Health Information Technology Commons^™

Exploring The Relationship Between Behavioral Health Early Prediction Model And Patient Outcomes In The Emergency Department, Karen M. Richendollar, Kathie M. Zimbro

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

Problem: Emergency departments (EDs) are increasingly utilized for mental health (MH) care, often resulting in overcrowding and delayed access to specialized services. A significant proportion of MH patients are discharged without a psychiatric consult, raising concerns about safety and readmission rates. This trend places additional strain on already limited behavioral health resources and contributes to care delays for patients in acute crisis. Moreover, the lack of standardized discharge criteria for MH patients increases variability in care and may compromise patient outcomes. Purpose: This study evaluates the effectiveness of the Behavioral Health Early Discharge Prediction Model (BHEDPM) in identifying MH patients …

Exploring The Intersection Of Faith, Empathy, And Healthcare Trust In The Experience Of Informal Caregivers, Dr. Julie Yonker, Elizabeth Yuniwo, Jamie Lee, Mesalenuo Tsurho, Meral Moawad, Toluwani Adekunle

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

• Informal caregivers—adults providing unpaid medical or physical care to family or friends with adult-onset conditions—are essential yet often unrecognized contributors to U.S. health care. 
• One in four adults serve as caregivers, providing care valued at over $600 billion (AARP 2025). 
• Despite their vital role, many lack training, social support, and connection to professional care networks. 
• Public health professionals can promote sustainable, whole-person care by integrating caregiver training and referral systems into practice.

Ai-Powered Reporting For Improved Hospital Efficiency, Joel C. Laskow, Chris Papesh, Srishti Awasthi, Jacquelyn Cheun

SMU Data Science Review

This study explores the feasibility of an AI-powered chatbot for HIPAA-aligned intake of emergency room patients seeking treatment for overdose and violence. The system utilizes AWS Amplify, an encrypted EC2 instance, and a secure S3 Bucket house on Amazon Web Services. Chat functionality is powered by a multi-agentic framework operating on Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet 4. Manual evaluation and exact match testing reveal the system reliably obtains and records relevant information during intake. Future work will focus on expanding accessibility by integrating voice functionality, obtaining HIPAA compliance certifications, and incorporating the chat system into existing healthcare networks.

Bias Evaluation Of Healthcare Data With The Use Of Vbqa - A Vaers Inspired Bias Question Answer Dataset, Nolan Dulude, Renu Karthikeyan, Bivin Sadler, Faizan Javed

SMU Data Science Review

Abstract. Large Language Models (LLMs) are being used increasingly within the healthcare industry to summarize complex clinical information, but their outputs can often reflect biases inherited from their training data. In healthcare, these biases are not just technical flaws, but they can lead to distorted and false information about vaccine safety, compromise patient trust, and lead to potential harmful outcomes. This study investigates bias found in LLM-generated outputs to question-answer pairs inspired by adverse vaccine reactions using COVID-19 data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) from 2020–2024. We examined whether training the LLMs on a known Bias Benchmark …

Virtual Ai Lifestyle Assistant, Solomon T. Mathew, Babu T. Mathew

SMU Data Science Review

Patients struggle with adhering to prescribed medication and leading a healthy lifestyle outside of clinical visits. A mechanism needs to be developed and deployed to constantly remind them about the need to take medication and to lead a healthy lifestyle in a non-intrusive way while watching for changes in vitals that can be collected using wearable devices. With these considerations, a Virtual Healthcare Assistant is proposed, built with a multi-agent system that is easily integrated with wearable devices such as Apple Watches, Fitbits, and Oura Rings. a LangGraph-based multi-agent workflow to mimic real-world continuous monitoring. The resulting system enables agent-to-agent …

Agreement Of Chatgpt With Clinical Practice Guidelines For Knee Osteoarthritis Treatment, Alessandra N. Garcia, Brian Neville, Bradley Myers, Lori Leineke, Karlyn Green

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: This cross-sectional study evaluated whether Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (ChatGPT) GPT-3.5 and GPT-4O provide treatment information consistent with high-quality clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: High-quality CPGs published in the past decade were identified via PubMed and PEDro, with the search updated on November 11, 2024. Guidelines were appraised using the AGREE II tool. GPT-3.5 and GPT-4O were queried with common treatment-related questions, and their responses were compared to CPG recommendations. Two independent reviewers conducted a thematic content analysis of GPT-3.5 and GPT-4O responses using a deductive–inductive codebook, iteratively refined through consensus, to identify major themes/subthemes, …

Impediments To Transforming The Healthcare Delivery System: Shifting The Paradigm From Provider Centric To Patient Centric, Elizabeth A. Regan, Manasa Devi Chinta

Faculty Publications

Introduction: 

Stated aims for digital healthcare transformation frequently cite goals for better coordinated patient-centric systems. However, despite advances in medical science, digital technologies, health policies, and billions of dollars invested over the past 25 years, most healthcare providers are far from fully realizing the demonstrated benefits of today's digital technologies for improving patient care. Sharing information across healthcare systems remains challenging. Problems with fragmentation, quality, inequities, and rising costs of care delivery persist. A recent study of 1,026 U.S. hospital systems found that only 15.8 percent achieved a digital maturity level needed to provide digitally enabled healthcare services to better …

