Rhema Vaithianathan

Senior Lecturer

Department of Economics

University of Auckland

NAME: Rhema VAITHIANATHAN

CURRENT POSITION: Senior Lecturer (SL7)

DEPARTMENT: Economics

FACULTY: Business and Economics

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

2000 University of Auckland, PhD, Economics

1995 University of Auckland, MCom (First Class Honours), Economics

1989 University of Auckland, BCom, Economics

PREVIOUS APPOINTMENTS:

Permanent

2000 – 2002 Australian National University – Research Fellow

1999 – 2000 Health Economist (part time), Waitemata DHB

1997 – 1999 Economic Consultant to the NZ Health Funding Authority (part-time)

1995 – 1996 Health Economist, Northern Regional Health Authority

1988 – 1991 Policy Analyst, NZ Treasury

Temporary/Visiting

July, 2009 Hitotsubashi University, Tokyo

November, 2008 Nuffield Trust, London

2007-2008 Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School

July, 2002 University of Sydney

August, 2001 CORE, Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium

SIGNIFICANT DISTINCTIONS / AWARDS

• Nominated by Dean for Future Research Leaders Programme (2009)
• Imperial Gift Foundation Boshi-Aiiku-Kai Foreign Scholar Grant (Japan) (2009)
• Harkness Fellowship in Health Policy, Harvard Medical School (US) (2007-08)
• Business School Research Excellence Award for Best New Researcher (2004)
• Prize for Best Doctoral Dissertation in the Faculty of Business and Economics (2000)
• Jan Whitwell Prize for Best Student Paper, NZ Association of Economists Conference (1998)
• McKinsey Prize for Best Paper, Australian PhD Conference in Business and Economics (1997)
• PhD Fellowship, Health Research Council of NZ (1997)
• University Junior Scholarship (1984)

RESEARCH SPECIALTIES/CAREER:

Summary Statement:

My research spans three fields: Health Economics, Development Economics and Economic Theory. I also have a strong interest in public policy issues within New Zealand, commenting on and leading debate within the country. I also aim to maximise the impact of my research by engaging in translational research activities, which seeks to take health economics from the bench-top to the board-room.

Publications:

Refereed Journal Articles[1]

2009

R.VAITHIANATHAN & G. Lewis “NHS as an Insurer ” Journal of Health Services Research and Policy,(forthcoming)

R.VAITHIANATHAN “ Economic Critique of the MRG Report” New Zealand Medical Journal (forthcoming)

R.VAITHIANATHAN “An Economic Critique of Urban Motorways: The Case the Waterview Connection in Auckland” Road and Transport Research, 18(3) : 86-90

Rigotti, L; Ryan, M.J and R.VAITHIANATHAN: “Optimism and Firm Formation”, Economic Theory, (2009 online)

VAITHIANATHAN, R., Hockey, P; Moore, T and D.M Bates et al.: “Iatrogenic Effects of COX-2 Inhibitors in the US Population”, Drug Safety 32(4):335-43

2008 Chesnokova, T. and R. VAITHIANATHAN: “Lucky Last? Intra-Sibling Allocation of Child Labor”, Advances in Economics Analysis and Policy vol. 8(1)

VAITHIANATHAN, R. & G. Lewis: “Operational Independence for the NHS: Applying the Theoretical Framework of the Central Banks to Healthcare”, British Medical Journal 337:a497

2006 VAITHIANATHAN, R.: “Better the Devil You Know than the Doctor You Don’t”, Journal of Health Services Research and Policy 11(4):235-239

VAITHIANATHAN, R.: “Health Insurance and Imperfect Competition in the Health Care Market”, Journal of Health Economics 25(6): 1193-1202

2004 VAITHIANATHAN, R.: “A Critique of the Private Health Insurance Regulations in Australia”, Australian Economic Review vol. 37(3): 257-270

2003 VAITHIANATHAN, R.: “Supply-Side Cost Sharing when Patients and Doctors Collude”, Journal of Health Economics vol. 22(5), pages 763-780

Ryan, M.J. and R. VAITHIANATHAN: “Medical Insurance with Rank-Dependent Utility”, Economic Theory 22: 689-698.

