Howard R. Weeks

Howard R. Weeks, MD, MBA

Languages spoken: English

Academic Information

Departments Adjunct - Psychiatry , Adjunct - Anesthesiology

Divisions: Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Academic Office Information

howard.weeks@hsc.utah.edu

Board Certification

  • American Board of Pediatrics (Pediatrics)
  • American Board of Preventive Medicine (Clinical Informatics)

Research Interests

  • Electroconvulsive Therapy
  • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
  • Neurocognitive Effects of ECT
  • Medical Diagnosis and Prognosis Using Biomarkers
  • Health Care Quality and Patient Safety

Howard Weeks, MD, MBA, Adjunct Professor, graduated from the "Triple Board" Program here at the University of Utah. He is trained in child & adolescent psychiatry, adult psychiatry and pediatrics as well as clinical informatics.

As clinical track faculty from 2002 until 2021, he was active in many of the clinical services at the former University Neuropsychiatric Institute, now Huntsman Mental Health Institute, including Medical Director of Youth Services and the Division Chief of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, the Assistant Medical Director of ECT/TMS Services and the Medical Director of the Comprehensive Assessment and Treatment Program. He served as the Chief Medical Director at University of Utah Health Plans and was former Associate Chief and Interim Chief Medical Information Officer for University Health. As Associate Chief Medical Information Officer, he focused on improvement in clinical documentation thru the Epic EMR.

He is active in the community and served as the President of the Utah Psychiatric Association. He has been honored with the designation of “Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association” by his colleagues. He is the current President Elect of the Utah Medical Association. Dr. Weeks has a strong interest in educating medical students, residents and attendings about personal finances and the impact that has on career choices. He actively lectures to a variety of groups on these topics.

Education History

Graduate Training Haslam College of Business, University of Tennessee Knoxville
 MBA
University of Utah
 Graduate Certificate
Other Training Harvard Business School
University of Utah, David Eccles School of Business
Chief Resident University of Utah School of Medicine
 Chief Resident
University of Utah School of Medicine
 Resident
Research Fellow Centers for Disease Control
 Research Fellow
Duke University
 MD
Internship Centers for Disease Control
 Research Intern
North Carolina State
 BS

Selected Publications

Journal Article

  1. Pierson MD, Mickey BJ, Gilley LB, Weeks HR III (2021). Outcomes of Youth Treated With Electroconvulsive Therapy: A Retrospective Cohort Study. J Clin Psychiatry, 82(2). (Read full article)
  2. Mickey BJ, White AT, Arp AM, Leonardi K, Torres MM, Larson AL, Odell DH, Whittingham SA, Beck MM, Jessop JE, Sakata DJ, Bushnell LA, Pierson MD, Solzbacher D, Kendrick EJ, Weeks HR 3rd, Light AR, Light KC, Tadler SC (2018). Propofol for Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Pilot Study. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol, 21(12), 1079-1089. (Read full article)
  3. Biber J, Ose D, Reese J, Gardiner A, Facelli J, Sphul J, Brodke D, Lee V, Hess R, Weeks H (2018). Patient Reported Outcomes - Experiences with Implementation in a University Health Care Setting. J Patient Rep Outcomes, Aug(2), 34.
  4. Frech TM, Hess R, Biber J, Young J, Hardman A, Weeks H, Peterson KA, Scholand MB (2018). Can Routine Use of Patient-Reported Outcomes Help Guide Systemic Sclerosis Chronic Disease Care?LID - 10.1097/RHU.0000000000000715 [doi]. J Clin Rheumatol, 24(5), 272-274. (Read full article)
  5. Kukhareva P, Staes C, Noonan KW, Mueller HL, Warner P, Shields DE, Weeks H, Kawamoto K (2017). Single-reviewer electronic phenotyping validation in operational settings: Comparison of strategies and recommendations. J Biomed Inform, 66, 1-10. (Read full article)
  6. Lopez-Larson MP, Shah LM, Weeks HR, King JB, Mallik AK, Yurgelun-Todd DA, Anderson JS (2016). Abnormal Functional Connectivity Between Default and Salience Networks in Pediatric Bipolar Disorder. Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging, 2(1), 85-93. (Read full article)
  7. Unni P, Staes C, Weeks H, Kramer H, Borbolla D, Slager S, Taft T, Chidambaram V, Weir C (2016). Why aren't they happy? An analysis of end-user satisfaction with Electronic health records. AMIA Annu Symp Proc, 2016, 2026-2035. (Read full article)
  8. Weeks HR (2015). Where Is the "Top of License" for the Psychiatrist? J ECT, 31(4), 209-10. (Read full article)
  9. Iacob E, Tadler SC, Light KC, Weeks HR, Smith KW, White AT, Hughen RW, VanHaitsma TA, Bushnell LA, Light AR (2014). Leukocyte Gene Expression in Patients with Medication Refractory Depression before and after Treatment with ECT or Isoflurane Anesthesia: A Pilot Study. Depress Res Treat, 2014, 582380. (Read full article)
  10. Wachtel LE, Dhossche DM, Fink M, Jaffe R, Kellner CH, Weeks H, Shorter E (2013). ECT for developmental disability and severe mental illness. Am J Psychiatry, 170(12), 1498-9. (Read full article)
  11. Iacob E, Light KC, Tadler SC, Weeks HR, White AT, Hughen RW, Vanhaitsma TA, Bushnell L, Light AR (2013). Dysregulation of leukocyte gene expression in women with medication-refractory depression versus healthy non-depressed controls. BMC Psychiatry, 13, 273. (Read full article)
  12. Weeks HR 3rd, Tadler SC, Smith KW, Iacob E, Saccoman M, White AT, Landvatter JD, Chelune GJ, Suchy Y, Clark E, Cahalan MK, Bushnell L, Sakata D, Light AR, Light KC (2013). Antidepressant and neurocognitive effects of isoflurane anesthesia versus electroconvulsive therapy in refractory depression. PLoS One, 8(7), e69809. (Read full article)
  13. Murrill CS, Weeks H, Castrucci BC, Weinstock HS, Bell BP, Spruill C, Gwinn M (2002). Age-specific seroprevalence of HIV, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus infection among injection drug users admitted to drug treatment in 6 US cities. Am J Public Health, 92(3), 385-7. (Read full article)
  14. Murrill CS, Kuncl KA, Weeks HR, Whyte BM, Petersen LR, Janssen RS (1992). HIV seroprevalence in hospital patients in rural Georgia. South Med J, 85(10), 969-71. (Read full article)

