2022-2023 participants
Oluchi J. Abosi, MBChB, MPH, CIC
Qual & Op Improv Engineer, Quality Improvement Program
Project focus: Reduce inappropriate urine culturing practices in patients with indwelling urinary catheter through diagnostic stewardship.
Heath Barrow, BA
Revenue Cycle Coordinator, Patient Financial Services
Project focus: Test and develop various ways to keep teams close and connected in the remote workplace.
Kristina Beachy, MSN, RN, CNOR, CPAN, NPD-BC
Nursing Practice Leader, Nursing Services
Project focus: Review clinical ladder programs for ambulatory and perioperative nurses to get ideas for improvement for our Professional Recognition Program.
Amanda Blodgett
Assistant Director, Application Services, HCIS
Project focus: Improve clinical workflows by increasing mobility through the use of Epic Rover.
Rob Brandt
Patient Access Manager, Patient Access Center
Project focus: PAC supported outpatient groups will work collaboratively to create department specific scheduling ICON course for staff that are new or being cross-trained into that department.
Danielle Burmeister, OTR/L
Senior Occupational Therapist, Rehab Therapies
Project focus: Research and development of a formal coma stimulation protocol for individuals with varying types of brain injuries utilizing evidence-based practice.
Brenda Byram, MBA
HC Svcs Associate Director, Admission & Transfer Center
Project focus: Analyze bed demand at the service level. Determine how many beds are needed to meet the demand and which units are ideal.
Neil Christiansen
Operations Director, Patient Access Center
Project focus: Optimize operating models for referral and care management that closer align PAC and clinic operations.
Deborah Cook, RN, MSN, CCDS
Manager, Clinical Documentation Improvement
Project focus: Implement a pre-bill review process that will allow a final CDI and Coding auditor review to be completed on targeted cases prior to billing.
Kimberly Delcour, DO
Clinical Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine
Project focus: Create a “Business of Medicine” Lecture series with the goal of educating IM residents and Cardiology Fellows regarding proper documentation.
Bryan Garter, MHA, MPH, CHFM
Senior Engineering Associate, Radiology
Project focus: Improving patient throughput within the Interventional Radiology Clinic.
Kristin Goedken, MBA
Associate Clinical Department Administrator, Internal Medicine
Project focus: Streamlining the Internal Medicine recruitment process by creating more efficient workflows and educational resources.
Joyce Goins-Fernandez, PhD, HSP
Clinical Assistant Professor, Pediatrics
Project focus: Development of a cultural humility workshop.
C. Niko Iben, MS
Qual & Op Improv Engineer, Office of Patient Experience
Project focus: Explore what sustainment of the Provider Communication Program looks like.
Christopher Iverson, MD, MBA, MPH
Clinical Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine
Project focus: Standardize clinic and provider workflows in order to improve charge capture and invoicing of the multiple service lines offered by UI Occupational Health.
Alex McKee, MHA, CSSBB
Qual & Op Improv Engineer, Quality Improvement Program
Project focus: Improve the efficiency and quality of onboarding physician learners (residents & fellows).
Brannan J. Murphy, MS RDN LD
HC Svcs Supv/ Assistant Mgr, Food And Nutrition Servic
Project focus: Implement Patient App to improve patient satisfaction with meal ordering process and reduce waste.
Cassandra Palasiewicz, DNP, ARNP, NNP-BC
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Stead Family Children's Hospital
Project focus: Development of a standardized curriculum for new graduate nurse practitioners starting in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Usha Perepu, MD
Clinical Associate Professor, Internal Medicine
Project focus: Develop a dedicated hematology fellowship track within the hematology oncology fellowship program to support recruitment and retention to our growing benign hematology program.
Stephanie Radke, MD, MPH
Clinical Assistant Professor, OBGYN
Project focus: Updating the operational structure for obstetrics patient safety and quality improvement.
Becca Ruff, MHA
UIHC Adminstrative Fellow, Hospital Administration
Project focus: Develop documentation that tracks how stakeholders are informed of changes in bed counts and propose recommendations to optimize the bed counting processes.
Blake Stephenson, LISW, BCBA
Social Work Specialist 1, Psychiatry
Project focus: Develop and implement a standardized/formalized onboarding process for Dept of Psychiatry LIPs.
Patty Stolley, MSN, MHCDS, RN, ONC
Assoc Director, Nursing Svcs, Perioperative Nursing
Project focus: Development of a multi-disciplinary scheduling huddle to review all necessary pre-procedural elements two days prior to the surgical date.
Conner Welch, MHA
Administrative Fellow, UI Physicians
Project focus: Improve access and continuity of care for patients seeking sexual health care through expansion of telemedicine services and workflows.
Cory Wittroc, MD
Clinical Associate Professor, Emergency Medical Services
Project focus: Address the need for alternative analgesia methods for pain control in the department of emergency medicine through the creation of an ultrasound-guided nerve block program.
Our past participants
2021-2022
Andrew Bryant, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine
Project focus: Implement a waitlist review process with the goal of optimizing the transfer of patients from other hospitals to Internal Medicine services at UIHC.
Tracey A. Cho, MD, MA
Clinical Professor, Neurology
Project focus: Elevate the level of care, education, and research of the Neuroimmunology Division and our regional and national reputation
Katy Demeulenaere, BSW
Behavioral Health Manager, Social Services
Project focus: Optimize transportation process for Medicaid beneficiaries and improve early discharge and LOS concerns or issues from a transportation perspective.
Stephanie Edmonds, PhD, MPH, RN
Nurse Scientist, Nursing
Project focus: Create and implement a strategic marketing plan for UIHC Nursing Research and EBP products, programs, and expertise.
