizational Model. Health Care Management Review, 32(4), 309-320.

  • Contracts, Grants and Sponsored ResearchOpen or Close

    Validating and Classifying VA Readmissions for Quality, Veterans Administration Health Services and Development Agency. (March 2011 - May 2014).

    Organizational Fit and Quality Improvement in Readmissions Veterans Administration Health Services Research and Development Service, Veterans Administration Health Services Research and Development Service. (January 2011 - March 2014).

    Evaluating Implementation of Project Re-Engineered Discharge in VA, Veterans Administration Health Services Research and Development Agency. (January 2012 - April 2014).

    Organizational Factors and Inpatient Medical Care Quality and Efficiency, Veterans Health Administration. (July 2009 - April 2013).

    Quality, Efficiency, and Patient Experience in U.S. Hospitals, Commonwealth Foundation. (September 1, 2007 - July 31, 2009).

    Survey to Assess the Current State and Impact of Quality Improvement Activities in U.S. Hospitals, Commonwealth Fund. (September 30, 2005 - March 1, 2007).

    Do More Hospital Beds Induce Excess Demand, Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, United States Department of Health and Human Services. (2003 - 2005).

    Does Patient Severity Affect Hospital Use?, Agency for Health Care Research and Quality. (2002 - 2005).

    Appropriateness of Hospital Use in Europe, Mario Negri Institute, Milan, Italy, Commission of the European Communities. (1993 - 1998).

    Inappropriateness and Variations in Hospital Use, Agency for Health Care Policy and Research . (1988 - 1996).

    The Role of Multiple Severity Measurements in Assessing the Quality of Inpatient Care, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (1988 - 1990).

    Evaluation of a Payment System for Pediatric Hospitalization, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation and the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), United States Department of Health and Human Services. (1987 - 1989).

    Pricing DRGs to Improve Patient Access, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (1986 - 1989).

    The Self Adapting Utilization Management System, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (1986 - 1988).

    The Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol, HCFA. (1980 - 1982).

    Community Hospital Measures Study, School of Public Health University of Michigan, W. K. Kellogg Foundation and HCFA. (1978 - 1980).

    Hospital Utilization Review Study, School of Public Health, University of California, National Center for Health Services Research. (1973 - 1977).

  • Research PresentationsOpen or Close

    Invited Lectures:

      Restuccia, J., (Presenter and Author), Bocconi University Centre for Research on Health and Social Care Management Research Seminar Series, The Association of Hospital Characteristics and Quality Improvement Activities in Veterans Administration Inpatient Medical Services, Centre for Research on Health and Social Care Management, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy. (March 19, 2012).

      Restuccia, J., (Presenter and Author), Transformational Change in Healthcare Organizations, Catholic University, Rome, Italy. (March 21, 2011).

    Accepted Lectures:

      Restuccia, J., (Presenter and Author), Mohr, D., (Author Only), Meterko, M., (Author Only), Stolzmann, K., (Author Only), Boston University School of Management Research Day, The Association of Hospital Characteristics and Quality Improvement Activities in Veterans Administration Inpatient Medical Services, Boston University School of Management, Boston. (May 16, 2012).

      McIntosh, N., (Presenter and Author), Burgess, J., (Author Only), Meterko, M., (Author Only), Kartha, A., (Author Only), Restuccia, J., (Author Only), Kaboli, P., (Author Only), Charns, M., (Author Only), AcademyHealth Annual Meeting, Perceptions of Patient Care Quality and Provider Coordination in VHA Inpatient Medicine, Academy Health, Orlando, FL. (June 26, 2012).

      Hockenberry, J., (Presenter & Author), Burgess , J., (Author Only), Glasgow, J., (Author Only), VAughan-Sarrazin, M., (Author Only), McIntosh, N., (Author Only), Stolzmann, K., (Author Only), Kartha, A., (Author Only), Meterko, M., (Author Only), Restuccia, J., (Author Only), Kaboli, P., (Author Only), AcademyHealth Annual Meeting, Readmissions in the VA: Implications for National Policy?, AcademyHealth, Orlando, FL. (July 25, 2012).

      Glaskow, J., (Presenter and Author), Johnson, S., (Author Only), Meterko, M., (Author Only), McIntosh, N., (Author Only), Restuccia, J., (Author Only), Kaboli, P., (Author Only), Society of Hospital Medicine Annual Meeting, Hospitalist Practice Characteristics: The VHA Experience, Society of Hospital Medicine, San Diego, CA. (April 2, 2012).

      Kaboli , P., (Presenter and Author), Glasgow, J., (Author Only), Kartha, A., (Author Only), Vaughn-Sarrazin, M., (Author Only), White, R., (Author Only), Meterko, M., (Author Only), Restuccia, J., (Author Only), Society of Hospital Medicine Annual Meeting, Computerized Patient Record Order Sets for Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) Prophylaxis and Associated Rates of VTE., Society of Hospital Medicine, San Diego, CA. (April 2, 2012).

      Restuccia, J., (Author Only), Annual Research Conference, An Organizational Model of Transformational Change in Health Care Systems, Academy Health, Seattle, Washington. (June 26, 2006).

  • General ServiceOpen or Close

    Service to the School:

      Boston University, Health Sector Management Program, Committee Member, approximately 0 hours spent for the year. (January 10, 1981 - Present).

      Boston University, Other SMG Service Area, Pro Bono Professional Service, Business School Alliance in Health Management (BAHM), approximately 0 hours spent for the year. (2013 - Present).

    Service to the Profession:

      International, Professional, Committee Member, RAND Corporation, approximately 0 hours spent for the year. (2013 - Present).
      Expert Panel Member on the project, Defining Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) in Health Care


  • Editorial And Review ActivitiesOpen or Close

    Budget Impact Analysis of HIV Testing In the VA Healthcare System, Value in Health, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Abstracts, International. (June 25, 2012 - December 15, 2012).

  • Academic, Military and Professional PositionsOpen or Close

    BU Representative, Business School Alliance in Health Management (BAHM). (November 30, 2012 - Present).

    BU representative to this new association; activities will include judging a case competition at Harvard Business School this spring. Members of BAHM are the following: Arizona State University W. P. Carey School of Business, Boston University School of Management, Duke University Fuqua School of Business, Harvard Business School, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, Hass Business School University of California – Berkeley, University of Colorado – Denver, University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management, University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business, Vanderbilt University Owen School of Business, Yale School of Management