Depression Due To Combined Dexamethasone And Cyproheptadine Abuse For Weight Gain, Sanjana Sateesh, Jatin Kumar, Dhananjay Ardawatia, Kishor M, Shashidhara Kc, Srikanth Ms

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Cyproheptadine, an H1 antihistamine, and Dexamethasone, a long-acting steroid, are often misused in combination for addressing self-perceived body image issues and have become a popular but dangerous ‘weight gain cocktail’, often available over the counter without any prescription. This case describes a 25-year-old man who had self-prescribed the above-mentioned drugs in combination to address his self-perceived lean physique. This resulted in a significant weight gain, followed by an abnormal increase in appetite, which affected his daily life. Upon cessation, it resulted in rebound weight changes, depressive features, along with features of corticosteroid withdrawal, which required multidisciplinary management.

This case highlights …

March 2026, Swosu Rural Health Center

RURAL ROCKS

• Understanding the PREVENT Calculator in the 2025 AHA Hypertension Guidelines
• CMS Releases Medicaid and CHIP Beneficiary Profile and Infographic
• FDA Requests Removal of Suicidal Behavior and Ideation Warning from Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist (GLP-1 RA) Medications
• Walgreens: Flu reaches highest level in U.S. in 25 years
• Walmart boosts pay potential for pharmacy technicians, elevates 3,000 roles
• FDA Launches PreCheck Pilot Program to Strengthen Domestic Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
• Pharmacy undergoes a tech takeover
• President Trump signs landmark PBM reforms into law
• Pharmacy through generations

March 2026, Swosu Bulldog Wellness Committee

SWOSU BULLDOG WELLNESS

National Nutrition Month

Nutrition Tips for Bulldogs

Bulldog Resources

Simple Heart-Healthy Recipes for College Students

A Study Of Awareness Of Antiseptics And Disinfectant Use Among Allied Health Sciences Students And Interns Of A Tertiary Care Hospital, Pooja M, Puneeth A, Sharmi Nm

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Background:

Antiseptics and disinfectants are among the most vital tools in infection prevention and control (IPC), especially in healthcare settings where the risk of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) remains a significant concern. This study aims to assess the awareness and knowledge of antiseptics and disinfectants among Allied Health Sciences (AHS) students and interns, identify knowledge gaps at different stages of training, and recommend educational interventions.

Methods:

This was a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study conducted among 1st to 3rd-year AHS students and interns at a tertiary care hospital. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire via a Google form after obtaining approval from …

Morphea With Seronegative Inflammatory Arthritis And Normal Acute Phase Reactants: A Case Report, Balakrishnan Navaneethakrishnan, Mahabaleshwar Mamadapur

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Localised scleroderma, also known as morphea, is an immune-mediated fibrosing disorder that primarily affects the skin and subcutaneous tissues. While traditionally considered purely a cutaneous disease, extracutaneous manifestations (especially inflammatory arthritis) are increasingly being appreciated. The combined presence of morphea and inflammatory arthritis is rare and can be difficult to diagnose, particularly when inflammatory markers and serological testing are non-contributory.

Case Summary : We describe a 41-year-old woman with long-standing biopsy-proven morphea who over 2 years developed chronic, asymmetric inflammatory arthritis of the left wrist and hand small joints. On examination, she had active synovitis with restricted movements of her …

Pseudo-Hallucinations: A Diagnostic Conundrum, Dr Sankram Nayak, Manju Aswath, Vathsalya S. Gowda

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Background:

Pseudohallucinations are vivid, hallucination-like experiences that are internal, recognized as unreal. Distinguishing from true hallucinations remains a diagnostic challenge.

Case-report

33-year-old female with family history of psychosis presented with 10-year duration of delusion of infidelity and auditory experiences, with normal Biopsychosocial functioning. She had multiple psychiatric consultations, diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenia, treated with  various antipsychotics, ECT, current prescription of clozapine(350mg) with clozapine induced seizure.  Reported that her husband was emotionally unavailable. She described the voices in her head which were non-threatening, praising her for having qualities of an ideal-wife.  They were constant companions giving her solace and hence refrained …

The Wear-Bot Checklist: A Risk Of Bias Tool For Evaluating Validity And Reliability Research In Wearable Technology, Bryson Carrier, Jennifer A. Bunn, Chris Eschbach, Joel D. Reece, Gregory J. Welk, Brett A. Dolezal, James W. Navalta

Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Research

This paper proposes an innovative tool designed to standardize the evaluation of validity and reliability studies in the rapidly evolving field of wearable technology. We introduce the WEArable Technology Risk of Bias and Objectivity Tool (WEAR-BOT), a tool that addresses the need for a comprehensive and systematic way to assess bias in studies examining consumer-grade and research-grade wearable devices. This is the first tool designed to evaluate the risk of bias in validation and reliability studies. Other risk of bias tools like the Cochrane ROB, COSMIN, or the many other risk of bias tools are designed for different study methodologies …

Abortions In The Mountain West, 2022-2025, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet presents data on the number of abortions provided annually in the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah between July 2022 and June 2025. The data are retrieved from the Society of Family Planning’s #WeCount report,  which includes data on abortion volume across all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. This fact sheet focuses on the administration of both in-person and telehealth abortions in the Mountain West.

