Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Clinical Implementation Of Tissue-Sparing Posterior Cervical Fusion: Addressing Market Access Challenges, Morgan Lorio, Pierce Nunley, Joshua Heller, Bruce Mccormack, Kai-Uwe Lewandrowski, Jon Block

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

Background: The traditional open midline posterior cervical spine fusion procedure has several shortcomings. It can cause soft tissue damage, muscle atrophy, compromise of the lateral masses and painful prominent posterior cervical instrumentation or spinous process if there is dehiscence of the fascia. Additionally, patients frequently experience the rapid development of adjacent segment disease, which can result in the reemergence of debilitating pain and functional impairment. Clinical relevance: Tissue-sparing posterior cervical fusion is an alternative method for treating patients with symptomatic cervical degenerative disc disease. However, widespread clinical adoption has been challenged by ambiguity, misunderstandings and misinterpretations regarding appropriate procedural reimbursement …

A Word From The Writing Team (August 2024), Pam Walter, Mfa

A Word From the Writing Team (Newsletter)

This issue includes:

• Publication Spotlight
• Come to the Book Launch Party on August 8th at William Way
• Join Us for Summer Writing Time
• For FY24-25, the Open Access Publishing Fund process is changing
• Jefferson has funding agreements with specific publishers
• The OPWPC Canvas Page offers helpful tools

A Word From The Writing Team (July 2024), Pam Walter, Mfa

A Word From the Writing Team (Newsletter)

This issue includes:

• Publication Spotlight
• Join Us for Summer Writing Time
• For FY24-25, the Open Access Publishing Fund Process is Changing
• Jefferson has Funding Agreements with Specific Publishers
• The OPWPC Canvas Page Offers Helpful Tools
• Scott Memorial Library Archive Renovations are Done!

Frontline Nursing Staff’S Perceptions Of Intravenous Medication Administration: The First Step Toward Safer Infusion Processes-A Qualitative Study, Masashi Uramatsu, Naoko Kimura, Takako Kojima, Yoshikazu Fujisawa, Tomoko Oto, Paul Barach

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVES: Intravenous medication errors continue to significantly impact patient safety and outcomes. This study sought to clarify the complexity and risks of the intravenous administration process.

DESIGN: A qualitative focus group interview study.

SETTING: Focused interviews were conducted using process mapping with frontline nurses responsible for medication administration in September 2020.

PARTICIPANTS: Front line experiened nurses from a Japanese tertiary teaching hospital.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was to identify the mental models frontline nurses used during intravenous medication administration, which influence their interactions with patients, and secondarily, to examine the medication process gaps between the …

Equity In Access For Veterans In The Va Community Care Program, Baligh R. Yehia, Said A. Ibrahim

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

A Word From The Writing Team (June 2024), Pam Walter, Mfa

A Word From the Writing Team (Newsletter)

This issue includes:

• Publication Spotlight
• Sign up for the 16th Annual Jefferson Faculty Days: June 5 & 6
• Don’t Forget Summer Writing Time!
• Jefferson Held a Symposium on AI And Research Integrity – And Recorded It
• Jefferson's AI Library Guide is Available on the Library Website
• The OPWPC Canvas Page Offers Helpful Tools
• Scott Memorial Library Archive Renovations are Done—Come See!

Librarian Support For Graduate Medical Education: 5-Year Check-In, Abby L. Adamczyk, Mlis, Ahip, Gary Kaplan, Mslis, Ahip, John Caruso, Md

Academic Commons and Scott Memorial Library Staff Papers and Presentations

Background

The SKMC Office of the Dean through its Graduate Medical Education (GME) Section identified a need for more comprehensive support for GME research efforts. This was intensified as the residency program requirements began to formalize the expectations and quantification of scholarly output for both trainees and core GME faculty.1 In consultation with the Director of the Academic Commons, this GME-focused position was conceptualized to better meet the needs of our residents and faculty, and thus enhance the scholarly projects of our GME constituency. This would build on existing scholarly support2 including professional writing services.3 As part of the Information …

Developing A Taskforce To Improve Digital Health Equity, Samuel Wilson, Natalia Queenan, Julianna Lenoir, Alexzandra Gentsch, Jay Trivedi, Rohith Tudi, Nikita Nair, Akshay Krishnan, Andrew Vanichkachorn,, Tien Vu, Alexandra Cohen, Eleanor Jenkins, Marissa Witmer, David Rigas, Jeffrey Ndubisi, Isabella Muti, Kristin Rising, Md

