Overview
I am an abdominal transplant surgeon with a health services research lab focused on understanding how complex health care processes and large multidisciplinary teams affect outcomes of high cost, high acuity patients. I have a master's degree in health services and outcomes research methodology with supplemental training in health disparities research methods, engineering methods for healthcare system and process assessment, organizational behavior theory and change management, and implementation science.
As my research has progressed, an emerging theme has been the interplay between biologic and social risk, which each contribute to a patient’s ultimate success but receive disproportionate consideration in anticipation of and in response to subpar outcomes. I am currently involved in several efforts that build on this concept and employ an approach to health equity research that accounts for center and organizational-level characteristics when examining differences in care based on social determinants of health.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Recent Publications
Development of a natural language processing algorithm to extract social determinants of health from clinician notes.
Journal Article Am J Transplant · March 6, 2025 Disparities in access to the organ transplant waitlist are well-documented, but research into modifiable factors has been limited due to lack of access to organized pre-waitlisting data. This study aimed to develop a natural language processing algorithm t ... Full text Link to item CiteThe association between long-term PM2.5 exposure and risk for pancreatic cancer: an application of social informatics.
Journal Article Am J Epidemiol · March 4, 2025 There is a profound need to identify modifiable risk factors to screen and prevent pancreatic cancer. Air pollution, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5), is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for cancer. We conducted a case-control study using ... Full text Link to item CiteConsortium for the Holistic Assessment of Risk in Transplant: Harmonizing Data for Research, Transparency, and Equity.
Journal Article Ann Surg · March 1, 2025 Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
Endocrinology and Metabolism Training Program
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2029Improving Racial Equity in Clinical Decision Making about Access to Organ Transplant
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities · 2022 - 2027Living donor liver transplant in minority populations
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Vanderbilt University Medical Center · 2023 - 2025View All Grants