2018 Health Informatics Research Seminars

UNC-CH

Broadcast Link: Seminar

Abstract:

While there has been a growing emphasis on Health Information Systems (HIS) strengthening and measuring how they contributes to improved health outcomes, there is limited understanding of factors affecting HIS improvement at different stages of its development. The Monitoring and Evaluation to Assess and Use Results (MEASURE) Evaluation Phase IV is a USAID-funded five-year (2014-2019) project. MEASURE Evaluation’s mission is to contribute to better health for people living in low-income countries by assisting governments and health institutions to generate and use information to change what doesn’t work and to scale up what does. This seminar will review the five stages of improvement together with associated domains/sub-domains and discuss attributes defining  HIS improvement at different stages of HIS development.

Biosketch:

Manish Kumar, MPH, MS, is the Senior Technical Specialist for Health Systems Strengthening in the MEASURE evaluation Project at the University of North Carolina. His work focuses on providing technical and capacity-building support for implementation of the Data for Accountability, Transparency and Impact Monitoring (DATIM) System of PEPFAR in more than 50 developing countries. He is currently also a PhD student in the Carolina Health Informatics Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a member of the Digital Health and Interoperability working group of the Health Data Collaborative, an inclusive partnership of international agencies, governments, philanthropies, donors and academics, with the common aim of improving health data.

UNC-C

Broadcast Link: Seminar

Abstract:

Patient portal usage is a significant research topic because of the ongoing proliferation of patient portals driven by the need for providers to comply with Meaningful Use mandates and other legal requirements. Portal proliferation has also been driven by motivations to address the rising costs and improve the quality of healthcare, factors important in the current political and economic environment and of great importance to both small and large businesses as they struggle to reduce costs. Despite these motivations, a majority of Americans are either unaware of or do not have access to digital tools to better manage their health care. The motivating factors of portal usage remain unclear, hampering healthcare providers from being compliant and from exploiting the full potential of the technology. Our research study will investigate the factors that influence patient portal usage and its impact on health-seeking behaviors and health outcomes.

Biosketches:

Reginald Silver, DPH, MBA
Clinical Assistant Professor, Belk College of Business, UNC-Charlotte
Dr. Silver teaches courses in management information systems, statistics, and business computing.  His research interests include human and systems integration, healthcare information technology, business analytics, and big data. Prior to joining Belk College, he had over 18 years of experience in healthcare operations and finance.

Antonis Stylianou, PhD, MBA
Chair, Dept. of Business Information Systems & Operations Mgmt, UNC-Charlotte
Dr. Stylianou also serves as professor of Management Information Systems and Data Science and Business Analytics. In addition to consulting with several Fortune 1000 companies and non-profit organizations, his industry experience includes an appointment in the Information Management department at Duke Energy. He currently serves as a senior editor for the Database for Advances in Information Systems journal.

Chandrasekar Subramaniam, PhD, MBA
Associate Profesor of Managment Information Systems, UNC Charlotte
Dr. Subramaniam’s research projects have been funded by corporations such as Caterpillar, Motorola, State Farm Insurance, and the Center for e-Business and IT Management at the University of Illinois. He has published in several leading journals in information systems and contributed chapters for two books on electronic commerce.

ECU

Broadcast Link: Seminar

Abstract:

The world is abuzz with blockchain – the secure, distributed ledger made famous by Bitcoin. Daily, we read of yet another startup or how an organization is seeking to integrate the technology into its infrastructure. While blockchain has been actively deployed in the financial sector for many years, its disruptive nature has only recently become apparent. As a result, researchers and technologists from virtually every domain have sought to implement blockchain. While healthcare is not an exception, the very essence of health data along with questions regarding blockchain’s role in delivering quality care, have erected barriers to its realization in practice. In this presentation, we will explain the basics of blockchain, discuss its benefits in healthcare (from the patient’s perspective), submit a patient-centered framework, propose solutions to several confounding problems, and present a proof-of-concept prototype named HealthChain.

Biosketch:

Ray Hylock, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Services and Information Management at East Carolina University. He received his BS in Business Administration with an emphasis in High Technology Management from California State University, San Marcos, and MS and PhD in Informatics with an emphasis in Health Informatics from the University of Iowa. His research primarily focuses on computation advancements to support patient care in the areas of health care databases/data warehouses, federation, advanced data structures, optimization, and heuristics.

