Antonije Lazic, PhD, MHA, is ACHI’s director of research. He leads ACHI’s efforts to develop evidence-based research that informs decision-makers on key health issues impacting the state.
Lazic’s research at ACHI has included identifying disparities in cesarean section rates, identifying risk factors associated with severe maternal morbidity, using machine learning to predict obesity based on adolescent weight status, and using generalized linear models to calculate the cost of obesity in adulthood based on adolescent weight status. His research has appeared in The American Journal of Medicine, Preventive Medicine Reports, and the Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment, among other publications.
In 2023, Lazic was named the inaugural recipient of the G. Richard Smith, MD, ACHI Fellowship in Health Services and Policy Research, and he has continued to serve on the center’s research team since completing his fellowship. He previously worked as a health data analyst with TEKsystems, where he supported the Arkansas Department of Health’s efforts to enhance utilization of the Arkansas All-Payer Claims Database and other internal data assets.
After completing his undergraduate degree at the University of Central Arkansas, Lazic earned his master’s in health administration and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in health systems and service research from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.