Kristi Foster, DNP, C-PNP, C-PMHNP
Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner, Pediatrics
Project focus: Comprehensive Development of an Expansion Plan for the Pediatric Psycho-Oncology Program.
Amber Frederick, RDN, LD, CNSC
Healthcare Services Supervisor/ Assistant Manager, Food and Nutrition Services
Project focus: Improve the consumption rate of supplements offered to patients that are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition.
Paul E. Ganss, EdD, NRP
Director, EMS Learning Resource Center, Emergency Medical Services
Project focus: Develop a comprehensive, two semester Community Paramedic education program.
Nicole Graf, MHA
Fellow, UI Physicians
Project focus: Develop and implement a new Epic Note to be used by IM: Hospitalists and Super Triage to manage and assess patients awaiting transfer on a daily cadence to prioritize patient transfers given UIHC’s limited bed availability.
Nathalee C. Grue, MSN, RN, CCRN-K
Nurse Manager, Nursing
Project focus: Provide Nurse Managers with tools to assist them in managing and planning their budget.
Zoe Horak, MHA
Fellow, UI Physicians
Project focus: Offer providers a document that outlines what is included in digital health and how to best offer this service for patients.
Megan Humphreys, RDN
Healthcare Services Supervisor/ Assistant Manager, Food and Nutrition Services
Project focus: Implement a room service associate model in patient services.
Jill Kain, MSN, ARNP
Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner, Orthopaedic Surgery
Project focus: Implementing implanted device screening in Ambulatory clinics: Identification of implanted devices to improve MRI processes.
Michelle A. Koller, MHA, CPC-A
Healthcare Services Supervisor/ Assistant Manager, Orthopaedic Surgery
Project focus: Create a workers compensation tool kit that can be applied to any clinical department
Christina Kopp, ARNP
PA/ARNP/NNP Supervisor, Family Medicine
Project focus: Pilot APP eConsults to discuss non-surgical patient care, management, and expedite patient follow up between departments.
Tera Kringle, MS
Patient Experience Coach, Office of Patient Experience
Project focus: Continued implementation of Ambulatory C3 Program, focusing on: delivery of training, fostering clinic-level sustainment, and measuring success.
Molly Kucera, MBAHC, BSN, RN,CNAMB, CNOR
Associate Director, Ambulatory Surgery Center
Project focus: Improve engagement and retention for frontline nurses in the periop division.
Narayan Kulkarni, MHA, MBA, CPH
Fellow, Hospital Administration
Project focus: Enhance Hospital Administration’s Administrator on Call manual through centralized content and monitoring processes.
Robert Linnell, PA-C, MPAS
PA/ARNP/NNP Supervisor, UI Community Clinics
Project focus: Refine and expand the telemedicine platform and workflows and build a system for expanding to other departments within the UIHC.
Gina M. Lockwood, MD, MS
Clinical Assistant Professor, Urology
Project focus: Improve access and content for written and online educational materials for Pediatric Urology patients and parents.
Brittany McGraw, LISW, ACSW
Social Work Specialist I, Psychiatry
Project focus: Finalization and rollout of ICON training, provision of further education and support for staff encountering human trafficking concerns across the hospital.
Kyle Minehart, MBA
Manager of Capital Accounting, Finance and Accounting Services
Project focus: Centralize asset replacement data sources to feed into one dashboard.
Jennifer Pidima, BSE
Quality & Opportunity Improvement Engineer, Quality Improvement Program (QuIP)
Project focus: Decreasing patient wait time, improving patient access, and improving UIHC staff satisfaction by standardizing and optimizing the IVF 1st Patient Appointment.
Courtney Ralph
Facility Coordinator, College of Medicine Administration
Project focus: Provide senior leadership and departmental officers a graphic representation of grant funding and square feet assigned to primary investigators.
Keri Shelton, MSN, RN, CPAN
Nurse Manager, Nursing
Project focus: Improve the ability to safely staff the pre and postoperative anesthesia units throughout the perioperative division (MOR, ASC, SFCH).
Mark J. Siebenga
Security Manager, Safety & Security
Project focus: Increase the security of the SFCH using new technology.
Lauren Thomann, DNP, ARNP, PMHNP-BC
APP Lead, Psychiatry
Project focus: Development of formal performance recognition program for APPs in the department of psychiatry.
Sarah Tierney, PharmD, BCPPS
Manager, Pharmacy
Project focus: Develop a pharmacy readiness plan to support UIHC’s initiative to implement Beacon for Pediatric Oncology.
Melissa Vermillion, RN, BSN
Quality & Opportunity Improvement Senior Engineer, Clinical Documentation Improvement
Project focus: Implementation of Quality CDI RNs.
Julie Williams, RN BSN MHA
Interim Associate Director, Nursing
Project focus: Enhance care coordination of patients through the perioperative experience.
2020-2021
Carryn Anderson
Clinical Assistant Professor Radiation Oncology
Project focus: Improve recruitment for Radiation Oncology residency program by developing a strategic marketing and outreach plan.
Steven Anderson
Assistant Manager Guest Services
Project focus: Utilize the technology available via Epic Transport to automate transport assignments and making the patient escort program more efficient.
Lauren Dorzinski
Assistant Director Food and Nutrition Services
Project focus: Utilize Tableau to integrate existing CBORD data structures for enhanced decision support in food service operations.
Friederike Fischer
Hospitalist Internal Medicine
Project focus: The implementation of a timely inpatient medication reconciliation process to decrease length of stay, associated care costs, and to increase patient safety.
Max Freund
Director Marketing, Digital/Multimedia
Project focus: Rebuild of uihc.org and uichildrens.org on a new content management system. This project in full will tackle the functionalist, structure, and aesthetics of our two core patient-focused web properties.
