September 2026, Swosu Rural Health Center

RURAL ROCKS

Introducing Hilltop Health: Connecting Campus, Community & Care

This fall marks an exciting new chapter for SWOSU Hilltop Health as services and partnerships continue to grow within the Jerry & Margaret Hodge College of Pharmacy and Rural Health Center. Designed to create a more connected approach to health and wellness, Hilltop Health brings together healthcare access, prevention, education, and community resources while creating new opportunities for collaboration across SWOSU and western Oklahoma.

Unique Pharmaceutical Laboratories (A Div. of J. B. Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.) Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Cetirizine Hydrochloride Tablets USP 5 mg Due to Potential Cross Contamination …

Reducing Potentially Preventable Emergency Department Visits (Ppvs) Through A Telehealth Intervention In Children With Asthma Within A Managed Care Organization (Mco), Renee A. Roker

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Abstract

Purpose:  The purpose of this quality improvement project was to reduce unnecessary ED utilizations among children with asthma enrolled in a Medicaid managed care health plan. The project aimed to improve access to care and enhance asthma self-management.

Background:  Asthma is one of the leading causes of Emergency Department (ED) utilization, among vulnerable populations. Members experience barriers to timely primary and specialist care, contributing to Potentially Preventable ED Visits (PPV) rates. This places managed care organizations (MCOs) at risk for financial penalties if not meeting the Texas PPV benchmark.

Methodology:  Guided by the Chronic Care Model, Lean Six Sigma …

Medical Tourism Patient Guidance: A Content Analysis Of Risk Reduction Guidelines Available To Global Health Seekers., Alicia Mason, Angela Ashmore

Faculty Submissions

This study examines medical tourism (MT) patient guidance messages intended to reduce procedural risks—those directly related to biomedical treatments—and process risks, which involve logistical, administrative, and interpersonal challenges of seeking healthcare abroad. The analysis focuses on print and digital publications authored by individuals independent of the MT industry, including policy researchers, travel health experts, lifestyle reporters, and consumer-focused medical travel writers. Using a two-phase digital and database search strategy, 27 publications from 2009 to 2024 were identified and analyzed using exploratory content analysis methods. Findings reveal important differences in the scope and depth of guidance aimed at reducing risks for …

August 2026, Swosu Rural Health Center

RURAL ROCKS

It's been an exciting season at the SWOSU Rural Health Center!

We are thrilled to share that SWOSU Rural Health has been awarded a second grant through Oklahoma's Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), building on the momentum of our Community-Led Wellness Microgrant. This week, we also have the privilege of welcoming representatives from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Oklahoma Rural Health Transformation Program to SWOSU as they visit our Jerry & Margaret Hodge College of Pharmacy and Rural Health Center to highlight the innovative work happening across our region.

• Feds push back HIPAA security rule …

Enhancing Heart Failure Transitional Care To Reduce 30-Day Readmission Rate, Thuy Nhu Uyen Tran

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project is to reduce 30-day readmissions for adult patients with heart failure (HF) by implementing a standardized HF pathway beginning in the intensive care unit (ICU) and continuing through discharge.

Background: The project was implemented within a large healthcare organization in Northwest Houston, Texas.

Methodology: This project utilized a pre- and post-implementation design guided by the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model. Eligible adult patients (≥18 years) with a primary or secondary HF diagnosis were identified during March 2026. The My Pathway to Wellness HF education pathway was initiated at the time of ICU downgrade …

Technology Platform (Peer Plus) Supporting The Work Of Peer Recovery Coaches And The Communication Needs Of Individuals In Recovery From Substance Use Disorder: Protocol For An R21 Development And Usability Trial., Amanda Coupe, Jessica Pater, Rachel Pfafman, Victor P Cornet, Elisabeth Andrews, Mindy Flanagan, Dana Albright, Abhinay Balasani, Christopher Becker, Brian Parise, Erik Hess, Tammy Toscos

Health Services and Informatics Research

BACKGROUND: Substance use disorder (SUD) represents a significant public health concern in the United States. SUD recovery is complex and individualized, and support provided by peer recovery coaches (PRCs) can improve outcomes. The PRC-client relationship requires bidirectional mediated communication that is often informal but should be trackable, efficient, and aligned with health care privacy and security regulations. Current workflows and available apps do not meet these needs, illustrating the opportunity for client-centered technology tools. We have developed Peer PLUS (People Leveraging Urgent Support; Parkview Health System, Inc), a HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)-compliant mobile app and client management …

