Deborah Moreno, M.P.A., R.N., Ph.D.
Senior Research Associate

Dr. Deborah Moreno has over 20 years of experience in the health care industry. Prior to joining Optimal, Dr. Moreno most recently served as program manager for the Charge Master Billing Solution Business Case Analysis/Economic Analysis for the Department of Defense, Military Health System. She was the work stream lead for the Detention and Removal Operations Modernization project. In this capacity, Dr. Moreno also identified and reported key metrics on national tracking of illegal aliens for capacity and logistical planning for the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 

As an Assistant Professor at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dr. Moreno coordinated and conducted health care policy and program research including the ND Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program, ND S-CHIP, Emergency Medical Services, Native American Aging, UND Center for Health Promotion and Translation Research, and Health Professional Shortage Designations. In her role as the ND State Critical Access Hospital program coordinator, Dr. Moreno collaborated with CMS (formerly HCFA), financial intermediaries and the ND Hospital Association in resolving hospital conversions and coding issues. Dr. Moreno is experienced in creating reports for federal and state legislators and disseminating findings to federal and state agency executives. As a Registered Nurse, Dr. Moreno acted as the director of an emergency care facility; participated as a member of the Inova Health System and Riverview Healthcare System quality improvement team on quality improvement initiatives and reviews. Serving as a consultant to several legal firms, Dr. Moreno reviewed medical records for compliance and collaborated with appropriate expert witnesses.  While employed by Polk County Public Health (MN), Dr. Moreno coordinated the Child and Teen Check-up Program (formerly EPSDT); worked with the interagency group for families of special needs children and the child abuse task force. Dr. Moreno served as the regional health coordinator for the Full Year Head Start Program and Migrant Head Start.

Dr. Moreno has a Ph.D. in Research Methodologies and an M.P.A. in Public Policy from the University of North Dakota.