NCCU

Broadcast Link: Seminar

Abstract:

Dr. Noah Lenstra will be sharing information on how public libraries in the U.S. and Canada support public health through community partnerships. In the U.S. there are 16,536 public libraries, and with recent and ongoing changes in how people access information this ubiquitous social infrastructure has begun to change. Data from the Public Library Association show that between FY2012 and FY2016 attendance at public library programs in the U.S. increased by 27.5% This finding illustrates how people use public libraries differently than they have in the past. They come to attend and participate in programs, many of which form out of community partnerships. This talk begins with the current state of research on how public libraries contribute to public health. Much of this research focuses on consumer health information services, or how public librarians help answer questions related to health. Dr. Lenstra’s research suggests that we do not know enough about other ways that public libraries contribute to heath, namely through the rise of health programming in libraries, which includes things like yoga and tai chi classes, among many others. Based on two studies — a survey of 1622 public librarians in the U.S. and Canada and a series of in-depth interviews with 37 North Carolina public librarians — Dr. Lenstra discusses what health programs public libraries currently offer, what community partnerships undergird these programs, and what impacts these programs have, in terms of physical and health literacies. The talk concludes with an interactive discussion, in which attendees will learn how health informatics scholars and practitioners can best work with public librarians to powerfully contribute to public health outcomes.

Biosketch:

Dr. Noah Lenstra, MLIS is an Assistant Professor of Library and Information Studies in the School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he is also an Affiliated Faculty member in the Gerontology Department. Dr. Lenstra studied at the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois, completing his Ph.D. in 2016. He currently serves on the Advisory Board for the Public Library Association’s Initiative to Advance Health Literacy and Consumer Health Information in Public Libraries, an initiative funded by National Network of Libraries of Medicine, a unit of the NIH’s National Library of Medicine. His current research focuses on how public libraries support public health through programming and partnerships. With his colleague Dr. Ellen Rubenstein from the University of Oklahoma, he has published “Health Literacy and Physical Literacy: Public Library Practices, Challenges, and Opportunities,” in the Proceedings of the 2018 ALISE Conference. His research on this topic has also been published or has been accepted for publication in Library Quarterly, Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, Journal of Library Administration, Public Library Quarterly, and Advances in Library Administration and Organization. More information on Dr. Lenstra’s background and work can be found on his website: http://www.noahlenstra.com/.

Duke University

Broadcast Link: Seminar

Abstract:

In this seminar we will discuss the American College of Rheumatology’s RISE Registry, a registry of electronic medical record data pulled directly from clinical visits.  In just a few years, this Registry has pulled together larger datasets than ever seen in Rheumatology, but is the data useful and can it improve care?

Biosketch:

Dr. Clowse is a rheumatologist with a clinical and research interest in reproductive health.  Since she began her fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 2002, she has pursued clinical research that would identify the optimal management approaches for rheumatic diseases, including lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, during pregnancy.  As the Director of the Duke Autoimmunity in Pregnancy Registry, she has cared for and studied over 450 pregnancies in women with rheumatic disease over the last decade.  She is now an international leader in Reproductive Rheumatology, speaking to rheumatologists and obstetricians world-wide about improvements in management.  In this role, she was the primary organizer for the 9^th International Conference on Pregnancy, Reproduction, and Rheumatology in San Diego in 2016.  She is currently a member of the Core Leadership team for the development of the inaugural Reproductive Health Guidelines for the American College of Rheumatology.

Dr. Clowse earned her Master’s in Public Health, with an emphasis on Population and Family Health, from the University of California, Los Angeles, and her medical degree from Vanderbilt Medical School.  She completed her Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital before joining the Duke faculty in 2005.

Dr. Clowse is now the Associate Director of Duke Forge, bringing her clinical and clinical research expertise to this data-analytics team.  She is also the Director of the Duke/DCRI RISE Data Analytics Center and a long-term member of the American College of Rheumatology’s Research and Publications Committee.

UNC-CH

Broadcast Link: Seminar

Abstract:

Of North Carolina’s 100 counties, 70 are considered rural. Many rural communities in North Carolina experience a lack of access to health care services and are designated Health Professional Shortage Areas due to workforce shortages in primary care, mental health, and dental health. Telehealth and telemedicine can help to increase access to care by connecting patients with a provider at a distant site. Initiatives like the North Carolina Statewide Telepsychiatry Program (NC-STeP) provide virtual care services across the state and have been successful in improving outcomes for rural and underserved populations.