A Connection A Day Keeps The Patient Away: How Remote Patient Monitoring Connected To The Internet Of Things Will Change Us Healthcare Into The Us Healthcare System, Ethan Sinn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The importance of this study was due to the market inefficiencies hindering US healthcare. The three market inefficiencies of excessive cost, access challenges, and low outcome yields have puzzled industry stakeholders for years. These inefficiencies continue gobbling up resources now accounting for around 20% of American GDP. The inefficiencies are symptomatic results of two surface level problems in the US healthcare market: financial misalignments and informational fragmentation. The financial mismatches and informational gaps have caused havoc to the natural market’s daily flow since making their way to the surface and remain firmly connected to the root cause of US healthcare’s …

Effective Strategies To Improve Telemedicine Services For Veterans In Baltimore, Maryland: A Qualitative Single-Case Study, Dolapo Uthman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative single-case study investigated the inefficiency and limited accessibility of telemedicine services within a selected healthcare organization located in Baltimore, Maryland. The purpose of this study was to investigate how telemedicine services can be improved to enhance healthcare outcomes for patients and their overall quality of life. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 16 participants, supported by fieldnotes, and publicly available documents, and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Methodological triangulation was used to validate the findings to ensure credibility and consistency. The research indicated that telemedicine enhances access to healthcare and supports continuity of care, especially for …

Internalized Colorism As A Gendered Barrier To Skin Cancer Information Avoidance Among Hispanic College Students, Soo Yun Kim, Wan-Lin Chang

Communication Faculty Publications

Skin cancer disparities persist among racial and ethnic minority populations, yet sociocultural factors shaping engagement with preventive health information remain understudied. This study examines whether internalized colorism functions as a barrier to skin cancer information avoidance among Hispanic college students and whether these associations differ by sex. Using survey data from 300 undergraduates at a Hispanic-serving institution, hierarchical regression analyses examined how three dimensions of colorism, including self-concept, attractiveness, and upward mobility, were associated with skin cancer information avoidance. Results indicated that only the attractiveness dimension predicted information avoidance. This association was moderated by sex, such that attractiveness-based colorism was …

Mammography: What Utahns Need To Know, Brie Sparks, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

Mammography is a critical preventative health tool that enables early detection of breast cancer and improves the likelihood of successful treatment. In Utah, screening behaviors are shaped by access to care, personal perceptions, healthcare experiences, and broader social and structural factors. Understanding both measurable trends and attitudes toward preventative care provides essential context for improving screening rates. Together, these factors influence how, when, and whether Utah women utilize mammography services, ultimately impacting early detection outcomes across the state.

July 2026, Swosu Rural Health Center

RURAL ROCKS

Rural Health Center

As we prepare to kick off our first semester in the new Jerry & Margaret Hodge College of Pharmacy and Rural Health Center, there is a lot to be excited about! It has been incredible to watch this vision become a reality, and we can't wait to welcome students, faculty, healthcare partners, and community members into a space designed to strengthen rural healthcare across western Oklahoma. The opportunities for collaboration, education, and innovation are endless, and we are especially looking forward to creating more hands-on learning experiences for our students while continuing to build strong partnerships that …

Electronic Health Record Alerts To Improve Lipid Lowering After A Recent Myocardial Infarction, Dean G. Karalis, Benjamin Richter, Scott Hessen, Patrick Moeller, Laney K. Jones

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: This observational, quality initiative evaluated the impact of changing from a passive (dismissible) to an active (nondismissible without action) electronic health record alert on guideline-recommended lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) prescriptions in patients with recent myocardial infarction at risk for secondary events.

METHODS: We sequentially recruited a retrospective passive-alert (February 2018-July 2019; n=733) and a prospective active-alert (August 2020-January 2022; n=587) cohort of patients who triggered an alert to intensify LLT or order a low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) test if they had a recent myocardial infarction (within 12 months) and elevated (≥70 mg/dL) or missing LDL-C. Prescribed LLTs and cumulative percentages of …

Evaluation Of Corneal Infections Using A Smartphone Macro Lens For Synchronous Telemedicine, Joseph A. Anaya, Julia Yu, Marisa A. Schoen, Dilru C. Amarasekera, Cherie A. Fathy, Sophia Lam, Christopher J. Rapuano, Zeba A. Syed

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

PURPOSE: To determine the efficacy of synchronous telemedicine consultation with a corneal specialist using a macro lens attachment to a smartphone to evaluate corneal infections.