Mariko Hagiwara
Clinical Assistant Professor Internal Medicine
Project focus: Streamlining the process of inpatient transfers between UIHC and ICVA to gain back time consumed by team members, resulting in decrease in hospital occupancy rate and length of stay.
Gary E. Harnet
Nurse Manager Nursing
Project focus: Implement best practice strategies and new technology, to improve patient perception of noise, in and around their room, during their inpatient stay.
Michelle Havinga
Director Population Health Operations/ACO
Project focus: Increase volume of diabetic eye exams performed via IDx-DR, an AI diagnostic system.
Hermann Hounkponou
Senior Application Developer HCIS
Project focus: Collaborate with the Cherwell team in order to improve the data request process, ticket prioritization and time tracking for the Reporting and Analytics Team in HCIS.
Becky Humpal
Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner Nursing
Project focus: Develop a comprehensive wound care approach to decreasing surgical site infections in cesarean section patients which can be expanded to an organizational level.
Randy Jenkins
Assistant Director Engineering Services
Project focus: Controlling Engineering Services supply costs by streamlining ordering and inventory processes.
Dana Jones
Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner Nursing
Project focus: Work with CMS and other major insurance companies to add a qualifier to coding and billing to allow APP specialty recognition for reimbursement for services.
Jennifer Krantz
Assistant Nurse Manager Family Medicine
Project focus: Improve the current workflow in which clinical delays are communicated to patients thus improving patient's perception about delays and also improving Press Ganey scores for IRL East Family Medicine patients.
Andy Kuse
Life Safety Manager Engineering Services
Project focus: Improve the accountability and accuracy of inspection testing and maintenances activities at UIHC through measurable database platforms.
Douglas E. Laux
Clinical Assistant Professor Internal Medicine
Project focus: Improve mentorship program for clinical investigators within the HCCC, and develop a program to train and assist physicians in conducting investigator initiated clinical trials.
Alex Mersch
Manager Specialty Pharmacy
Project focus: Enhancing prescription capture rate through growth of a centralized specialty pharmacy model.
Wendy Meyers
Administrative Services Specialist Marketing and Communication
Project focus: Strengthen communication to our UI Health Care providers, and implement ways to improve provider to provider communication - both internally and externally.
Alex Nance
Director Office of the Patient Experience
Project focus: Development of a comprehensive Ambulatory C3 Curriculum to be implemented in UI Health Care’s Clinics.
Santiago Ortega
Clinical Associate Professor Neurology
Project focus: Expand the neurointerventional program throughout the state including telemedicine, and satellite sites for acute coverage.
Dionne F. Peacher
Clinical Assistant Professor Anesthesia
Project focus: Improve patient safety and medication documentation administration by adoption of intraoperative infusion pump integration.
Stefanie Pirkl
HR Director Pediatrics
Project focus: Enhance Pediatric's administrative staff development.
Ryon Rasmussen
Fellow UIP
Project focus: Provide the appropriate resources for both employees and employers when it comes to COVID-19 testing.
Irena G. Rupp
Clinical Assistant Professor Surgery
Project focus: Evaluate impact of COVID-19 on surgeons and surgical patients, as well as volume of elective surgeries at UIHC compared to normal operation.
Kathryn Steffen
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Pediatrics
Project focus: Evaluation of APP transition to practice at UIHC and implementation of Transition to Practice Fellowship to support new graduate APPs through formalized curriculum, mentoring and fostering of research and publication.
Bridget Toomey
Assistant Director OBGYN
Project focus: Institute a labor and delivery center of excellence by creating a culture of mutual respect, improving communication, improving maternal and neonatal outcomes, and planning an overall vision for OBGYN at UIHC.
Erin Willits
Fellow Hospital Administration
Project focus: Creating and implementing an electronic tool for timely review of staffing data.
Brandy Wood
Associate Director Finance
Project focus: Implementation of a rolling forecast to be used at UIHC, which will allow for real time assessments and increased flexibility in financial decisions.
Yousef Zakharia
Clinical Associate Professor Internal Medicine
Project focus: Grow the Phase 1 Clinical Trials Program at HCCC and bring innovative treatment options for our cancer patients.
2019-2020
Lovkesh Arora
Clinical Associate Professor Anesthesia
Project focus: Develop Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) billing for sustainability.
Ravi Ashwath
Clinical Associate Professor Pediatrics
Project focus: Improving Outreach Pediatric Cardiology Clinical productivity.
Jacqueline Buol
Senior Compliance Coordinator Clinical Staff Office
Project focus: Develop an online application for direct download of practitioner data.
Cody Ching
Associate Clinical Department Administrator Pediatrics
Project focus: Expansion of the Neonatal Transport Program is designed to improve the access and quality of care for the state’s most critically ill neonates.
Dana Cook
Nursing Practice Leader Nursing Administration
Project focus: Development a new response team that would respond to patients who are becoming verbally aggressive and not requiring immediate hands-on intervention.
Jacque Decker
E&A Project Manager College of Medicine
Project focus: Develop the most universal clinical exam pod.
Julie Hartman
Operations Manager Hospital Administration
Project focus: A self-assessment to prepare the Center for Procedural Skills and Simulation (CPSS) to grow from a ‘Focused’ to ‘Comprehensive’ American College of Surgeons (ACS) Accredited Educational Institute (AEI).
Hilary Humphrey
Administrative Services Specialist Internal Medicine - GI/Hep
Project focus: Decreasing scheduling lag in Digestive Health through the use of a referral decision tree.
Randi Jelinek
Compliance Associate Director Joint Office for Compliance
Project focus: Standardize provider education across specialties to focus on high risk areas of coding and EHR utilization.