Biosketch:

Brian Cooper, Jr., MHA is the Telepsychiatry & Rural Hospital Specialist for the North Carolina Office of Rural Health, a division of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. His role involves the administration of two federal grants that benefit small and rural hospitals across North Carolina. Brian is also heavily involved with the North Carolina Statewide Telepsychiatry Program and served as the primary author for the telemedicine study recently conducted by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Brian holds a Master of Healthcare Administration from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and has a passion for working with rural and underserved communities.

UNC-C

Broadcast Link: Seminar

Abstract:

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a national public health concern. In this study we demonstrate a nationwide AMR surveillance network and utilize data inputs from multiple agencies (USDA, FDA, etc) and how to track AMR gene flow using a mathematical model.

Biosketch:

Dr. Cristina Lanzas is an associate professor of epidemiology at  the College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University. She received her Ph.D. and completed postdoc training at Cornell University. She is specializing in data analysis and mathematical modeling of various infectious diseases. She is leading PI of multiple grants, including R01s from NIH/NIGMS.

ECU

Broadcast Link: Seminar

Abstract:

Some of the key objectives of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) meaningful use (MU) program (and now advancing care information under Quality Payment Program for office based providers) include patient engagement, effective communication and care coordination. The program was designed with the view that Electronic Health Records (EHRs) have the potential to empower patients, foster patient engagement, enhance self-care and preventive behaviors. In addition, meaningful use, as designed, may encourage improvement in care coordination by marshaling personnel and other resources needed to facilitate the exchange of information among care providers and patients.

This presentation will review findings from a study that sought to determine whether: a) performance in meaningful use patient engagement and care coordination objectives are associated with improved patient experience, b) performance on meaningful use patient engagement and care coordination objectives are associated with 30-day hospital readmissions, and c) patient experience performance is associated with 30-day hospital readmissions, controlling for MU patient engagement and care coordination.

Biosketch:

Jason Mose, PhD, MBA, MS, CHFP, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Services and Information Management at East Carolina University. Jason earned a baccalaureate degree in business administration with a concentration in information management systems from Montclair State University in New Jersey, a master’s degree in health services management and policy from New School University in New York, an MBA from New Jersey City University, also in New Jersey. Lastly, Jason earned his PhD in Health Policy and Management from the Gillings School of Global Public Health at UNC Chapel Hill. His dissertation topic was “Estimating the Effects Of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) Sophistication and EHRs Years of Experience on Health Care Quality, Patient Experience, 30-Day Readmissions, and Profitability in U.S Acute Care Hospitals.”

Duke

Broadcast Link: Seminar

Abstract:

The need for real-world data (RWD) and evidence (RWE) on patient outcomes is driving a number of high-priority policy efforts on the national and state level. From payment reforms based on the value that medical products achieve in actual practice to regulatory considerations for utilizing RWD and RWE within the Food and Drug Administration’s decision-making framework, these efforts in turn will depend upon the availability of trusted data and evidence networks. This presentation from the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy will provide an overview of the policy needs driving the development of such networks and the remaining data and methods challenges to making more routine use of RWD and RWE.

Biosketch:

Morgan Romine, MPA is a Managing Associate at the Duke-Robert J. Margolis, MD, Center for Health Policy in Washington, DC, where he oversees the Center’s Real-World Evidence Collaborative and cooperative work with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. His research covers a wide range of issues related to biomedical innovation, regulatory science, and postmarket evidence development. Before joining the Duke-Margolis Center, Morgan was a Research Associate with the Brookings Institution’s Center for Health Policy and on research staff at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in Kansas City, Missouri.

NCCU

Broadcast Link: Seminar

Abstract: 

Since 2014, graduate students in the Masters of Information Science (MIS) degree program at NCCU have been testing the usability of tools, apps, and expert systems designed to enhance access to relevant information about improving healthcare. As research adviser, Dr. Deborah Swain, Ph.D., in the School of Library and Information Sciences (SLIS), has prepared students and guided research on UX (user experience).  The presentation will provide a “kaleidoscope” review of the research, including award-winning poster presentations, which include studies of a knowledge-based system that described migraine headache symptoms and an expert system providing diabetes and healthcare resources. Each of the early studies aimed to improve how users find healthcare information in the NLM (National Library of Medicine) databases and local resources based on a front-end tool. Most recently, students investigated a mobile app to attract young adults to interact about healthy eating and a comparative study of FitBit^tm bracelets and mobile apps such as Health App^tm. The thesis used in all the research projects is that researching interfaces for user-friendly designs and observing human-computer interactions in terms of navigation, understanding and learning can lead to recommendations to improve product development and healthcare tools. Joining Dr. Swain in discussing the research studies in usability are MIS graduate assistants Michelle Robinson and Bijaya Sharma.