METHODS: Patients aged 18 years or older who presented to the Cornea Clinic at Wills Eye Hospital between June 2020 and March 2021 with a corneal infection were examined by two fellowship-trained cornea specialists. One examiner (CJR) performed face-to-face (FTF) slit-lamp evaluations, whereas another examiner (ZAS) performed synchronous telemedicine visit (STV) evaluations via a smartphone with a macro lens of 7× magnification (Olloclip; Foothill Ranch, CA, USA) held by trained study coordinators. Agreement between examinations …

Trauma-Informed Conversational Agents For Mental Health: Understanding User Perspectives And Experiences, Xintong Lu, Shion Guha, Rachel Pfafman, Jessica Pater, Courtney L. Washington, Fayika Farhat Nova

Health Services and Informatics Research

Introduction:

Mental health conversational agents (MHCAs) offer scalable, accessible psychological support yet raise concerns about safety and appropriateness for trauma, exposed users. While trauma-informed care (TIC) principles, emphasizing safety, trust, empowerment, collaboration, peer support, and cultural sensitivity, are well-established in clinical practice, their application and user interpretation in chatbot contexts remain unexplored. This study aimed to explore (1) how users conceptualize trauma-informed care in the context of mental health chatbots and (2) what factors can help us predict whether users perceive their chatbot interaction as trauma-informed.

Methods:

A 59-item web-based survey (REDCap) assessed demographics, technology proficiency, adverse life experiences, chatbot …

Show Me The Money: Finance Models In Epilepsy Practice., Deepti Zutshi, Emily Klatte, Maysaa Basha, Leisha Osburn, Eric Segal, Nina Garga, Rohit R Das

Medical Education Articles

Healthcare models and the finances associated with such models are complex. Patients with epilepsy (PWE) receive care in a variety of settings, and each is associated with differing reimbursement, financial levers, as well as unique strengths and weaknesses. As the financial climate of healthcare system changes rapidly in the setting of an aging population, physician shortages, and increasing costs of healthcare delivery, it is important for clinicians to understand the financial aspects of caring for PWE. In this review, we examine basic concepts in healthcare economics and then review the financial aspects of care in an academic context, a private …

A Systematic Review Of Intrusion Detection Systems For Internet Of Medical Things: Performance, Efficiency, Explainability, And Generalization, Oswald Adohinzin, Youssef Harrath

Research & Publications

The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) has transformed health care delivery through medical devices, remote patient monitoring, and real-time clinical decision support. However, the proliferation of IoMT devices introduces security vulnerabilities that put patient safety and data privacy at risk. Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) have emerged as essential components for protecting IoMT networks from cyberattacks. This article presents a systematic review of IoMT-IDS research, analyzing 53 high-quality papers published between 2020 and 2025, identified through database searches spanning 2016–2025 across IEEE Xplore, Springer, ScienceDirect, and ACM Digital Library. We organize the literature through a comprehensive taxonomy spanning classical machine learning …

2026 Cyber-Resilient Health Care Workshop Report, Malcolm Schongalla, Sergey Bratus

Computer Science Technical Reports

The ISTS and the Dartmouth College Cybersecurity Cluster hosted the successful, inaugural Cyber-Resilient Health Care (CRHC) Workshop, March 5th & 6th, 2026. The event theme was "Innovation and Implementation," in response to the need to shift from reactive to proactive resiliency measures in the healthcare sector. Approximately 30 experts in clinical health care, cybersecurity, medical technology, policy, and innovation met to discuss solution-focused innovations addressing hard, cyber-related problems in health care. The agenda featured keynotes, an expert panel, innovation pitches, small group discussions, and a tabletop infrastructure disaster exercise. Participants gained insights into the obstacles and solutions involved in supporting …

June 2026, Swosu Rural Health Center

RURAL ROCKS

Rural Rocks

Second Generation Antipsychotics in the Treatment of Depression

Dr. Debra L. Stevens, Pharm.D., BCPP 

Major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as depression, affects 1 in 5 individuals in their lifetime.¹ Worldwide approximately 246 to 286 million individuals are afflicted with MDD.² MDD may cause significant morbidity and disability. The World Health Organization estimates that MDD will be one of the leading causes of disease burden by 2030.²

A significant number of patients diagnosed with MDD do not respond adequately despite appropriate treatment with antidepressants.² Treatment resistance may occur in up to one-third of patients …

