Overview
Dr. Deepshikha Ashana's research focuses on understanding and addressing mechanisms of differences in serious illness care among underserved patients. She uses mixed methods to study epidemiologic trends in national health claims data and understand patient perspectives on serious illness care, with a particular focus on modifiable clinician and health system factors.
She received her undergraduate, medical, and business degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, before moving to Los Angeles to complete her internal medicine residency at the University of California, Los Angeles. She subsequently worked as a management consultant at McKinsey and Company where she gained experience in health system operations and change management. While completing a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Health System, she received formal training in research methods through the Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology program.
She is currently an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care. She cares for patients in the Duke University Hospital medical intensive care unit and at Duke Health Center at Southpoint.
Dr. Ashana lives in Raleigh with her husband and son where they enjoy cooking, hiking, and watching international films.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Recent Publications
Exploring Racial Differences in Family Expressions of Emotion and Clinician Empathy in ICU Family Meetings
Conference Chest Critical Care · December 1, 2025 Background: Critical care guidelines recommend that clinicians provide emotional support to families of critically ill patients during family meetings. Little is known about how family member race impacts how emotions are expressed and supported in meeting ... Full text CitePrevalence and Impact of Traumatic Life Events among Black and White Family Members of Intensive Care Unit Patients.
Conference Ann Am Thorac Soc · November 2025 Rationale: Lifetime trauma is common and may affect interactions with the healthcare system. Objectives: To measure the prevalence of lifetime trauma and its association with family-clinician interpersonal outcomes in the intensive care unit (ICU). Methods ... Full text Link to item CitePatient Race and Preferred Language Influence the Use of Physical Restraints on Nonintubated Intensive Care Unit Patients.
Journal Article Ann Am Thorac Soc · November 2025 Rationale: Physical limb restraints are commonly used in intensive care units (ICUs) to protect patients and staff but are associated with increased morbidity and disparities in care, particularly in intubated patients. Whether disparities in restraint use ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
Implementation partner-guided strategy to promote health equity in ICU prognostication
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2025 - 2029Racial disparities in shared decision making for patients with acute respiratory failure
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute · 2022 - 2027Blueprint-COPD: Coping skills support for patients with comorbid COPD and anxiety or depression
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by American Lung Association · 2025 - 2027View All Grants