Biosketch: 

Dr. Deborah E. Swain, PhD., is Associate Professor in the School of Library and Information Sciences at NC Central University in Durham, NC. She has over 20 years experience in process engineering, organizational design, business and technical training for corporations such as IBM, AT&T, and Lucent Technologies/Bell Labs. In 1999, she completed her doctorate in Information Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also has an MA from UNC-CH in English and a BA from Duke University. She has presented at conferences, published articles and contributed chapters to books on social network analysis, collaboration, health informatics, and knowledge management. In addition to her faculty position at NC Central University, Dr. Swain has also taught at UNC-Chapel Hill, NC State University, and Campbell University. She currently teaches graduate courses in health informatics, expert systems (knowledge bases) and human factors (usability research). Ms. Michelle Robinson (MIS student) has her BA in Public Health Education from NCCU, has studied healthcare in Africa, and is completing an internship at Durham County Health Services.  Ms. Bijay Sharma (MIS student)  has an undergraduate degree in veterinary science from Nepal, is studying health informatics, and recently was part of an award winning poster presentation at the 2018 NCCU Research Symposium ("Usability of Tool for Tracking Fitness" with Tomika Royster and Sparshini Thota).

UNC-CH

Broadcast Link: Seminar

Abstract:

Some estimates place the cost of bringing a drug to market at one billion U.S dollars and hence reducing the cost and length of clinical trials can indirectly lower healthcare costs. One source of clinical trial failure, lack of efficacy and safety, could be mitigated through decision support for patient stratification.  As part of the NIH-funded Biomedical Data Translator project, we are integrating multiple, previously disparate datasets, which is empowering investigators with new tools for data-driving patient subtyping. For example, through the Data Translator project, we can combine clinical records with exposure data in support of powerful models for classification. We have implemented supervised and unsupervised machine learning models on these data for predicting patient outcomes according to exposure in order to better understand patient disease and response.

Biosketch:

Dr. Robasky earned her Ph.D. from Boston University on fellowship From George Church with Harvard’s Department of Genetics. She has 10+ years of experience in architecting and delivering sustainable software systems, and spent several years as a scientist and product developer for a sequencing lab owned by Quintiles. Dr. Robasky joined the Renaissance Computing Institute (RENCI) in the fall of 2016 and holds adjuncts to both the Department of Genetics and the School of Information and Library Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Robasky is a contributor to the NIH Biomedical Data Translator and NIH Data Commons Pilot programs.

Duke

Broadcast Link: Seminar

Abstract: 

Almost anything and everything that relates to healthcare is changing. Many of these changes relate to new and developing technologies; to data sharing across sites of care; to new methods for reimbursement; to new roles for the stakeholders involved in the delivery of health care; to the delivery of care in new settings; to changing and aging populations; and to shifts in responsibilities.  Computers and robots will replace humans for many of the tasks now done by humans including decision making.  New types of data will become a key part of decision making – behavioral, genomic, social, and environmental will be added to clinical data. Patients will play an increasingly important role in taking responsibility of their own health and decision-making. New ways of using and viewing data are essential for the volume of data.  Patient Reported Outcomes will become a primary source of data.  Precision Medicine will focus on individuals. Population Health will engage all sectors of the world around us – individuals, families, neighborhoods, communities, regions, countries, and the global society.

Biosketch:

Ed Hammond, PhD, is the Director of the Duke Center for Health Informatics, Clinical and Translation Sciences Institute (CTSI).  He is also the Director of Academic Affairs for the Master of Management in Clinical informatics (MMCi) degree program in the School of Medicine; and the Director for Applied Informatics Research, Duke Health Technology Solutions. Dr. Hammond is the Chair Emeritus of HL7 International.