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Our Population

• Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (TJUH) is a tertiary care center and L1 trauma center, and we serve patients from all areas in Philadelphia for acute health crises
• In Philadelphia, major disparities exist regarding health factors and health outcomes
• When stratifying by neighborhood or zip code, these disparities become even more apparent
• Several studies have also shown that these geographic demarcations coincide with racial disparities for access to health resources, like primary care physicians, COVID-19 vaccinations, and public health interventions
• Accessibility of health resources for our inpatients is thus highly variable.

Identifying Inappropriate Dual Anti-Platelet Therapy (Dapt) Utilization In The Outpatient Setting, Youssef Elfatatry, Julia Palecki, Nevin Varghese, Amry Majeed, Alexis Wickersham

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Background

Problem Statement:

• Dual anti-platelet therapy (DAPT) is a cornerstone in management of many cardiovascular and cerebrovascular conditions; however, inappropriate and prolonged use can lead to increased bleeding risk. Despite guidelines on optimal DAPT duration for various clinical scenarios, a proportion of patients receive inappropriately extended courses of therapy, exposing them to unnecessary risk.

Project AIM:

• We aim to (1) identify inappropriate DAPT use using established clinical guidelines at two academic primary care clinics and (2) develop and implement a targeted best practice advisory (BPA) in EPIC to address gaps in adherence to DAPT guidelines to enhance patient safety and …

Socioeconomic Status And Comorbidity Burden Influence On Mortality Index In Spinal Neurological Surgery Operations, Carey Preston, Bs, Pious Patel, Md

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Background

• Pre-existing comorbidities are generally thought to increase risk of undergoing surgical procedures
• Low socioeconomic status (SES) has been correlated with increased comorbidity burden previously
• Patients with low SES undergoing spinal neurological surgery operations may have existing comorbidities that impact expected surgical outcomes
• Vizient Inpatient Mortality uses pre-existing comorbidities during an inpatient stay to estimate post-operative expected mortality
• With increased comorbidity burden, expected mortality in low SES patients may not be accurately represented by

Timely Ambulatory Follow Up After Emergency Department Discharge, Kevin Endersby, Jackson Weber, Marisyl De La Cruz

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Background

Problem Statement:

Patients over the age of 65 lack timely ambulatory follow up after discharge from the ED, leading to increased return to the ED, resource utilization, and mortality.

Project AIM:

Within 6 months of intervention, 70% of patients over the age of 65 who were recently discharged from the ED will follow up with their PCP within 7 days of the timeline recommended by the ED provider.

Social Needs Screenings Programs: Factors For Success, Varun Jayanti, Akshay Krishnan, Zachary Goldberg, Md, David Nash, Md, Mba

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Abstract

Introduction: In January 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented Health Quality Measure (HQM) 487, which required participating hospitals to annually screen admitted patients for the 5 domains of the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). These requirements allowed hospitals to develop individualized, but compliant, screening programs. Previous SDOH screening research has focused on measurement tools, but not the mechanisms of screening present in various hospitals.

Research Objectives: This study will investigate the mechanism(s) for a social needs screening program (which is reflective of underlying SDOH disparity) in a large, multi-hospital academic health system in the Northeastern …

Key Stakeholder Perceptions Of Doula Support For Persons With Perinatal Opioid Use Disorder, Meghan Gannon, Phd, Msph, Dennis Hand, Phd, Vanessa Short, Phd, Taylor Carrubba, Grace Thiele, Samantha Pancoe, Sarah Lawson, Nadia H-Yazdi, Phd, Scott Keith, Phd, Diane Abatemarco, Phd

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Background

• Maternal child health disparities are prevalent among pregnant and parenting women in treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD).
• Doulas have been utilized as a perinatal support in other vulnerable populations to increase healthcare utilization and improve birth outcomes.
• While research demonstrated that doula services can be feasibly implemented for populations experiencing poverty and trauma, there are limited studies to support that this could be true for patients with OUD as well.