Jaclyn Kolosik
Senior Financial Analyst Ophthalmology
Project focus: Review and evaluate UI Optical business and operations, ensuring efficiency and optimum workflow for both patients, staff, and bottom line.
Ashly Lagneaux
Healthcare Planner Capital Management
Project focus: Develop processes and improvements for UIHC Capital Management Design and Construction Transfer Packages.
Jeffery Landry
Supply Chain Coordinator Material Services
Project focus: Transitioning the Linen and Laundry department inventory to an electronic tracking system to improve efficiencies in ordering and delivery processes.
Ben Mohr
Admin Fellow Hospital Administration
Project focus: Reduce error likelihood and decrease process waste through the use of a just-in-time blood management system.
Elizabeth Moore
Associate Director Heart and Vascular Center
Project focus: Creation of a cardiovascular service line clinical operations council focused on quality, safety, patient, and staff satisfaction.
Sheila Ouverson
Assistant Director Cancer Center
Project focus: The development of a cancer rehabilitation program at UIHC to increase the visibility and reputation of the hematological malignancies program to free up inpatient capacity by reducing length of stay for eligible patients.
Janine Petitgout
Co-Director Care Coordination Division - Pediatrics
Program Director Pediatric Pain and Palliative Care
Project focus: Increase awareness and development of the pediatric complexity tool within EPIC.
Yatish Ranganath
Clinical Assistant Professor Anesthesia
Project focus: Developing an innovative approach to delivery of pain care in the peri-operative setting with goals of improving patient satisfaction scores and reducing chronic post-surgical pain and opioid dependence.
Heather Roman
Operations and Communications Manager CDD
Project focus: Discover and develop ways to empower our clinical providers and support staff to help manage the critical touchpoints of our clinic when looking to increase patient and staff satisfaction and manage expectations.
Katie Schaier
UIP Fellow University of Iowa Physicians
Project focus: eConsult Optimization & Expansion Project: Expanding the scope of eConsults to additional adult and pediatric specialties to support patient access.
Jennifer Stout
Administrative Services Specialist College of Medicine
Project focus: Develop an Emergency Preparedness Plan for the College of Medicine that includes implementing a quick alert communication tool, emergency action plans for 12 buildings and provides building occupants first steps to action during an emergent event.
Ergun Uc
Professor Neurology
Project focus: Organization of the First Annual UI Parkinson’s Disease Patient Symposium to enhance education and UI Outreach to Parkinson’s disease community.
Melissa Vermillion
Staff Nurse Clinical Documentation Improvement
Project focus: Develop and implement the 3M 360MD query process for inpatient providers, in an effort to streamline the query process, enhance documentation accuracy, and improve documentation related metrics for our organization.
Kelly Vinquist
Clinical Assistant Professor Psychiatry
Project focus: Extending an initiative to reduce restrictive responses to challenging behaviors exhibited by patients and evaluating interdisciplinary training opportunities.
Anureet Walia
Clinical Assistant Professor Anesthesia
Project focus: Developing the Pediatric Comprehensive Pain Clinic.
Sue Witte
Behavioral Health Clinical Manager/Coordinator of the Family Support Program Social Services
Project focus: Creation of a UIHC Donor Memorial Wall.
2018-2019
Danielle Allen
Manager Human Resources, Learning and Development
Project focus: Develop and implement a supervisor training program focused on employment laws and policies to ensure supervisors throughout UI Health Care have the knowledge to successfully supervise others.
Guru Bhoojhawon
Clinical Assistant Professor Pediatrics
Project focus: Standardize scheduled general pediatric as well as nursery admissions.
Jonathan Bothell
Director Office of the Patient Experience
Project focus: Implementation of a Provider Communication Program that utilizes Evidence-based communication skills to enhance the communication practices of Care Providers at UIHC.
Nick Butler
Clinical Assistant Professor Family Medicine
Project focus: Improving physician understanding of patient communication and medical management preferences through a novel medical personality inventory aimed at improving patient-physician alignment.
Philip Danzer
Healthcare Services Supervisor/Assistant Manager Radiology
Project focus: Better connect Radiology residents with departmental research and researchers, and related departments and focus areas, throughout their entire Radiology residency.
Teresa Franklin
Assistant Director, Clinical Applications HCIS
Project focus: The After Visit Summary optimization project improved the key health information communicated between providers and patients across the state of Iowa.
Jonathan Garringer
Facilities Services Coord Environmental and Guest Services
Project focus: Implementing a “Huddle Board” in CWS Environmental Services that will eventually be implemented throughout all of Environmental Services.
Yuya Hagiwara
Clinical Assistant Professor Internal Medicine
Project focus: Develop an innovative approach to the Outpatient Supportive & Palliative Care Clinic Flow.
Greg Hamilton
Healthcare Services Manager/Assistant Department Director Hospital Admin
Project focus: Develop a process for specialty palliative telehealth consultation in partnership with the Virtual Hospitalist Program, as a means of advancing Palliative Outreach.
John Heinemann
Manager, Clinical Practice and Operations Pediatrics
Project focus: Complete a staffing & template analysis for the Department of Pediatric specialty providers (both physicians and APPs) across all practice locations (PSC, IRL, & Outreach) to develop departmental template guidelines and protocols to reduce variation and inefficiency.
Justin Kahler
Program Coordinator Cancer Center
Project focus: Develop value-based metrics and reporting mechanism for Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program.
Diane Lamb
Nursing Manager Nursing Admin
Project focus: Implementation and ongoing development of a Fixed Wing program at the University of Iowa with initial focus on neonate, pediatric patient and then expanding to all appropriate patient populations.