Duke

Broadcast Link: Seminar

Abstract: 

The unambiguous sharing of healthcare data is insufficient to meet the needs of our delivery system. Moreover, the means for exchanging data has not facilitated data reuse for a broad range of purposes, including quality evaluation, decision support, clinical research, primary medical science, and public health. Standards must rapidly evolve despite an environment constrained by the limited resources, by government regulation and by a rapidly evolving knowledge base. The Department of Health & Human Resources has replaced the requirements of Meaningful Use with Interoperability. The standards development community has applied innovative approaches to realizing these goals. HL7 FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) has brought us closer to true interoperability. Today, FHIR has become even easier to implement, and the world has embraced the opportunity.

Biosketch: 

Charles Jaffe, MD, PhD, FACP, FACMI is the Chief Executive Officer of Health Level 7 International (HL7). He completed his medical training at Johns Hopkins and Duke Universities and post-doctoral training at the National Institutes of Health and the Lombardi Cancer Center. He has served in various academic positions in the Departments of Medicine and Pathology, as well as in the School of Engineering. Prior to joining HL7, he was the Senior Global Strategist at Intel. In addition, he led a national research consortium, found a consultancy for research informatics, served as the VP of Medical Informatics at AstraZeneca, and the VP of Life Sciences at SAIC. Dr. Jaffe has been the contributing editor for several journals and has published on clinical management, informatics deployment, and healthcare policy.

UNC-C

Broadcast Link: Seminar

Abstract: 

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) involves fluid-filled cysts, progressive total
kidney volume and glomerular filtration rate decline to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). 50 to 70% of the
ADPKD population requires either renal dialysis or transplant by the 4th-6th decade of life. ESRD
imposes extreme physiological burden on patients and substantial economic burden on the US healthcare system. In this seminar, we will look at the objective, the results and the conclusion of a study done to evaluate the risk difference and crude rate of mortality in ADPKD-ESRD patients on dialysis or after transplant.

Biosketch:

Christopher M. Blanchette, PhD, MBA is the Director of the Data Science Initiative and an Associate Professor of Public Health Sciences for the College of Health & Human Services at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He maintains adjunct appointments with the W.G. (Bill) Heffner VA Medical Center in Salisbury, NC as well as the Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Eshelman School of Pharmacy and the Department of Pharmaceutical Marketing at the Saint Joseph’s University Erivan Haub School of Business. Dr. Blanchette’s research focuses on using Big Data to assess the clinical and economic outcomes associated with pharmaceutical use for chronic diseases.  He was formerly a Principal & the Americas Leader for the Retrospective Outcomes Research Center of Excellence at IMS Health, directed the Division of Clinical & Outcomes Research at the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute and served in payer marketing and health economics and outcomes research roles for GlaxoSmithKline, Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Inc., and the Premier Hospital Alliance.

Laura Clark, M.S., RCEP is currently a 3^rd year PhD student in Health Services Research at UNC Charlotte.  While working on her doctoral degree, she has lead a research program in health economics and outcomes for rare diseases focused on autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease in the Health Analytics and Outcomes Research Academy (HAnORA).  In addition to her own research, Laura also serves at the ISPOR student chapter president for UNC Charlotte.  Previously, Laura completed an internship at Precision Health Economics providing consulting services to HEOR scientists in biopharmaceutical manufacturing.  Prior to her doctoral studies, Laura’s experience includes years of clinical engagement in cardiovascular, pulmonary and oncology healthcare.  Laura has a M.S in Kinesiology from UNC Charlotte and certification as a Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist in the American College of Sports Medicine.

UNC-CH

Broadcast Link: Seminar

Abstract: 

EHRs offer the potential to improve patient care by efficiently and effectively providing information that is critical for clinical decision making. However due to poor usability, inefficient integration with workflows, and suboptimal training, EHRs also created unintended consequences for patient safety. Healthcare providers in today’s complex environment find themselves in various situations that change their workload every moment. To maintain an optimal performance level, healthcare providers regulate their behavior or adaptable strategies of cognitive resource allocation to cope with increased demands (e.g., due to interaction with sub-optimal EHRs) to mitigate workload required to perform the task. Our research is focused on assessing providers’ interaction behavior to better understand the relationship between workload and performance.

Biosketch: 

Prithima Reddy Mosaly, PhD, MHA, is a Research Assistant Professor in the Division of Healthcare Engineering in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is an expert in Human Factors and Ergonomics and has applied both valid and developed new methods to better understand physicians’ behavior during interaction with electronic health record (EHR systems).