Ryan, M.J. and R. VAITHIANATHAN: “Adverse Selection and Insurance Contracting: A Rank-Dependent Utility Analysis”, Contributions to Theoretical Economics Volume 3: No. 1, Article 4

2002 VAITHIANATHAN, R.: “Will Subsidising Private Health Insurance Help the Public Health System?”, Economic Record Vol. 78: 277-283

1999 VAITHIANATHAN, R., “The Failure of Corporatisation: Public Hospitals in New Zealand”, Agenda 6(4): 325-338

Refereed Book Chapter

2004 VAITHIANATHAN, R.: “Comment on the Strategy for Indigenous Health by the Office Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health”, in Economics and Indigenous Australian Health Policy, edited by Michael Otim, Ian Anderson and Ian Scott. University of Melbourne. pp. 31-33.

Other Significant Work

Papers under Revise and Resubmission

• “Insurance Value and the NHS” (with Geraint Lewis, Nuffield Trust, UK)
• “Stunting and Selection: A Case Study of the Chinese Famine” (with Xin Meng and Tue Gorgens, ANU)

Papers under Review

• “Truth in Advertising Laws and Pharmaceutical Promotion” (with Matthew Ryan):
• “Is Demeny Voting the Answer to Low Fertility in Japan?” (with Reiko Aoki, Hitotsubashi University)
• “Honesty and Communication in a Cheap Talk Game” (with Matthew Ryan)
• “The Economics of Female Genital Cutting” (with Tatyana Chesnokova)
• “Predictive Risk Modelling: Options for New Zealand” (with Laura Pannatoni; Toni Ashton and Geraint Lewis).

Working Papers

• Aoki, R and R. VAITHIANATHAN: “Is Demeny Voting the Answer to Low Fertility in Japan?”. Institute of Economic Research Discussion Paper # 435, Hitotsubashi University , Tokyo (2009)
• Maani, S., R. VAITHIANATHAN and B. Wolfe: “Inequality and Health: Is Housing Crowding the Link?” La Follette School Working Paper No. 2007-011, University of Wisconsin-Madison (2006)
• VAITHIANATHAN, R., “Physician Reveal Thyself”. ICTelligence, Institute for the Study of Competition and Regulation, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington (2004) [Opinion piece submitted by invitation of the editor, Professor Glenn Boyle]
• Hurley, J., R. VAITHIANATHAN, D. Cobb-Clark and T. Crossley: “Parallel Private Health Insurance in Australia: A Cautionary Tale and Lessons for Canada”. CHEPA Discussion Paper #01-12, McMaster University, Canada (2001)
• Rigotti, L., M.J. Ryan and R. VAITHIANATHAN: “Entrepreneurial Innovation,” UC Berkeley Economics Department WP E01-296 and CentER DP 2001-21, Tilburg University, The Netherlands (2001)
• VAITHIANATHAN, R.: The Economics of Clinical Decision Making. PhD Thesis, University of Auckland, Auckland (2000)
• Ryan, M.J. and R. VAITHIANATHAN: The Use and Abuse of QALYs in the Prioritisation of Public Health Spending. Health Funding Authority Discussion Paper, Wellington (1999)
• VAITHIANATHAN, R.: “Equality of Outcomes and Equality of Opportunity”. NZ Department of Labour Occasional Paper 1995/2, Wellington (1995).

Guest Blogs

· Dominguez, B. & VAITHIANATHAN, R.: “The Debt Bogey”. Guest blog on The Standard website, 2009.

· VAITHIANATHAN, R.: “Economics of the Waterview Tunnel”. Guest blog on Public Address website, 2009.

· Gerber, A., VAITHIANATHAN, R. et al.: “Learning from Abroad: Promises and Pitfalls”, Health Affairs online forum (Nov, 2007) [contribution by 2007-8 Harkness Fellows]

Policy Discussion Documents

• VAITHIANATHAN, R.: “The Economic Impact of the Super-City”. Paper prepared for the New Zealand Labour Party (2009)
• Hawkins, L. and R. VAITHIANATHAN: “Accountability Mechanisms for the National Funding Agency and Its Relationship with the Ministry of Health”. Health Funding Authority, Wellington (1997)
• VAITHIANATHAN, R.: “Improving Health Purchasing: A Pilot in Public Health”. Northern Regional Health Authority, Auckland (1997)