A Survey Of Earable Technology: Trends, Tools, And The Road Ahead, Changshuo Hu, Qiang Yang, Yang Liu, Tobias Röddiger, Kayla-Jade Butkow, Mathias Ciliberto, Adam Luke Pullin, Jake Stuchbury-Wass, Mahbub Hassan, Cecilia Mascolo, Dong Ma

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Earable devices, wearables positioned in or around the ear, are undergoing a rapid transformation from audio-centric accessories into multifunctional systems for interaction, contextual awareness, and health monitoring. This evolution is driven by commercial trends emphasizing sensor integration and by a surge of academic interest exploring novel sensing capabilities. Building on the foundation established by earlier surveys, this work presents a timely and comprehensive review of earable research published since 2022. We attempt to answer three core questions: (1) how has earable research evolved in recent years, (2) what enabling resources are now available, and (3) what opportunities remain for future …

Ai In Healthcare: Regulatory Guidelines And Judge-Made Negligence Principles For Ai Implementers, Gary K. Y. Chan

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare may, notwithstanding its potential benefits, result in harm to patients from allegedly negligent acts or omissions by hospitals and medical doctors. In such circumstances, how should the principles in the tort of negligence (duty of care, breach, causation, remoteness of damage, and defences) respond to AI innovations in healthcare? In particular, how may the standard of care expected of hospitals and medical doctors be informed by regulatory guidelines? We refer to case law precedents and regulatory guidelines on the roles and responsibilities of doctors and hospitals as AI implementers. Importantly, they prompt …

Ppg-Sport: A Dataset For Reliable Heart Rate Monitoring From Wrist Ppg Under Dynamic Sports Conditions, Changshuo Hu, Hung Manh Pham, Yiming Zhang, Guanru Yan, Xiao Ma, Yuezhong Wu, Thivya Kandappu, Archan Misra, Dong Ma

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Photoplethysmography (PPG) has become a cornerstone of physiological sensing in wearable devices, enabling non-invasive monitoring of heart rate and related biomarkers. However, its reliability deteriorates sharply under dynamic, high-intensity, or non-periodic motions such as those in sports, where existing datasets fail to capture realistic wrist dynamics. To address this gap, we introduce PPG-Sport, the first large-scale dataset designed for heart rate monitoring from wrist-worn PPG under real sports conditions. The PPG-Sport dataset includes synchronized PPG, inertial measurement unit (IMU), and electrocardiography (ECG) recordings from both wrists of 30 participants across six representative activities: stationary, walking, running, badminton, table tennis, and …

Nudging Implementation Of Low Tidal Volume Ventilation: A Stepped Wedge, Cluster Randomized Trial, Meeta Prasad Kerlin, Michael O. Harhay, Fan Li, Dylan S. Small, Yingying Lu, Wei Wang, Barry D. Fuchs, Mark E. Mikkelsen, Teresa Tran, Aerielle Belk, Jasmine A. Silvestri, Tamar Klaiman, Stefania Scott, Elizabeth Levy, Michael W. Sjoding, Rachel Kohn, Karsten J. Roberts, Rinad S. Beidas, Scott D. Halpern

College of Health Professions Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: "Nudges" embedded in the electronic health record (EHR) facilitate desired decisions while preserving autonomy and may provide a scalable strategy to overcome the common implementation barrier of lack of knowledge about a best practice. We sought to test whether EHR-based nudges targeting two intensive care unit (ICU) clinician groups would safely increase evidence-based use of low tidal volume ventilation.

METHODS: We performed a stepped-wedge, cluster randomized, hybrid type 3 effectiveness-implementation trial in 12 ICUs from February 2021 to May 2023 to test three nudges targeting clinicians responsible for order entry and respiratory therapists responsible for operationalizing orders and documentation. …

May 2026, Swosu Rural Health Center

RURAL ROCKS

Rural Rocks

Helping to build a better community by building each part of Rural Health Services

As we look ahead to an exciting summer, preparations are well underway for the transition into the new Jerry and Margaret Hodge Pharmacy & Rural Health Center. This state-of-the-art facility will serve as a hub for innovation, education, and expanded access to care across rural Oklahoma. Within the Jerry and Margaret Hodge Building will be the College of Pharmacy, the Rural Health Department, the Center for Health and Well being, as well as the Doctorate of Community Health Program. The Custer County Health …

Recommendations For Sharing Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Device Data With Patients Based On Clinician Interviews, Carly Daley, Jonathan Shirazi, Tina Allmandinger, Mindy Flanagan, Stephanie Pruitt, Hung-Yeh Lin, Victor P. Cornet, Jeanne Carroll, Yi Rong Tan, Tammy Toscos, Michael Mirro

Health Services and Informatics Research

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) capture an abundance of data that requires specific medical knowledge to interpret. Currently, there are no clear recommenda tions for sharing clinically meaningful CIED data with patients from the abundance of data in CIED remote monitoring reports.