NCCU

Broadcast Link: Seminar  (Click play button on the bottom left)

Abstract: 

Tele-health and tele-medicine is a growing technology in health informatics. This presentation will describe an infra-structure that has been established to provide a tele-network in rural areas of NC. What has been done over eight years has successfully provided communications and education about legal, environment, justice, and health issues. The NCCU School of Law Virtual Justice Project (VJP) began in 2010 with a $2.4 million project budget, which included a $1.9 million grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP).  The project responded to a federal and state initiative to expand the use and adoption of broadband in NC by providing vital education and services to underserved communities throughout the state.  Today, it operates additional funding to support rural education in NC, including health and environmental law supported by the US Department of Agriculture, Rural Utilities Services. Applying tele-presence and high definition videoconferencing, the network can broadcast information to libraries, clinics, and locations where health disparities exist in NC. Future opportunities for tele-health or tele-medicine will be discussed.

Biosketch: 

Gregory W. Clinton, Sr. is Director of Information Technology and Facilities in the NC Central University School of Law. He received a BA in Business Administration from Morehouse College. He directs the Virtual Legal Education or “Virtual Justice Project” (VJP), an innovative combination of legal education and technology. Under Mr. Clinton’s direction services have expanded more broadly as the NCCU School of Law partnered with four North Carolina universities (NC A&T University, Elizabeth City State University, Winston Salem State University, and Fayetteville State University) and 22 Legal Aid – NC and legal services sites. Audiences include hundreds of predominantly rural program participants across the state.

Duke

Broadcast Link: Seminar

Abstract: 

Increased interest in medical imaging has resulted in development of a variety of image analysis systems. Many of these systems follow the ‘computer-aided diagnosis’ paradigm. In this paradigm, the main function of the image analysis system is to help medical professionals (e.g. radiologists, pathologists, dermatologists) in their decision-making, instead of making decisions on their behalf. If a system is designed to help medical professionals, its logic, development methodology and evaluation should make sense to the medical professionals who use them.

In this talk, we will describe how to develop an image analysis system, its modular blocks, how to translate medical knowledge into algorithms, how to supplement this knowledge with pattern recognition methods, and how to evaluate them with carefully designed reader studies in which medical professionals with varying levels of experience participate as readers.

Biosketch: 

Dr. Metin Gurcan is Director of Center for Biomedical Informatics and Professor of Internal Medicine, Pathology and Biomedical Engineering at Wake Forest School of Medicine and Director of the Clinical Image Analysis Lab (http://tsi.wakehealth.edu/CIALab/). Dr. Gurcan received his BSc. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Bilkent University, Turkey and his MSc. Degree in Digital Systems Engineering from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, England. From 1999 to 2001, he was a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Radiology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Following his postdoctoral work, he worked as a senior researcher and a product director at a high-tech company, specializing in computer-aided detection and diagnosis of cancer from radiological images. Previously, he was Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Pathology, Director of Division of Clinical and Translational Informatics at the Ohio State University.

Dr. Gurcan is the author of over 200 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters and was awarded three patents for his inventions in medical image analysis. He is the recipient of several awards including the British Foreign and Commonwealth Organization Award, NCI caBIG Embodying the Vision Award, NIH Exceptional, Unconventional Research Enabling Knowledge Acceleration (EUREKA) Award, Children’s Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award, The OSU Cancer Center REAP Award, and Pelotonia Idea Award. As an internationally recognized researcher and educator, he is a senior of member of IEEE, SPIE, and AMIA. He currently serves on the editorial boards of Journal of Pathology Informatics and Journal of Medical Imaging; and organizes the Pathology Informatics Histopathological Image Analysis (HIMA) workshop.

UNC-CH

Broadcast Link: Seminar (Click play button on the bottom left)

Abstract: 

A key component of comprehensive survivorship care planning is survivorship care plans (SCPs), documents that summarize cancer diagnosis, treatment, and plans for follow-up care. However, research concerning the effectiveness of survivorship care plans (SCPs) on patient outcomes or health service use has thus far been inconclusive. SCPs that are tailored to individual patients’ needs for information and care may improve effectiveness. In this NCI-funded pilot randomized clinical trial, we examine the feasibility of an Enhanced Survivorship Care Plan (ESCP) that integrates a symptom self-management mHealth program called Prostate Cancer Education and Resources for Couples (PERC) into the existing standardized SCP. Prostate cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer in men in the U.S. (excluding skin cancer); men with prostate cancer frequently experience treatment-related side effects and symptoms, which reduce the quality of life for both men and their partners. The results from this study will help design a definitive randomized trial to test the efficacy of the ESCPs, a potentially scalable program, to enhance supportive care for prostate cancer patients and their families. Our findings will also help explore a new model of care that enhances survivorship care planning and promotes health for cancer survivors who transition from active treatment to post-treatment self-management.