Presentations

Invited Participation in Roundtables and Workshops

· Harkness Reporting Seminar. Academy Health Meeting. Washington DC, 2008

· Treasury/VUW Tax Colloquium, VUW, 2009

· CAER Workshop on Health Economics, UNSW, 2003 and 2004

· OECD Roundtable on Health Insurance in Australia, 2003

· Liberty Fund Workshop, Christchurch, 2001

· Workshop on Indigenous Health Economics, University of Melbourne, 2001

Departmental Seminars by Invitation

• Hitotsubashi University (Japan), 2009
• University of New Hampshire (US), 2008
• Pennsylvania State University (US), 2008
• BU/ Harvard/ MIT Health Economics Seminar (US), 2008
• Canterbury University (NZ), 2005
• Victoria University of Wellington (NZ), 2004
• School of Population Health, University of Auckland (NZ), 2004
• Australian Defence Force Academy (Aus), 2002
• University of Sydney (Aus), 2002
• University of Queensland (Aus), 2001
• Australian National University (Aus), 2000
• University of Melbourne (Aus), 2000 & 2005
• Deakin University (Aus), 2001
• NZ Ministry of Health (NZ), 1999
• Australian National University (Aus), 1999
• Law and Economics Association of NZ, Wellington (NZ), 1998

Conference Presentations

· International Health Economics Association Meeting, Barcelona, 2005

· Australian Health Economics Conference, Auckland 2005

· Australian Economic Theory Workshop, Melbourne, 2003

· Summer Workshop in IO, Auckland, 2004

· New Zealand Econometric Study Group, Auckland, 2004

· Australasian Meetings of the Econometrics Society, Brisbane, 2002

· Australian Economic Theory Workshop, Sydney, 2001

· International Health Economics Association Meeting, York, 2001

· Australasian Meetings of the Econometrics Society, Auckland, 2001

· Australasian Meetings of the Econometrics Society, Sydney, 1999

· NZ Association of Economists’ Conference, Wellington, 1998

· Australian PhD Conference in Business and Economics, UWA, 1997

Refereeing for Academic Journals and Publications

Agenda

Australian Economic Review

Berkeley Electronic Press

Economic Record

European Economic Review

Health Economics

Health Services Research

International Journal of Industrial Organisation

Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization

Journal of Economics, Management and Strategy

Journal of Health Economics

Journal of Health Services Research and Policy

Journal of Population Economics

National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia), Grant Applications

Social Science Medicine

Research Funding and Grants

• “Predictive Risk Modelling in Health: Some Options for New Zealand”, Auckland University Staff Fund and Business School Faculty Fund, $33,600 (2008 - 2010)
• “Child Labour” Auckland University Staff Fund and Business School Faculty Fund, $16,000 (2006). Joint with Tatyana Chesnokova.
• “Economic Design Network” ARC Network Grant AU$1,500,000 (2004-09). Joint with Matthew Ryan (Auckland). Part of an Australasian Consortium.
• “Income Inequality and Housing” MOTU grant $8,000 (2003). Joint with Sholeh Maani
• “Private Health Insurance in Canada” Health Canada grant C$370,849 (2003/4). Part of an Australian/Canadian collaboration.

Collaborations / Translational Research Activities / Consulting (2008-09)

Nuffield Trust, UK

St Johns

· Memorandum of Understanding between Uniservices and St Johns to support them in developing the first ever Virtual Ward in New Zealand.

Waitemata District Health Board

· Produce a prototype of a predictive risk model for them

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Department/ Faculty Administration

Departmental

• Recruitment Committee, Chair (2008)
• Recruitment Committee, Member (2007)
• Departmental Research Workshop Coordinator (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007)
• Seminar Program Coordinator (ANU, 2001-2002; Auckland, 2005)
• Postgraduate Committee
• Post-graduate Student Workshop Coordinator (2003)

Faculty

• EEO Committee (2006-2007)
• Recruitment Committee, School of Public Health, ANU (2001)

Elected and Appointed Positions

Chair of Committee

• Conference Committee, AHES Annual Conference, Auckland: 2005. (Appointed by AHES Board)

Membership of Boards and Councils

· Health Research Council Strategic Advisory Panel: 2009-. (Appointed by HRC)

· ARC Economic Design Network: 2005, 2007. (Nominated by Auckland’s EDN members)

· Australian Health Economics Society (AHES): 2004-06. (Elected by AHES members)

· Medical Specialities Advisory Committee, Australian Medical Council: 2001-2002. (Appointed by the Australian Department of Health and Ageing)

Conference and Workshop Organisation

Principal Organiser

• Workshop on Predictive Risk Modelling in New Zealand, Auckland, 2009.
• Workshop on Regulating Private Health Insurance: Priorities for Australia and Lessons from Abroad, ANU: 2002.