A Word From The Writing Team (May 2024), Pam Walter, Mfa, Liz Declan, Ma, Mfa

A Word From the Writing Team (Newsletter)

This issue includes:

• Join Us for Our Virtual Writing Retreat on May 3rd
• Save the Date for the 16th Annual Jefferson Faculty Days: June 5th & 6th
• Scott Memorial Library Archive Renovations Are Done—Come See!
• Thomas Jefferson University Has Updated Its Mission Statement
• Publication Spotlight
• Jefferson's AI Library Guide is Available on the Library Website
• The OPWPC Canvas Page Offers Helpful Tools

Travel-Time Disparities In Access To Proton Beam Therapy For Cancer Treatment, Todd Burus, Alexander Vanhelene, Michael Rooney, Krystle Lang Kuhs, W. Jay Christian, Christopher Mcnair, Sanjay Mishra, Arnold Paulino, Grace Smith, Steven Frank, Jeremy Warner

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

IMPORTANCE: Proton beam therapy is an emerging radiotherapy treatment for patients with cancer that may produce similar outcomes as traditional photon-based therapy for many cancers while delivering lower amounts of toxic radiation to surrounding tissue. Geographic proximity to a proton facility is a critical component of ensuring equitable access both for indicated diagnoses and ongoing clinical trials.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the distribution of proton facilities in the US, quantify drive-time access for the population, and investigate the likelihood of long commutes for certain population subgroups.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This population-based cross-sectional study analyzed travel times to proton facilities in …

Expanding The Access To Kidney Transplantation: Strategies For Kidney Transplant Programs, Angie Nishio Lucar, Ankita Patel, Shikha Mehta, Anju Yadav, Mona Doshi, Megan Urbanski, Beatrice Concepcion, Neeraj Singh, M. Lee Sanders, Arpita Basu, Jessica Harding, Ana Rossi, Oluwafisayo Adebiyi, Milagros Samaniego-Picota, Kenneth Woodside, Ronald Parsons

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Kidney transplantation is the most successful kidney replacement therapy available, resulting in improved recipient survival and societal cost savings. Yet, nearly 70 years after the first successful kidney transplant, there are still numerous barriers and untapped opportunities that constrain the access to transplant. The literature describing these barriers is extensive, but the practices and processes to solve them are less clear. Solutions must be multidisciplinary and be the product of strong partnerships among patients, their networks, health care providers, and transplant programs. Transparency in the referral, evaluation, and listing process as well as organ selection are paramount to build such …

Biomedical Text Readability After Hypernym Substitution With Fine-Tuned Large Language Models, Karl Swanson, Shuhan He, Josh Calvano, David Chen, Talar Telvizian, Lawrence Jiang, Paul Chong, Jacob Schwell, Gin Mak, Jarone Lee

SKMC Student Presentations and Publications

The advent of patient access to complex medical information online has highlighted the need for simplification of biomedical text to improve patient understanding and engagement in taking ownership of their health. However, comprehension of biomedical text remains a difficult task due to the need for domain-specific expertise. We aimed to study the simplification of biomedical text via large language models (LLMs) commonly used for general natural language processing tasks involve text comprehension, summarization, generation, and prediction of new text from prompts. Specifically, we finetuned three variants of large language models to perform substitutions of complex words and word phrases in …

A Word From The Writing Team (April 2024), Pam Walter, Mfa, Liz Declan, Ma, Mfa

A Word From the Writing Team (Newsletter)

This issue includes:

• Join Us for Our Virtual Writing Retreat on April 5th
• Attend a Packback Workshop
• Check Out the Spring 2024 Research Support Newsletter
• Learn about the Ethics of AI at Jefferson's Research Compliance Symposium
• Attend a Reception for the Drs. Theresa and Charles Yeo Writing Prize Winners on April 25th
• Publication Spotlight
• Jefferson's AI Library Guide is Available on the Library Website
• The OPWPC Canvas Page Offers Helpful Tools
• Scott Memorial Library Archive Renovations are Almost Done!
• Wiley Open Access Fees Waived for Jefferson Authors

Quality Improvement Protocol: Improving The Use Of Nonpharmacological Pain Management Strategies Within The Inpatient Hospital Setting, Katherine Salamon, Christina Russell, Dara Devinney, Catherine M Soprano

