Biography

Dr. Richard Leuchter is a physician-scientist whose research applies machine learning and behavioral science to fundamentally redesign healthcare delivery and population management. After completing an NIH research training year in applied mathematics and machine learning, along with formal certification in medical informatics, he joined the UCLA faculty in 2022. His work bridges computational medicine and implementation science by developing predictive models and deploying them in real clinical environments to drive measurable change in ambulatory and hospital-based care. Dr. Leuchter serves as Co-Director of the UCLA Nudge Unit, applying persuasion science and EHR-integrated interventions to optimize patient messaging, preventive care, and acute care delivery. He is also the Assistant Director of UCLA Healthcare Value Analytics and Solutions, where he leads the implementation of algorithmic tools to identify high-need patients and design personalized interventions to improve care quality and health outcomes. By combining AI's ability to identify vulnerable populations with science-backed communication strategies, his interventions empower clinicians to achieve better quality metrics. He practices as a hospitalist at UCLA Health, the West Los Angeles VA, and Olive View-UCLA Medical Center.

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