Mr. Knutson is Director of Health Systems Studies at the Park Nicollet Institute for Research and Education in Minneapolis. Mr. Knutson directs research on health policy, health economics, and managed care. He also holds adjunct faculty appointments at the University of Minnesota.

Before entering the field of research, he spent many years in health care administration. Most recently he held the positions of director of research and development and senior director of provider network management for MedCenters Health Plan, a Twin Cities HMO, and for Aetna Health Plans. His responsibilities included new HMO development, provider contracting, and product management

His current research focuses on developing and evaluating risk-based payment methods, on measuring and using information on health plan quality for purchasing, and on the cost-effectiveness of clinical care.

Mr. Knutson has published a number of scientific and policy-related articles and co-authored a recently published book on management of chronic illness