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Heather Thiesset

Faculty Member

Dr. Heather Thiesset

Biography

Dr. Heather Thiesset is an Assistant Professor of Healthcare Administration within the Department of Health Sciences at Utah Valley University.
Dr. Thiesset received her undergraduate and master’s degree from Brigham Young University in Public Health and her PhD in Public Health from the University of Utah. Her dissertation was on physician prescribing practices and the effects of patients with opioid use disorder (OUD).
She spent twelve years of her career within the Department of Surgery at the University of Utah conducting health services research and clinical trials as the Associate Director of Research and Science. She also specialized in healthcare administration leading the Division of Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery for seven years.
Dr. Thiesset serves on the board of the American College of Healthcare Executives Utah Chapter as the Education Chair.
Dr. Thiesset’s research focus is in pain management and the opioid epidemic as well as in healthcare cost, quality, and access.

Education

PhD, University of Utah, 2019

Major: Public Health

MPH, Brigham Young University, 2008

Major: Public Health

BS, Brigham Young University, 2007

Major: Public Health

Teaching

ESMG 481R

Emergency Services Internship, Spring 2025

ESMG 481R

Emergency Services Internship, Spring 2025

ESMG 481R

Emergency Services Internship, Spring 2025

HLSC 480R

Healthcare Administration Internship, Spring 2025

HLSC 4840

Healthcare Law, Spring 2025

HLSC 3050

Healthcare Quality and Safety, Spring 2025

HLSC 4560

Introduction to Healthcare Systems, Spring 2025

HLSC 4560

Introduction to Healthcare Systems, Spring 2025

Presentations

Thiesset, Heather , NAEMSP 2025 Annual Meeting, "Analyzing the Link Between Air Quality and Respiratory Issues_ A Retrospective Study of EMS Records, Air Quality, and Socioeconomic Factors ", National Association of Emergency Services Personnel, San Diego, CA. (January, 2025)
Thiesset, Heather , Roots of Knowledge Speaker Series, "Not all pain is bad...it just needs to be managed.", Utah Valley University, Orem. (December 5, 2024)
Thiesset, Heather (Co-Author), International Scientific Symposium at EMS World EXPO, "Analyzing the Link Between Air Quality and Respiratory Issues_ A Retrospective Study of EMS Records, Air Quality, and Socioeconomic Factors", EMS World Expo, Las Vegas, NV. (September 12, 2024)
Anderson, Morgan (Co-Author), Thiesset, Heather (Co-Author), National Association of State EMS Officials Annual Conference, "URBAN AIR QUALITY IN UTAH_ CORRELATIONS WITH EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE RESPONSE UTILIZATION", National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO), Philadelphia. (May, 2024)
Thiesset, Heather (Co-Presenter), Barber, Melinda (Co-Presenter), Larsen, Merilee (Co-Presenter), Utah Public Health Association Annual Conference, "The Implications of a Lack of Health Insurance Literacy in College-Age Students", Utah Public Health Association, Utah Valley University. (April 11, 2024)
Kraft, Derek (Co-Author), Stoneman, Ainsley (Co-Author), Meyer, John (Co-Author), Thiesset, Heather (Co-Author), Anderson, Morgan (Co-Author), Robertson, William (Co-Author), Utah EMS Research Symposium, "A breath of not so fresh air", Weinmann and UVU, UVU Lehi. (February 10, 2024)

Scholarly/Creative Works

McCarthy, Kevin , McAdams, Thomas , Pritzker, Abraham , Sparks, Luke , Kaur, Parneet , Thiesset, Heather , "Trauma as a distracting factor in post-crash care_ disparities in blood glucose assessment. " .
Thiesset, Heather , Kraft, Derek , Stoneman, Ainsley , Robertson, William , Meyer, John , Anderson, Morgan , (2025) "Analyzing the Link Between Air Quality and Respiratory Issues_ A National Retrospective Study of EMS Records, Air Quality, and Socioeconomic Factors" . Journal of Paramedic Practice.
Thiesset, Heather , "Perceptions of access to mental health resources, depression, and ACES/PECs in college students post-pandemic" .
Thiesset, Heather F, Rushton, Ryan , Barber, Melinda , Lutz, Stephanie , Parker, Emmalie , Larsen, Merilee , "Exploring the Implications of Health Insurance Literacy and Healthcare Utilization in Higher Education" . Journal of Health Administration Education.
Cunningham, Ruthann , Bhattacharjee, Debanjan , McGinn, Gannon , Thiesset, Heather , (2024) "Trends in Medicare Part B Pharmaceutical Pricing" . USA: Journal of Health Administration Education.
Thiesset, Heather , Cunningham, Ruthann , Glenn, Jeffrey , (2024) "Patient Perceptions of Opioid Use Disorder, Drug and Alcohol Dependence" (Issue: 5, vol. 20). Journal of Opioid Management.

Awards

Wolverine Sighting

UVU - November 12, 2024

Wolverine sighting from my department chair Merilee Larsen for my research mentoring efforts.

CHPS Dean’s Engagement Excellence Award

UVU College of Health and Public Service - March 5, 2024

Selected from and nominated by colleagues across the college, this award recognizes my efforts in engaged and active learning for students.

Associate Fellow of Higher Education Academy

Higher Education Academy - June, 2022

I went through an application process showing the materials that I had developed to improve my courses and strengthen my instructor profile. They were accepted and I was awarded an Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.