Dr. Willis’s research uses analytical and spatial epidemiology to examine healthcare outcomes and disparities in neurological disease populations and to develop evidence‐based best clinical practices for neurodegenerative diseases. Her current projects examine how comorbid disease burden impacts treatment disparities and outcomes in Parkinson’s Disease, the spatial variation in medical care and medical-care quality and its impact on outcome, true versus theoretical medical care access for neurological disease, and transitions in care for vulnerable neurological disease populations. She has collaborative interests in pharmacoepidemiology in neurological disease, medical-device utilization in neurological disease populations, and comparative health services research using her nationwide, 10‐year Medicare dataset.

Previously she was an assistant professor of neurology at Washington University. She completed her residency in neurology, then a clinical fellowship in movement disorders and KL2 scholar training in spatial epidemiology and health-services research methods at the Washington University School of Medicine.