Dan Lose
Nurse Manager - 6RC Nursing
Project focus: Training RNs to complete patient mobility assessment and using data to drive decision-making for interdisciplinary team.
Alisha Loy
Qual & Op Improv Engineer Operations Excellence
Project focus: Building a Quality and Lean Foundation for "Cancer's Newest Miracle Cure."
Jenna Lueth
HR Manager Pharmacy
Project focus: Development of a comprehensive, accredited pharmacy technician training program with the goal of providing hands-on and experiential training to individuals entering the pharmacy technician career field.
Lyndsey Mascher
Compliance Specialist Compliance
Project focus: Assess ligature risk and mitigation plans at UIHC to ensure compliance with Joint Commission suicide prevention standards.
Rachel McGuire
Mgr, Acct and Financial Analysis Pediatrics
Project focus: Create and implement a Stead Family Department of Pediatrics Purchasing Policy that will streamline purchases made by division administration in our decentralized structure and create efficiencies in the approval process of departmental purchases.
Christine McNair
Certified RN Anesthetist/Sup Anesthesia
Project focus: The Patient Centered Perioperative Care project aims to improve patient flow through full coordination across the pre-surgical and post-surgical care continuum.
Jason Miller
Director Project Management Capital Management
Project focus: Create a data driven tool enabling leadership to properly evaluate space allocation to a department or faculty member at the Carver College of Medicine based on strategic vision, research synergies, grant funding, and space availability.
Anne Nielsen
PA/ARNP Hospitalist Pediatrics
Project focus: Updating the Child Protection Clinical Guidelines and Epic Order Sets.
Kim Ogden
Admin Fellow Hospital Admin
Project focus: Evaluation of the current MA:RN staffing model in ambulatory clinics in order to determine the appropriate model that supports physicians while improving clinic efficiency and throughput.
Sanela Omic
Support Services Coordinator Family Medicine
Project focus: Leverage Epic, MyChart, and Welcome tablet functionalities to optimize the patient check-in and registration processes.
Josh Paxton
Qual and Op Improv Engineer Office of the Patient Experience
Project focus: Improving the patient experience in the Emergency Department waiting area.
Andrew Phillips
Assistant Manager Rehab Therapies
Project focus: Implementation of a screening process to determine appropriateness for physical therapy evaluation and intervention on 6 Roy Carver inpatient unit.
Nicholas Poch
Nursing Manager - 2RC Nursing Admin
Project focus: Optimize the use of ultrasound guided peripheral IV placement to improve the patient experience and reduce hospital acquired infections (HAIs).
Abdul Qazi
Fellow Internal Medicine
Project focus: Creating a closed cardiac intermediate care unit.
Catherine Radzewich
Senior Project Manager HCIS
Project focus: Develop, evaluate and recommend process changes to the PMO project life cycle to support project managers and project leaders to identify, measure and communicate sustainable project benefits.
Prerna Rastogi
Clinical Assistant Professor Pathology
Project focus: Develop and document a standardized workflow for the 3D Histech P1000 (Pathology slide scanner) to utilize the scanned slides in patient care setting.
Sarah Schneider
Nurse Practice Leader Nursing Admin
Project focus: Complete a gap analysis for the Experienced Nurse Fellowship program to evaluate alignment with the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) global standards and develop a timeline to pursue ANCC Practice Transition Accreditation (PTAP).
Amber Skoglund
Compliance Coordinator Compliance
Project focus: Work with stakeholders to bring our institution into compliance with The Joint Commission's 2018 Pain Standards.
Christina Woline
Nursing Practice Leader Nursing Admin
Project focus: Gain a better understanding of the differences in delegated task unit-by-unit and determine how the organization could optimize the role of the nursing assistant allowing them to function at their highest level of training.
2017-2018
Nathanael Adam
Assistant Director, Administrative Applications HCIS
Project focus: Implementation of EPIC's Transfer Center module to improve standardization of data capture and improve monitoring, trending, and reporting of incoming patient transfers to UIHC.
Kyle Anson
Director of Compensation Health Care Human Resources
Project focus: Exploring additional pay practices to aid in the recruitment and retention of Staff Nurses.
Jessica Block
Nurse Manager 6JC Nursing
Project focused: Improve 6JC staff retention.
Michelle Borgwardt
Senior Physical Therapist, Assistant Manager Rehabilitation Therapies Department
Project focus: Streamlining inpatient physical therapy at UIHC: focus on value by emphasizing efficiency and efficacy.
Kristin Bramow
Administrative Fellow Hospital Admin
Project focus: Preparing for the opening of the new cancer clinic.
David Bush
Program Manager Internal Medicine
Project focus: Developing telemedicine services for general Infectious Diseases and Virology patients across the state of Iowa.
Sara Caven
Program Director Nursing Recruitment/Magnet
Project focus: Develop an additional support classification/role for the intensive care units that would allow us to reallocate our full scope nursing assistant workforce to the inpatient units that require their skills.
Julie Cayler
Research Manager Clinical Research Unit of the Institute for Clinical and Translational Science
Project focus: Develop the Academy for Research Professionals into an initial standardized and documented competency based orientation process for new research staff throughout UI.
Muhammad Furqan
Clinical Assistant Professor, Medical Director of Clinical Services Internal Med - HCCC
Project focus: Improve wait time and patient’s satisfaction at their appointments in Holder Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Jeydith Gutierrez
Clinical Assistant Professor Internal Medicine - Hospitalist
Project focus: PRICE: Patient Regionalization to Improve Care Efficiency for impatient medicine teams.
Kirsten Hanrahan
Interim Director, Nursing Research, Evidence-Based Practice & Quality Nursing
Project focus: Establish a cost structure for nursing services related to industry sponsored research.