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Background: There are many nonpharmacological pain management services available to hospitalized youth; however, not all youth are offered these services. Lack of knowledge about resources, difficulty with the referral process, and lack of understanding about nonpharmacological pain management services and when to refer patients are among the main reasons for lack of utilization. Quality improvement (QI) initiatives have grown within hospital settings and can serve to create change in fast-paced environments. Methods: The current QI project aimed to pilot an educational program to increase the use of nonpharmacological pain management interventions. Staff located on one floor of a pediatric hospital …

Health Care Costs Among Patients With Hematologic Malignancies Receiving Allogeneic Transplants: A Us Payer Perspective, Richard Maziarz, Usama Gergis, Marie Louise Edwards, Yan Song, Qing Liu, Annika Anderson, James Signorovitch, Rocio Manghani, Ronit Simantov, Heayoung Shin, Smitha Sivaraman

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Patients with hematologic malignancies undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (allo-HCT) require extensive care. Using the Merative MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters database (2016 Q1-2020 Q2), we quantified the costs of care and assessed real-world complication rates among commercially insured US patients diagnosed with a hematologic malignancy and aged between 12 and 64 years undergoing inpatient allo-HCT. Health care resource use and costs were assessed from 100 days before HCT to 100 days after HCT. Primary hospitalization was defined as the time from HCT until first discharge date. Incidence of complications was assessed using medical billing codes from HCT date to …

A Word From The Writing Team (March 2024), Pam Walter, Mfa, Liz Declan, Ma, Mfa

A Word From the Writing Team (Newsletter)

This issue includes:

• Join Us for Our Virtual Writing Retreat on March 1^st
• Attend Inclusive Writing and Language Workshop at EF
• Come and Judge the Jefferson Science Slam
• Publication Spotlight
• Jefferson's AI Library Guide is Available
• The OPWPC Canvas Page Offers Helpful Tools
• Scott Memorial Library Renovations Continue
• Wiley Open Access Fees Waived for Jefferson Authors

Integrating Primary Care, Shared Decision Making, And Community Engagement To Facilitate Equitable Access To Multi-Cancer Early Detection Clinical Trials, Cheryl L. Thompson, Adam H. Buchanan, Ronald E. Myers, David S. Weinberg

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Effective implementation of cancer screening programs can reduce disease-specific incidence and mortality. Screening is currently recommended for breast, cervical, colorectal and lung cancer. However, initial and repeat adherence to screening tests in accordance with current guidelines is sub-optimal, with the lowest rates observed in historically underserved groups. If used in concert with recommended cancer screening tests, new biospecimen-based multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests could help to identify more cancers that may be amendable to effective treatment. Clinical trials designed to assess the safety and efficacy of MCED tests to assess their potential for reducing cancer mortality are needed and many …

Statement Of The Aspher Task Force On War And Public Health On The Conflict In Israel/Palestine, Oliver Razum, Paul Barach, Tomasz Bochenek, Colette Cunningham, Nadav Davidovitch, Polychronis Kostoulas, Jutta Lindert, Henrique Lopes, Vladimir Prikazsky, John Reid, Mirjana Kujundžić Tiljak, John Middleton

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

A Word From The Writing Team (February 2024), Pam Walter, Mfa, Liz Declan, Ma, Mfa

A Word From the Writing Team (Newsletter)

This issue includes:

• Join Us for Our Virtual Writing Retreat This Friday
• Upcoming Biorender Workshop for Building Graphical Abstracts
• Publication Spotlight
• Co-Authorship and OA Fees: Do Your Homework!
• The OPWPC Canvas Page Offers Helpful Tools
• Scott Memorial Library Renovations Continue
• Wiley Open Access Fees Waived for Jefferson Authors

Refugee Health In Philadelphia, Marc Altshuler, Md

Academic Commons Workshops and Presentations

No abstract provided.

A Word From The Writing Team (January 2024), Pam Walter, Mfa, Liz Declan, Ma, Mfa

A Word From the Writing Team (Newsletter)

This issue includes:

• Virtual Writing Retreats Return in February
• The OPWPC Canvas Page Offers Helpful Tools
• Academic Commons Will Host a Presentation on Refugee Health in Philadelphia
• Publication Spotlight
• The OPWPC Helps with Scholarly Communication and Publication
• Scott Memorial Library Renovations Continue
• Wiley Open Access Fees Waived for Jefferson Authors