OBJECTIVE The objectives of this study were to explore clinicians’ perceptions of clinical care gaps related to CIED data that could be improved through patient access to data and to generate recom mendations for sharing CIED data with patients.

METHODS In this institutional review board-exempt, 2-phase sequential qualitative study, 42 semi-structured phone interviews were conducted with 32 …

From Data To Action: Enhancing Public Health Communication & Information Dissemination, Ryan Hayden, Devon Donovan

Health Sciences Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.

A Backend Database Architecture For Persistent Epilepsy Classification Records, Attiksh A. Panda, Deep Desai, Artem Zabarov, Katrina D. Prantzalos, Satya S. Sahoo, Shuai Xu

Student Scholarship

Epilepsy affects over five million people globally each year, yet consistent clinical diagnosis remains a persistent challenge due to the lack of standardized classification workflows across medical institutions. The Four-Dimensional Epilepsy Classification (4D-EC) framework, developed by Lüders et al., provides a comprehensive structure for characterizing paroxysmal events across four dimensions: seizure semiology, epileptogenic zone, etiology, and comorbidities. Despite its clinical and educational value, no dedicated informatics platform existed to support its routine use until recently, limiting widespread adoption among clinicians and trainees. This project addresses that gap by implementing a full-stack web application that operationalizes the 4D-EC framework for clinical …

Familybloom: Examining Ecologies Of Collaboration In Family-Centered Health Tracking, Lucas M. Silva, Aehong Min, Evropi Stefanidi, Franceli L. Cibrian, Jesus A. Beltran, Cassie Zeiler, Sabrina E. B. Schuck, Kimberley D. Lakes, Gillian R. Hayes, Daniel A. Epstein

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Family health informatics tools can help support well-being with shared data tracking. Prior work typically focused on shared data review, but often in specific moments, like bedtime, or centered on caregiving of children or elderly members. To investigate how tracking can support mutual health collaboration between family members pervasively across daily contexts, we designed and deployed FamilyBloom, a glanceable smartwatch and home display system for mood and goal tracking. Twelve families with both neurotypical and ADHD members used FamilyBloom for three months on average. Our findings reveal how family-centered tracking created collaboration opportunities and tensions across multiple ecological systems: individual …

Digital Touchpoints: Investigating Contact Page Accessibility And Visual Authenticity Within Medical Tourism Health Websites, Alicia Mason, Elizabeth Spencer, Kristen Livingston, Treyton Meyers, Sakshi Bhati, Himika Akram

Faculty Submissions

This study examines two critical digital touchpoints on medical tourism provider (MTP) websites: (1) the accessibility of contact pages which often function as entry points for inquiries, scheduling, and pre-travel coordination, and (2) the authenticity of visual imagery used to shape expectations about care environments, personnel, and technological capacity. A sample of 105 MTPs across all six World Health Organization regions were analyzed using quantitative web accessibility testing and qualitative visual analysis. Results indicate pervasive accessibility errors on contact-page touchpoints and extensive reliance on inauthentic imagery to depict patients, providers, and medical technologies. Together, these practices may distort user expectations …

April 2026, Swosu Rural Health Center

RURAL ROCKS

• Oklahoma Rural Health Transformation Program
• State Immunization Websites
• Tracking Measles Cases in the U.S.
• FDA to Address Unused Opioids in American Homes
• Immune cells may underlie sex differences in chronic pain
• STRESS AWARENESS MONTH

Methodological Progress Note: Logic Models, Molly J Horstman, Kyler M Godwin

Faculty and Staff Publications

Logic models are an accessible tool to organize the planning, management, and evaluation of programs across healthcare disciplines. This methodological progress note describes the five standard components of a logic model (Inputs, Activities, Outputs, Outcomes, and Impact) and provides guidance for developing a logic model. Logic models offer a visual representation of the work and theory of a program and should be created with input from all interested parties. Logic models are living tools that need to be revised as programs evolve and new information becomes available.