Cationic Poly(Glucosamine)-Based Polymers Bind To Glycans With Varying Affinity Facilitating Transport Across The Glycocalyx Of Endothelial Cells, Claire Bridges, Lu Fu, Dan Wang, James D. Sterling, Susanna Liang, Shenda M. Baker, Jonathan Yeow, Megan S. Lord

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

Natural polysaccharides, such as chitosan, offer promising avenues for drug delivery due to their cytocompatibility and ability to interact with cell surfaces. However, the endothelial glycocalyx, a glycan-rich extracellular matrix, presents a barrier that must be navigated for effective intracellular delivery. This study investigates how cationic poly(glucosamine)-based polymers, functionalized with guanidinium or ammonium groups, interact with key glycocalyx components including hyaluronan (HA) and heparan sulfate (HS). We demonstrate that these cationic polymers form tunable biomolecular condensates with glycans, with stronger binding observed for sulfated glycans, HS and heparin, than unsulfated HA. Derivatized chitosan polymers with varied cationic side chains exhibit …

Primary Care Providers' Perspectives On Telehealth Medicare Annual Wellness Visits For Older Adults In A Midwestern Health System, Vaibhavi Mone, Paul Estabrooks, Jane Potter, Hongmei Wang, Jungyoon Kim

Health Services and Informatics Research

Background

Medicare annual wellness visits (AWVs) are vital for older adults' preventive care, which was transitioned to telehealth modalities during COVID-19. This study examined primary care providers' perceptions of telehealth-delivered AWVs and explored the factors influencing telehealth implementation using the Practical Robust Implementation and Sustainability Model (PRISM).

Participants and Setting

Twenty-five primary care providers from eight clinics within an integrated health system in the Midwestern United States were interviewed. Eligibility required having conducted at least one telehealth AWV for patients aged 65 or older between March 2023 and October 2023.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews lasting 30–45 min were conducted using purposeful …

Detecting Stigmatizing Language In Clinical Notes With Large Language Models For Addiction Care, Rohan Sethi, John Caskey, Yanjun Gao, Matthew M. Churpek, Timothy A. Miller, Anoop Mayampurath, Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar, Majid Afshar, Dmitriy Dligach

Computer Science: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Intensive care units (ICU) produce numerous progress notes that may contain stigmatizing language that perpetuate negative biases and punitive approaches against patients. Patients with substance use disorders are particularly vulnerable to stigma. This study examined the performance of Large Language Models (LLMs) in the identification of stigmatizing language. We annotated a dataset with over 77,000 stigmatizing and non-stigmatizing notes from the MIMIC-III database. We utilized Meta's Llama-3 8B Instruct LLM to run the following experiments for stigma detection: zero-shot; in-context learning; in-context learning with a selective retrieval; supervised fine-tuning (SFT); and keyword search. All approaches were evaluated on a held-out …

February 2026, Swosu Rural Health Center

RURAL ROCKS

• Current Indications for Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) Inhibitors
• CMS unveils LEAD, its new 10-year accountable care model
• UnitedHealthcare pauses effort to cut RPM coverage after stating the tech has 'no evidence'
• Walgreens unveils PharmStart to strengthen tech-to-pharmacist pipeline
• Rural Health Transformation Program awards announced—Here's who's getting the most in FY2026
• FDA Grants Two National Priority Vouchers
• 2026 Outlook: Hybrid care companies poised for growth driven by economic, policy tailwinds
• Brain Drain: Retail pharmacy struggles to retain pharmacists, pharmacy technicians
• The 5 biggest challenges facing retail pharmacy
• Retail pharmacy must mine the gaps
• CMS Establishes Office of Rural Health Transformation Nationwide …

A Murine Model Of Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Syndrome Demonstrates Compromised Limb Function In The Ischemic Hind Limb, Saran Lotfollahzadeh, Herreet Paul, Joshua Bonifacio, Ricardo Almiron, Isaac Hockestra, Kylla Przekop, Trent Yamamoto, Maria Carmen Piqueras, Wenqing Yin, Kashvi Sethuraman, Asha Jose, Marina Malikova, Jeffrey J Siracuse, Mostafa Belghasem, Howard Cabral, Nazish Sayed, Vipul C Chitalia

Faculty and Staff Publications

Key Points:

1. Cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) is a global public health problem; however, its mediators remain poorly known, in part due to the lack of a reliable animal model.

2. A combination of high fat and adenine diet recapitulate some of the CKD and metabolic phenotypes of CKM.

3. This model also demonstrates myocardial fibrosis and peripheral artery disease with sex-based differences and can be leveraged to probe mechanisms of CKM.

Background: Cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome is a public health problem in the United States and results in premature cardiovascular disease at a relatively preserved GFR. The molecular mediators of CKM are poorly understood, partly …