Case Report

  1. Kalani MY, Weeks H, Carlson E, Couldwell WT (Sept 2017). Intraparenchymal hemorrhage after electroconvulsive therapy. Interdiscip Neurosurg, 9(9), 89-91.

Abstract

  1. L McMurtrey, BSN, RN, D Knitz, ACNP-C, C Webb, PA-C, K Barger, MSW, H Weeks, MD, A Cochran, MD, FACS (2018). Implementation of Patient Reported Outcomes in a Burn Outpatient Clinic [Abstract]. American Burn Association, 50th Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois, April 10-13, 2018.　.
  2. Biber J, Gale C, Thackeray A, Cozart H, Weeks H, Hess R (2018). Measuring Physical Ability and Functional Status through Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs) [Abstract]. Society of Medical Decision Making 17th Biennial European Conference, Leiden, NE.
  3. Biber, J, Hess, R, Weeks H, Reese, J (Oct 2017). Comparing automated mental health screeing to manual prcesses in a health care system [Abstract]. Quality of Life Research, 26(1), 28.
  4. Biber J, Hess R, Weeks H (Oct 2017). Reviewing mental health in oncology: Measuring Mental Health Risks in Oncology through Patient Reported Outcomes [Abstract]. Quality of LIfe Research, 26(1), 27.
  5. Biber J, Hess R, Weeks H, Reese J (Oct 2017). Comparing Mental Health to Physical Functioning [Abstract]. Quality of Life Research, 26(1), 109.
  6. Weeks HR, Hess R, Biber J, Reese J (Oct 2017). Maternal mental health and Patient Reported Outcomes: Identifying at risk pregnant and postpartnum patients [Abstract]. Quality of Life Research, 26(1), 122.
  7. Biber J, Hess R, Weeks H (Oct 2017). Measuring Mental Health Risks in Oncology through Patient Reported Outcomes. [Abstract]. Society of Medical Decision Making 39th Annual North American Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA, 2017.
  8. Tadler SC, White A, Arp A, Torres MM, Weeks H, Anderson C, Beck M, Bushnell L, Cahalan M, Hensley LG, Jessop J, Kendrick J, Larson A, Odell D, Pace N, Pierson M, Sakata D, Smith K, Whittingham S, Light K, Light A, Mickey BJ (April 2017). Antidepressant Effects of Propofol-Induced Burst Suppression [Abstract]. Theodore H. Stanley Research Symposium - University of Utah Department of Anesthesiology.
  9. Mooney K, Biber J, Hess R, Weeks H, Sweetenham J (March 2017). Implementing Routine Assessment of Patient Reported Outcomes in Cancer Care Background [Abstract]. American Society of Clinical Oncology Quality Care Symposium, Orlando, FL, USA, 2017.
  10. Biber J, Hess R, Weeks H, Reese J (March 2017). Implementing Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs) for Mental Health Screening throughout a Healthcare System [Abstract]. 12th Annual Health Services Research Conference, Salt Lake City, UT, Mar 2017.
  11. Biber J, Hess R, Weeks H, Reese J (Oct 2016). Implementing Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs) Throughout a Healthcare System. [Abstract]. International Society for Quality of Life Research Annual Meeting, Copenhagen, Denmark,.
  12. Weeks H, Biber J, Hess R (October 2016). Reviewing Mental Health In Oncology Patients [Abstract]. International Society for Quality of Life Research Annual Meeting, Copenhagen, Denmark,.
