Remembering Meredith Kilgore

November 14, 2018

Alum Meredith Lamar Kilgore (cohort '98) passed away on October 17. He had a long career in health care and health care policy and was most recently the chair of the Department of Health Care Organization and Policy and director of the Program in Outcomes Research in the School of Public Health at the University of Alabama, Birmingham.

Kilgore entered the health care field as an aide while living in Hawaii, following a stint as a jazz pianist. After completing his nursing degree and certification in pediatric cardiovascular intensive care, he worked as a registered nurse at Kaiser Permanente in Honolulu and at the University of Alabama Hospital. Kilgore’s passion for learning had a strong pull, leading him back to school for a degree in political science with a minor in Japanese. His interest in health economics led him to pursue a master’s degree at the University of Alabama, and then a Ph.D. in policy analysis at Pardee RAND, which he completed in 2004.

At RAND, Kilgore contributed to studies on the costs of cancer research and treatment, as well as methods to facilitate sample selection and participation in clinical trials.

Returning to the University of Alabama as a professor in the School of Public Health, Kilgore taught courses on the implications of medical decisionmaking and treatment options for patients’ quality of life. He was also affiliated with several medical research centers and co-directed the University of Alabama’s Lister Hill Center for Health Policy and Center for Outcomes and Effectiveness Research and Education.

A celebration of life was held on November 8 at East Lake United Methodist Church in Birmingham. Memorial contributions may be made to P.E.E.R., Inc., a nonprofit organization associated with East Lake United Methodist Church that oversees the local farmers’ market and community health initiatives. ​​​​​​