Biosketch: 

Dr. Lixin Song is an Associate Professor and Beerstecher-Blackwell Distinguished Term Scholar at the UNC School of Nursing and Adjunct Associate Professor at the UNC School of Medicine. Dr. Song received her PhD in nursing from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.  Her research focuses on improving symptom management and quality of life among cancer survivors and their family caregivers. Dr. Song and her team have developed innovative mhealth programs to support cancer patients during care transition from active treatment to post-treatment self/family-care at home. Dr. Song is currently working on two ongoing projects that are funded by NCI (R21) and NINR (R01).

UNC-C

Broadcast Link: Seminar  (Click play button on the bottom left)

Abstract: 

The wide spread of health misinformation could have serious consequences on how general public interpret and respond to real information, particularly during disease outbreaks. By choosing 2016 Zika epidemic as the research context, this study aims to understand how real and misinformation about Zika disseminate on Twitter and how their information dissemination dynamics differ from each other. Dynamic information dissemination networks for top retweeted real and misinformation about 2016 Zika epidemic were constructed and analyzed. The findings showed that real information about Zika went through significantly fewer layers of dissemination compared to misinformation about Zika. The dissemination networks of real information about Zika were more easily divided into subnetworks than those of misinformation. In addition, the dissemination of misinformation about Zika involved fewer opinion leaders than that of real ones about Zika. Opinion leaders also played a more critical role in the dissemination of real information about Zika, such that removing them from the networks was more detrimental to the spread of real information than to that of misinformation about Zika.

Biosketch: 

Dr. Shi Chen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. His research interests include analysis and modeling health-related discussion (especially infectious disease epidemics) on social media (especially Twitter); modeling socioeconomic and environmental interactions on mosquito population and vector-borne diseases; and modeling pathogen transferring dynamics in healthcare facilities. His research has been published in Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) Public Health and Surveillance, Mathematical Medicine and Biology, Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, Scientific Reports, and International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

ECU

Broadcast Link: Seminar  (Click play button on the bottom left)

Abstract:

The world is abuzz with blockchain – the secure, distributed ledger made famous by Bitcoin. Daily, we read of yet another startup or how an organization is seeking to integrate the technology into its infrastructure. While blockchain has been actively deployed in the financial sector for many years, its disruptive nature has only recently become apparent. As a result, researchers and technologists from virtually every domain have sought to implement blockchain. While healthcare is not an exception, the very essence of health data along with questions regarding blockchain’s role in delivering quality care, have erected barriers to its realization in practice. In this presentation, we will explain the basics of blockchain, discuss its benefits in healthcare (from the patient’s perspective), submit a patient-centered framework, propose solutions to several confounding problems, and present a proof-of-concept prototype named HealthChain.

Biosketch:

Ray Hylock, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Services and Information Management at East Carolina University. He received his BS in Business Administration with an emphasis in High Technology Management from California State University, San Marcos, and MS and PhD in Informatics with an emphasis in Health Informatics from the University of Iowa. His research primarily focuses on computation advancements to support patient care in the areas of health care databases/data warehouses, federation, advanced data structures, optimization, and heuristics.

NCCU

Broadcast Link: Seminar

Abstract: 

This presentation includes two studies on e-health information seeking behaviors of two ethnic groups (i.e., Hispanic Americans and African Americans).

Promoting healthy life style via mobile-health technology for African American young adults: As part of a theory-based project, this study reports the first phase of elicitation interviews to design and implement an effective information intervention with an emphasis on behavior changes in life style. This project employs multi-level theories as a theoretical foundation and guidance throughout different phases of the health information promotion. These theories include the Integrated Behavioral Model (IBM), Behavioral Change Model Taxonomy, and Message Framing. The results of the elicitation interviews allow us to develop more appropriate questionnaire items to measure each of the model constructs. They will also be design messages and the delivery methods of the m-Health technology intervention to change behaviors for healthy lifestyle.

Hispanic Americans and public libraries: Assessing their health information seeking behaviors in the e–health environment: This study examines the health information seeking behaviors of Hispanic Americans in the e-Health environment and their use of public libraries as a health information source/service.  An interviewer-administered survey was conducted using a semi-structured instrument. The questionnaires inquired about Hispanic Americans’ health information needs, source use, and source preference;  use of the library for health information needs; and their perceptions and satisfaction about the library’s consumer health information services.