  13. Biber J, Hess R, Weeks H, Reese J (Sept 2016). Implementing Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs) Throughout a Healthcare System. [Abstract]. Healthcare Analytics Summit, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
  14. Biber J, Hess R, Weeks H, Reese J (June 2016). Implementing Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs) Throughout a Healthcare System [Abstract]. HealthMeasures Inaugural User Workshop, Chicago IL, USA.
  15. SC Tadler, HR Weeks, KW Smith, L Bushnell, E Iacob, AR Light, MK Cahalan, KC Light (10/16/2012). Antidepressant and neurocognitive effects of isoflurane versus ECT in medication resistant patients [Abstract]. Society of Neuroscience 2012.
  16. Weeks, Smith, Tadler, Iacobs, Saccoman, Bushnell, Light (05/16/2012). Effectiveness and Cognitiave Side Effects of Isoflurane Relative to Electroconvulsive Therapy in the Treatment of Severe Depression [Abstract]. Journal of ECT, 28(2), 144-150.
  17. Weeks, Smith, Bushnell (05/16/2012). Safety of Electroconvulsive Therapy in a Large Academic Practice over 12 years [Abstract]. Journal of ECT, 28(2), 144-150.
  18. Wilson, Tingey, Marchant, Smith, Bushnell, Weeks (05/16/2012). Comparision of aminophylline and caffeine augmentation in electroconvulsive therapy [Abstract]. Journal of ECT, 28(2), 144-150.
  19. Beresford, Weeks, Smith, Bushnell, Pace (5/17/2011). Risk Factors for the Number of ECT Treatments [Abstract]. 2011 American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting Program.
  20. Howard Weeks, Mikala Saccoman, et al (05/17/2011). An Investigation of the Effectiveness and Cognitive Side Effects of Bifrontal ECT [Abstract]. 2011 American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting Program.
  21. Tadler, Scott, Weeks, Howard (2011). "Isoflurane Treatment of Depression". [Abstract]. 2011 American Society of Anesthesiologists Annual Meeting Program, A002.
  22. E IACOB, S C TADLER, A R LIGHT, H R WEEKS, R W HUGHEN, K W SMITH, A T WHITE, L BUSHNELL, K C LIGHT (2011). Gene expression biomarkers for Major Depressive Disorder before and after ECT treatment [Abstract]. Neurosciences Meeting Planner, JJ17(10), 369.
  23. Laura Gilley-Hensley, MD, Lowry, A Bushnell, MD, Kelly, W Smith, MD, Howard R Weeks, MD (10/26/2010). The Use of Electroconvulsive Therapy in Children and Adolescents at a Large Academic Center [Abstract]. 2010 American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Annual Program.
  24. Olsen J, Weeks H, Bushnell L, Smith K (2010). Incidence of Headache, Nausea and Myalgia after ECT in Adolescents and Adults: Relation to Treatment Number and Patient Age [Abstract]. 2010 American Psychiatric Association Annual Program.

Newspaper

  1. Weeks H (6/30/2018). Op-Ed: More to do in Utah's mental health crisis. Deseret News.
  2. Jennifer Graham (2/16/2017). Why depression recovery rarely happens with a single solution. Deseret News.

Other

  1. OMelia A, Ashworth J, Weeks H, Baese P (2004). SSRI Use for the Treatment of Depression in the Pediatric Population. The Town/Gown Connection (2).