Bruce L. Jacobs, MD, MPH, is an Assistant Professor of Urology. He received a medical degree from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and earned a master’s degree in public health from the University of Michigan. Dr. Jacobs completed residencies in general surgery and urology at the University of Pittsburgh, and fellowships in health services research, laparoscopy/endourology, and urologic oncology at the University of Michigan. His research interests focus on improving the access, delivery, and quality of urologic cancer care. He has a particular interest in the adoption of new technologies and its implications for clinical outcomes and health policy. He recently examined the adoption of stereotactic body radiation treatment (SBRT) for prostate cancer and empirically developed prostate cancer anchored physician-hospital networks using SEER-Medicare data.
Education & Training
- BA (Economics), Amherst College, 1997
- Postbaccalaureate Program (Pre-med), Columbia University, 1999
- MD, Vanderbilt University, 2004
- Intern & Resident (General Surgery), University of Pittsburgh, 2006
- Resident (Urology), University of Pittsburgh, 2010
- MPH, (Epidemiology), University of Michigan, 2011
- Fellow (Health Services Research), University of Michigan, 2013
- Fellow (Laparoscopy/Endourology), University of Michigan, 2013
- Fellow (Urologic Oncology), University of Michigan, 2013
Representative Publications
Jacobs BL, Lai JC, Seelam R, Hanley JM, Wolf JS Jr, Hollenbeck BK, Hollingsworth JM, Dick AW, Setodji CM, Saigal CS. The comparative effectiveness of treatments for ureteropelvic junction obstruction. Urology. 2018;111:72-77.
This study assessed the comparative failure rates of the 3 primary treatments for ureteropelvic junction obstruction (open pyeloplasty, minimally invasive pyeloplasty, and endopyelotomy) and found that endopyelotomy has the highest failure rate, yet it remains a common treatment for ureteropelvic junction obstruction.
Jacobs BL, Yabes JG, Lopa SH, Heron DE, Chang CH, Schroeck FR, Bekelman JE, Kahn JM, Nelson JB, Barnato AE. The early adoption of intensity-modulated radiotherapy and stereotactic body radiation treatment among older Medicare beneficiaries with prostate cancer. Cancer. 2017;123(15):2945-2954.
Comparing 2 radiotherapies for prostate cancer treatments, this study found that the early adoption rate for intensity-modulated radiotherapy was higher and men who received it were older, had higher grade tumors, and lived in more populated areas. Men who received stereotactic body radiation therapy were more likely to be white, had lower grade tumors, lived in more populated areas, and were more likely to live in the Northeast
Jacobs BL, He C, Li BY, Helfand A, Krishnan N, Borza T, Ghaferi AA, Hollenbeck BK, Helm JE, Lavieri MS, Skolarus TA. Variation in readmission expenditures after high-risk surgery. The Journal of Surgical Research. 2017;213:60-68.
A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing major chest and major abdominal surgery found discharge to a skilled nursing facility was associated with higher readmission costs; for chest surgery patients, comorbidities, length of stay, and receipt of blood or imaging was associated with higher readmission costs.
Jacobs BL, Lai JC, Seelam R, Hanley JM, Wolf JS Jr, Hollenbeck BK, Hollingsworth JM, Dick AW, Setodji CM, Saigal CS. Variation in the use of open pyeloplasty, minimally invasive pyeloplasty, and endopyelotomy for the treatment of ureteropelvic junction obstruction in adults. Journal of Endourology. 2017;31(2):210-215.
Rates of minimally invasive pyeloplasty increased 10-fold, while rates of open pyeloplasty decreased by over 40%, and rates of endopyelotomy were relatively stable.
Click here for a more complete bibliography of Dr. Jacobs’ works.
Research Interests
- Urologic oncology
- Quality of care
- Hospital readmission
- Technology adoption