Jennifer Harbison
Director of Health Policy VPMA
Project focus: Develop and implement a legislative and regulatory tracking system tied to the UI Health Care Strategic Plan to centralize information and UI Health Care positions.
Michael Hesseltine
Manager UI Patient Access Center
Project focus: Create new INPT discharge follow up orders, one for specialty care follow up and one for Primary Care Provider follow up needs. Embed these new orders in the discharge navigator workflow for a providers’ ease of access. Route these new orders, when signed, to the Schedule Orders Workqueue to be worked by priority by outpatient schedulers. The orders will be added to the After Visit Summary document for clinical education prior to discharge.
Janet Hosking
Nursing Practice Leader, Nurse Residency Coordinator Nursing Clinical Education Center
Project focus: The purpose of this project will be to develop a proposal and timeline for application for the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH) Provisional Accreditation for the University of Iowa interprofessional simulation center.
Ethan Frank Kuperman
Clinical Assistant Professor Internal Medicine
Project focus: Expand our Virtual Hospitalist Service; a service where we provide academic hospitalist staffing to small rural hospitals using telemedicine.
Anil Marian
Clinical Associate Professor, Medical Director of Anesthesia Informatics, Physician Informatics Officer, Clinical Director of Main Operating Rooms Anesthesia
Project focus: Epic Anesthesia enhancements including use of Haiku and Canto applications for improving documentation and timely billing.
Yusuf Menda
Associate Professor Program Director, Nuclear Medicine Residency Radiology
Project focus: Re-organize the scheduling of work during the day to make the combined operation of the nuclear medicine and PET clinics more efficient.
Jayne Nelson
HR Generalist Engineering Services, Guest Services, & Employee Health
Project focus: Create a Support Services orientation to improve culture, reduce turnover, and provide consistent training and expectations for our new employees.
Evelyn Perry
Associate Administrative Director Adult Hospitalist Program – Internal Medicine
Project focus: Implement a structured huddle with the multidisciplinary team to share key metrics for the 5 South Unit.
Connie Phommaly
Project Manager Division of General Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
Project focus: Patient Access in Outpatient General Pediatrics.
Stuart K. Pitman
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Acute Care - Department of Pharmaceutical Care
Clinical Assistant Professor Applied Clinical Science -Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science
Project focus: Determining the possibilities for increased fiscal responsibility by retrospectively analyzing UIHC’s use of inpatient biologic therapies for the treatment of adult patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Brad Seaton
Manager, Finance Analysis Pathology
Project focus: Work collaboratively with nursing and medical leadership to develop a cost benefit analysis for a 24/7 phlebotomy service.
Mel Sharafuddin
Clinical Associate Professor Surgery
Project focus: Optimizing the financial performance of the complex aortic endovascular surgery program at the University of Iowa Heart and Vascular Center.
Tejinder Singh Swaran Singh
Clinical Assistant Professor, Pain Medicine Fellowship Director, Department of Anesthesiology
Project focus: Creation of an online educational module on Responsible Opioid Prescribing for Chronic Non Cancer Pain with the aim of incorporating that into the Compliance System for Practitioners.
Becky Skinner
Manager Respiratory Care - Pulmonary Diagnostics & Hyperbaric Medicine
Project focus: To implement a Respiratory Therapy Educator Specialist program targeting chronic pulmonary disease patients that will provide education on respiratory medication delivery, self-management techniques and coordinate with the Pulmonary Clinic for discharge follow-up to improve continuity of care.
Sarah Titler
Clinical Assistant Professor, Interim Clinical Director SFCH Operating Rooms Anesthesia
Project focus: Decrease Stead Family Children’s Hospital Operating Room turnover times.
Michelle Turner
Nurse Manager IRL
Project focus: Measurement of staff satisfaction and perception of teamwork after the implementation of TeamSTEPPS in a multi-specialty clinic setting.
Staci Vaske
ARNP/PA Supervisor SNICU Anesthesia
Project focus: Creating a Fellowship program for critical care advanced practice providers.
Melissa Whisler
Clinical Department Administrator Pediatrics
Project focus: Develop a standardized onboarding and training program for administrative support leaders across all divisions in the Stead Family Department of Pediatrics.
Allison Wynes
MICU Lead APP Internal Medicine, Division of Pulm Critical Care
Project focus: Creating a Fellowship program for critical care advanced practice providers.
Amy Yoder Dowden
Clinical Associate Professor Internal Medicine - Immunology
Project focus: The development of a dedicated team based inpatient service to prioritize, then evaluate for penicillin allergy.
Lisa Zavala
Lead, Project Manager UI Physicians
Project focus: Multi-phased collaborative effort between the UI Physicians and UI Pharmacy to standardize and centralize pharmacy services. Project goals are to focus on reducing risk of pharmacy denials, increase patient satisfaction, and decrease clinician administrative burden.
2016-2017
Susan Berends
Quality and Safety Specialist Clinical Quality Safety and Performance Improvement
Project focus: A standardized plan for advanced practice provider onboarding: proposing the ideal state.
DeAnna Brennan
Quality & Operations Improvement Manager/Director Clinical Documentation Improvement
Project focus: Standardization of documentation queries in Epic with integration of UIHC approved Documentation Guidelines.
Jenniffer Carpe
Nurse Manager Ophthalmology Clinic
Project focus: Improve operations including patient access and through put in pediatric ophthalmology clinic setting and determine if growth is financially viable.
Anna Cigrand
Administrative Fellow Hospital Administration
Project focus: Developing a standardized process for completion of advanced care planning throughout the organization.