Biosketch: 

Dr. EunYoung Yoo-Lee, is an associate professor at the School of Library and Information Sciences at NCCU. She received her PhD in 2004 in Library and Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and MA in Journalism and Mass Communications from Sogang University, Seoul, Korea. Her research areas include human information behaviors in diverse contexts, digital library and social media use, consumer health informatics and diversity education.  Specifically, she has researched health information seeking behaviors and health literacy in the e-health environment with a focus on women and ethnic populations, undergraduate students’ source selection and use, their use of social media as information sources, and the use of academic library spaces by undergraduates. Her research has been published in Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology (JASIST), Library Quarterly, College & Research Libraries, Reference Services Review, etc.

UNC-CH

We sincerely apologize that the November 7th seminar was not video recorded.  You can access the PowerPoint slides here.

Abstract: 

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have been a part of our vocabulary since the 1950’s, so why is it suddenly getting so much attention? This talk will examine the combination of factors that have accelerated AI’s contribution to healthcare decision making, look at real world examples of applied AI delivering measurable improvements, and discuss some of the disciplines and processes an organization needs to master to make productive use of these new technologies.

Biosketch: 

Greg Kuhnen is a senior research director at The Advisory Board, a global research firm focused on helping healthcare executives develop and implement strategies to achieve system goals. Greg brings 18 years of experience in applied medical informatics, including leadership roles in care management, analytics, and health information exchange companies. His work at Advisory Board focuses on improving interoperability and advancing the use of data at every level of decision making.

ECU

Broadcast Link: Seminar

Abstract: 

Historically, the divide between the demand and supply sides of Data & Analytics (D&A) is as famous as the feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys.  On the one hand, the demand side pursues information that fuels business and clinical insights, requiring rapid access to clean, enriched data in a variety of forms ranging from raw data to reports to highly tuned analytic models. The supply side concerns itself with data quality, governance issues and requirements elicitation along with the myriad of technical nuances that serve to deflect from its intention.

Across the analytics lifecycle, we can use design thinking to understand the needs of our customers, employ systems thinking to look holistically at the interactions we have with customers, and iteratively build and prototype solutions that delight. Analytics Service Design refers to the interconnectedness of human, digital, and physical touchpoints, over time, to create an experience that meets the needs of your customer.

The way in which analytics products are managed can directly influence the perception of value. Organizations that adopt design thinking strategies as a way to engage customers, to facilitate collaboration, to develop ideas and test them, are more likely to demonstrate value. This often requires a shift in mindset—to walk the fine line between fully developed, production quality products, and the minimally viable product (MVP.)

The culture of services can be seen in analytics teams that have an intrinsic desire to proactively address customer problems and “delight” them through the delivery of data products. Service and “doing the right thing” are valued over policy and organizational charts.

In this presentation, we will review a number of techniques taken from design thinking that will help you understand the needs of the analytics customer. We will review examples including journey maps to better understand the interactions customers you have with your analytics organization, identify and prototype the moments that matter along the customer journey, and build a service blueprint to align stakeholders and share the vision of your service. The analytics service is where the demand side of your organization meets the supply side.

Biosketch: 

Greg Nelson, MMCi, CPHIMS recently joined Vidant Health as the Vice President, Analytics and Strategy.  Prior to Vidant, Greg was the founder and Chief Executive Officer of ThotWave, an analytics advisory firm specializing in healthcare analytics.

Greg serves as an expert for the International Institute for Analytics and adjunct faculty at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. He teaches analytics in both the School of Nursing and at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.

An author with over 200 papers and publications, Mr. Nelson is a regular speaker and keynote presenter at national and international events in both technology as well as for private companies and events.  As an analytics evangelist and futurist, Greg has brought his 20+ years of analytics advisory work to bear through a recently published book addressing the people and process side of analytics In addition to his recent book entitled The Analytics Lifecycle (Wiley, 2018,) Through this pragmatic treatment of the analytics lifecycle, Greg speaks to both the practical and human-centeredness of analytics in a way that is accessible and useful for all data champions.

Mr. Nelson earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz in Psychology, a Masters of Management in Clinical Informatics from Duke University, and conducted Ph.D. level work in Social and Cognitive Psychology from the University of Georgia.