Co-Organiser

• Setting the Agenda: NZ 2020. Auckland, 2009. (Co-organiser with Associate Professor Mike Mintrom, Department of Politics)
• 23^rd Australasian Economic Theory Workshop, Auckland, 2005. (Co-organiser)
• Workshop on Game Theory and Social Choice, Auckland, 2004. (Co-organiser)
• 20^th Australian Economic Theory Workshop, Australian National University, 2002. (Co-organiser)

Informal and formal advisory roles and ongoing critical input (2008-09)

• Waitemata District Health Board
• Auckland District Health Board
• UK Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit, London
• Ministry of Health
• St Johns’ Ambulance Service
• New Zealand Labour Party
• AUSA

Conference Discussant and Session Chair Activity (selected)

• Australian Economic Theory Workshop: 2001 (UTS), 2002 (ANU), 2004 (Melbourne)
• New Zealand Economic Association Conference, Auckland, 2003.
• Summer Workshop in IO (SWIO), Auckland: 2003 and 2004.
• International Health Economics Association Conference, Barcelona, 2005.
• Australian Health Economics Association Conference: 2004 (Melbourne), 2005 (Auckland).

Media and Community Activities (2008-09)

Media (2008-09)

• Research on Demeny Voting (with Professor Reiko Aoki, Hitotsubashi University, Japan).

Media coverage in July, 2009: editorial in the New Zealand Herald; op-ed by Finlay McDonald in the Sunday Star Times; and the subject of talk-back by Leighton Smith (1ZB radio). I was interviewed on Breakfast TV (TVNZ), TV3 Midday News, Radio NZ (Jim Mora), BFM (On the Wire), and Drive Time 1ZB.

• Policy analysis on Auckland’s Super City proposal.

Widely cited/quoted in the media, including lead article in The Independent (major business weekly), Manukau Courier, Central Leader and North Shore Times. Used extensively by City Councils for submissions to Select Committee.

• Policy analysis on the Waterview Tunnel proposal: Cited in the New Zealand Herald and Central Leader.

• Letters to the Editor on drug advertising published in the New York Times

• Previous years : interviews on my other research include: TVNZ, TV3, Radio New Zealand, ABC Radio, Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial Review, Prime Network News, Asia Down Under, TVNZ, Pharmacy Today. Letters to the editor published in, Sunday Star Times (letter of the week), The Listener (letter of the week), and Radio NZ (email).

Public Lectures/ Debates (2008-09)

• “Tertiary Funding and the 2009 Budget”. Speech to NZUSA Annual Conference, Auckland, 2009.
• “My Harkness Experience”. Speech to Wellington School of Medicine, Wellington, 2009.
• “My Harkness Experience”. Speech to Otago School of Medicine, Christchurch, 2009.
• “My Harkness Experience”. Speech to Auckland School of Medicine, Auckland, 2009.
• “Female Quotas on Corporate Boards”. Invitational Debate organised by Auckland University Debating Society, 2009.
• “Workers and the Recession”. Speech to Industries Branch of the NZLP, 2009.
• “Locally Left”. Panel Debates organised by Grey Lynn Branch of the NZ Labour Party, 2009.
• “Health Care Funding”. Panel Debate, NZ Public Health Association, Auckland, 2008.
• “Health Care Rationing”. After-dinner Speech to Clinician Leadership Training Programme of the NHS, London, 2008.

TEACHING

ECON 101 – Microeconomics (2003-2006, 2007) [coordinator, 2007]

(Most Recent Evaluations based on % responding Agree / Strongly Agree to “Overall an Effective Lecturer” : 74%)

ECON 361 – Public Economics (2003-2006, 2008)

(Most Recent Evaluations based on % responding Agree / Strongly Agree to “Overall an Effective Lecturer” : 97%)

ECON 761 – Public Economics (2003-2007) [coordinator]

(Most Recent Evaluations based on % responding Agree / Strongly Agree to “Overall an Effective Lecturer” : 100%)

ECON 763 – Public Economics and Policy (2006, 2008)

(Most Recent Evaluations based on % responding Agree / Strongly Agree to “Overall an Effective Lecturer” : 100%)

SOCSCI 200** – Social Science for Public Health (2003-2005) [1 week]

SOCSCI 300** - Social Science for Public Health (2003-2006) [1 week]

HEALTH SYSII** – Health Systems (2004-2006) [1 week]

Australian School of Government Executive Programme** (2004) [1 week]

** Extra teaching additional to my usual course load and which I undertake on a voluntary basis.

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[1] All economic publications order authors alphabetically. Medical journals order according to contribution.