Tara Clark
Renal Services Administrator Dialysis
Project focus: Transitioning Prisoners on Dialysis to a Home Dialysis Treatment Modality at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center.
Trishul Dahya
Senior Project Manager Capital Management
Project focus: Evaluate the sustainability of new technology and building materials used in the 4 new operating rooms.
Nicholas Dreyer
Assistant Director, Clinical Applications HCIS
Project focus: Implement Laboratory Information Systems for UIHC's non-Pathology laboratories.
Matthew Espy
Senior IT Security Analyst HCIS
Project focus: Improve the after hours Help Desk phone quality and workflow to improve experience for customer and support staff.
Jill Furgason
Senior Project Manager HCIS
Project focus: To develop a Population Health Dashboard that tracks ACO metrics and generates targets.
Denise Grafft
Assistant Director, Clinical Applications HCIS
Project focus: Analysis and implementation of the Epic Case Management module.
Jessica Hanson
Assistant Nurse Manager 6RCP- Adult Internal Medicine
Project focus: Develop program to sponsor UIHC health care workers in providing international aid.
Karisa Harland
Associate Research Scientist Emergency Medicine
Project focus: Increasing acute care research through campus wide utilization of the Emergency Department Research Enroller Program (ED-REP).
Lynnette Kenne
Lean Management Engineer Department of Operations Excellence
Project focus: Improve the sharps injuries reporting process for residents in the MOR.
Vicki Kijewski
Clinical Professor Psychiatry/Internal Medicine
Project focus: Improvement of Psychiatry Admission and Transfer Process.
Maria Lofgren
Director of Advanced Practice Providers Nursing Administration
Project focus: A standardized plan for advanced practice provider onboarding: proposing the ideal state.
Brad Manning
Hospitalist, 6RC Medical Director Internal Medicine
Project focus: Initiate nurse-physician joint rounding on 6RC to improve communication and coordination of care.
Jennifer McDanel
Quality and Safety Specialist Clinical Quality, Safety, and Performance Improvement
Project focus: Perform a restrospective analysis that will identify factors associated with improving early identification and treatment of patients with sepsis.
Michael Mullinnix
Assistant Director, Administrative Applications HCIS
Project focus: Implementation of Patient Estimate functionality in Epic to provide patients with an accurate estimate of their out-of-pocket responsibility for common procedures.
Kip Pedersen
Support Services Manager IRL
Project focus: Providing a new patient experience by offering Shared Medical Appointments in our IRL Diabetes Center.
Cory Pfab
Senior Project Manager HCIS
Project focus: Replace UIHC's nurse call system and integrate with other hospital systems to provide timely notifications and enable nursing to make data-driven decisions.
Zachary Pollock
Associate Director, Clinical Cancer Services Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center
Project focus: Implementation of Supportive Oncology Services.
Barbara Schuessler
Associate Director, Nursing Emergency Medicine
Project focus: Designing updated triage space and accompanying workflows to decrease left Without Being Seen measure and increase patient satisfaction.
Shane Sedenka
Pharmacy Operations Supervisor Ambulatory Care Pharmacy
Project focus: Networking our high performing pharmacy services and evaluating their impact on population health.
Taylin Stoner
Administrative Fellow Hospital Administration
Project focus: Cost-benefit analysis to justify an increase in radiology technicians in order to maximize efficiency and effectiveness of image post-processing.
Beth Tarini
Associate Professor Pediatrics
Project focus: Optimizing the flow of the general pediatrics resident acute care clinic.
Joe Wilford
Senior Project Manager HCIS
Project focus: Upgrade of Epic EMR and related modules and applications from v2014 to v2016.
2016-2017 Executive Leadership Academy participant poster
2015-2016
Aldijana Avdic
Assistant Director, Patient Privacy, Safety, and Policy Management Joint Office for Compliance
Project focus: Create an effective EHR Patient Privacy Monitoring Program by implementing and utilizing a software system that proactively protects patient privacy.
Sabrina Awe
Project Director University of Iowa Health Ventures
Project focus: Hosting Epic (EHR) and Infor (ERP) to affiliates.
Marian Biggins
Associate Director Health Information Management
Project focus: Identification of correct patient status for patients in the Operating Room and Ambulatory Surgery Center.
James Brown
Professor Urology
Project focus: Development of cancer staging/treatment summary section within cancer patient note.
Karmen Dillon
Interim Director, Clinical Applications HCIS
Project focus: Implement a new EHR for UEHC (Employee Health).
Bridget Drapeaux
Associate Director Food and Nutrition
Project focus: Improving efficiencies in workflow to provide more meaningful info to LIPs for clinical decision making, including discharge decisions.
Jennifer Ehrlich
Assistant Nurse Manager Pediatric Dialysis
Project focus: Using telemedicine to improve patient's health with interactive communication between the home dialysis patient and multidisciplinary team.
Amy Eischens
RN CQSPI
Project focus: Transitioning data abstraction to a more automated process.
Sarah Elliott
Clinical Support Teams Supervisor Otolaryngology
Project focus: Evaluating & eliminating clinic barriers to access to increase Press Ganey scores.
Leah Engel
Nurse Clinical Specialist - Cardiomyopathy Treatment Program Heart and Vascular Center
Project focus: Development of a Center for Staff Engagement in the Heart and Vascular Center.
Andrea Greiner
Clinical Assistant Professor Obstetrics & Gynecology
Project focus: Telehealth program in OB ultrasound to provide MFM consults to pregnant women at risk fetal anomalies.
Steve Hamilton
Manager HCIS
Project focus: Expand the partnership between HCIS and Capital Management to align technology requirements and ensure stakeholder vision.
Enrique Leira
Associate Professor, Acting Director Comprehensive Stroke Center Neurology
Project focus: Expanding Acute Stroke Call & telestroke Providers at UI Comprehensive Stroke Center.
