Dr. Piette is a Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan and a senior research associate at the Ann Arbor VA Center for Practice Management and Outcomes Research. He has conducted a number of multi-site diabetes randomized trials focusing on the use of interactive health technology to support ongoing monitoring and patient education. Dr. Piette is one of the primary points of contact for MDRTC members developing and conducting health systems research projects. He is especially knowledgeable with regard to studies focusing on access to care, self-care behavior, comorbidities (e.g., depression), and the impact of changes in care management or primary care practice.

Piette's research focuses on improving illness self-management among patients with chronic illness, with a particular interest in how the information patients report during automated assessments can be used to improve patient outcomes and identify those who are at high risk.

Piette has numerous publications on improving illness self-management with an emphasis on diabetes care. He has been the deputy editor of Medical Care, and is a member of both the Diabetes Care and Journal of Chronic Illness editorial boards.

Piette is also a visiting professor of medicine and nursing at Pontifica Universidad Católica, Santiago de Chile, and advises the Chilean Ministry of Health on new models for telephone care management of chronic diseases.