Luke Leyden
Chief Architect Capital Management
Project focus: Studying design elements of the new Children's Hospital Integrated Cancer Center that can be incorporated in future UIHC projects.
Nicholas Mohr
Assistant Professor Emergency Medicine, Anesthesia
Project focus: Developing sepsis outreach program for critical access hospitals in Southeast Iowa.
Kelsey Montross
Research Support Manager Psychiatry
Project focus: Mental health integration between the UI and the VA.
Ken Nepple
Clinical Assistant Professor Urology
Project focus: Creating data linkages to leverage unique data sources for outcomes assessment in patients with cancer.
Denise Rettig
Director, Clinical Functions Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Project focus: Expanding off-site infusion opportunities for HCCC.
Adam Santi
Health Care Services Associate Director Dermatology
Project focus: Expanding dermatologic clinical service via private practice acquisition.
Keri Semrau
Director UI Patient Appointment Center
Project focus: Develop and implement a methodology and tool for monitoring, tracking and reporting scheduling variances.
Melinda Shetler
Assistant Director Rehabilitation Therapies
Project focus: Development of formal mentorship model.
Mark Thomason
Lean Management Engineer Operations Excellence
Project focus: Staff & equipment planning for Infusion Suite expansion.
Katie Tunning
Manager, Data & Analytics HCIS
Project focus: Create a centralized report request and review process available to end users within UIHC.
Nick Weime
Management Srvs Manager EVS
Project focus: Satellite Locations EVS Process Standardization.
Heidi Williams
Nurse Clinical Specialist Navigators
Project focus: Clinical Documentation Seminar for M2's at Carver College of Medicine.
2014-2015
Matthew Berg
Project Manager Capital Management
Project focus: Comparison of two UV sterilization systems in the OR.
Herbert Berger
Clinical Professor/Director Joint Office for Clinical Outreach
Project focus: Encourage physician participation in Clinical Outreach.
Kiley Bybee-Francque
Associate Director Joint Office for Compliance
Project focus: Achieve patient-centered medical home recognition for all primary care clinics and providers.
Lasticia Coleman
PA/ARNP Hospitalist OBGYN
Project focus: Implementing Team STEPPS on the OB inpatient units.
Thomas Collins
Clinical Associate Professor Surgery
Project focus: Operation and financial plan for center procedural skills and stimulation.
Mindy Curtin
Senior Financial Analyst EVS
Project focus: Implementation of automated inventory supply software.
Courtney Mace Davis
Manager Central Sterilizing Services
Project focus: To improve the quality of instrument trays supplied by Central Sterilizing Services to the main operating room.
Elaine Demetroulis
Medical Director Outpt. Cardiology/PICC Line Services
Project focus: Implement a vascular access device choice algorithm.
Jenny Fitzpatrick
Manager CDD Rehab Therapies
Project focus: Increase patient engagement by utilizing family centered care model.
Ryan Flynn
Director of Physics Radiation Oncology
Project focus: Implementing Valumetric Modulated Arc Therapy to improve treatment efficiency.
Lori Goedecke
Assistant Nurse Manager Nursing Administration
Project focus: Development and initiation of a patient satisfaction survey designed for patients of the Digestive Disease Procedure Center.
Jennifer Goerbig-Campbell
Interim Director Cardiomyopathy Treatment Program
Project focus: Develop Heart Failure QAPI Program.
Susan Hanken
Manager Respiratory Care
Project focus: Facilitate pulmonary function testing in asthmatic patients.
Sarah Healy
Assistant Nurse Manager Nursing Administration
Project focus: Multidisciplinary rounds with patients, family and nursing participation.
Elizabeth Jaggers
Assistant Department Director Radiology
Project focus: Implement decision support to help guide physicians when ordering imaging procedures.
Joyce Kutin
Staff Nurse Hospital Based Projects
Project focus: Frontline providers capturing codable documentation: Electronic Application.
Anne Kwitek
Associate Director Iowa Institute of Human Genetics
Project focus: Developing a NGS-based panel for PGx testing to determine each person's Phamacogenomics Profile (PGxP).
Geeta Lal
Associate Professor Surgery
Project focus: Improve admission times in 4JP inpatient unit.
Elaine Martin
Director of Clinical Functions Perioperative
Project focus: Facilitate Team STEPPS implementation and sustainment in Perioperative Services.
Bill Millard
Manager EVS
Project focus: EVS business plan for the Children's Hospital.
Mary Lee Neuberger
Advanced Practice Nurse Nursing Administration
Project focus: Develop a comprehensive renal replacement therapy education program.
Cathy Pierce
Interim Administrator/Director HVS
Project focus: Heart & Vascular Center Strategy.
Christina Spofford
Assistant Professor Anesthesia
Project focus: Develop high fidelity simulation program for maintenance and certification and assessment of clinical competence.
Marjorie Tucker
Assistant Department Director Neurology
Project focus: Combine EEG lab and Epilepsy Monitor Unit sharing resources and improving patient care.
Marta VanBeek
Clinical Associate Professor Dermatology
Project focus: Innovative alternate models of dermatology.
Rujuta Vidal
Clinical Nurse Manager UICMS
Project focus: Physician efficient, patient focused care using scribing.
Michael Voigt
Medical Director Liver Transplantation
Project focus: Reduce readmissions through improved discharge process and transition care.
Emily Wynn
Nurse Manager Nursing Administration
Project focus: Implement the Patient Acuity Workload scoring system in our EMR.
Marta Zahs
Nursing Clinical Strategist Nursing Administration
Project focus: Creating interoperatives safety checklist for robotics.