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NEXUS Linking Academics with Practice. FALL 2024UAB Department of Health Services Administration ➤ uab.edu/hsa Losing a Legend: Chuck Stokes C harles D. “Chuck” Stokes (MSHA Class 17) passed away unexpectedly July 23, 2024. He was dedicated to giving back. Far more than just an alumnus, Chuck cherished our department’s faculty, staff and students, serving as an Executive-in-Residence, interim department chair, and long- time contributor to our National Symposium for Healthcare Executives. Above all, Chuck had a unique ability to make people feel valued and special, fostering a sense of belonging and appreciation with those he encountered. Chuck served in executive leadership positions in seven non-profit healthcare organizations. He made a difference in many organizations and will be especially missed by colleagues at Memorial Hermann Health System, North Mississippi Health Services and Huntsville Hospital Health System. Throughout his career, Chuck’s organizations participated in UAB’s MSHA Preceptors’ Conference and he mentored many students. In retirement, he returned to Alabama and served as Interim Department Chair from July 2022 to March 2023. Throughout his career, Chuck and his wife Judy were always present, connected and generous with their time and their passion for service and for healthcare. Chuck’s legacy is incredible in the careers of students he taught and mentored. He served on the ONE MSHA Campaign Committee, helping to raise more than $1 million in scholarships. He and his wife established the Chuck and Judy Stokes Endowed Scholarship for Diversity and Inclusion for MSHA students looking to improve health care in vulnerable communities. How lucky are we to call this great man our friend and colleague. We are better for having known you. Rest well, Chuck. ■ John McWhorter-Charles Hagood at the 2nd DSc Colloquium Chuck Stokes and MSHA Students at ACHE booth in 2022. IN THIS ISSUE: ➤ HSA News & Updates ....... 02 ➤ Department Highlights: Research ............................. 06 Faculty Recognition .......... 10 Meet the Authors .............. 12 Global Impact .................... 14 ➤ Student Placements: BSHCM Internships ........... 16 MSHA Internships .............. 20 MSHA Fellowships ............ 22 ➤ Program Highlights: HCM ...................................... 24 MSHA .................................... 25 EMSHA .................................. 26 HI ........................................... 27 HQS ....................................... 28 SIM ........................................ 29 PhD ........................................ 30 DSc ........................................ 31 ➤ Alumni Engagement: Legacy of Leaders ............. 32 Student Scholarships ....... 33 Alumni Recognition .......... 36 Events & Activites ............. 40 ➤ Career Moves .................... 42 Scan the QR to share memories and photos of times with Chuck on kudoboard.com ➤ Learn more about our department at uab.edu/hsa ➤ HSA NEWS & UPDATES Fall 2024 NEXUS Newsletter A s the summer winds down, we are looking forward to cooler fall days. This issue of NEXUS highlights UAB’s Department of Health Services Administration activity with alumni, students, faculty and staff during 2023-24. We are grateful for the engagement of our partners across our programs. We are celebrating the achievements of Dr. Bob Hernandez and his 50+ years of service to the university and the field of health administration education on October 24, 2024 (see back cover), along with awards received by alumni and faculty. We are also mourning the loss of two beloved faculty members – Dr. Eta Berner and Chuck Stokes . Several faculty members have retired, and others have been hired to carry the torch. Our students continue to excel in securing internships and administrative residencies while our alumni make us proud as they forge new career paths through promotions and new roles. Our faculty enhance their research portfolios with exceptional grants and publications. Our students are the benefactors of our alumni’s financial generosity which we were able to highlight at the Legacy of Leaders event. We hope you enjoy all the articles and let us know about the extraordinary work and activities you are involved. All my best, Randa S. Hall, MBA, MSHA Associate Chair, External Relations & Alumni Affairs 2 HSA FALL 2024 NEXUS[ HSA NEWS & UPDATES ] HSA group photo at CAHME Awards during ACHE in Chicago, IL. MS in Health Administration (MSHA) Program Recognized for Innovation T he UAB Master of Science in Health Administration (MSHA) program has been acknowledged for excellence by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) as the winner of the 2023 CAHME/George and Regi Herzlinger Innovation Education Award for the Development of Educational Skills Focusing on Invention, Evaluation, and Adoption of Innovation in Healthcare. On March 24, 2024, the Herzlinger award was presented at the CAHME Awards Ceremony during ACHE in Chicago, Illinois. The MSHA program was recognized for its excellence in providing a foundation in the principles of innovation for future leaders to be the change agents needed in healthcare. Regi Herzlinger, DBA, was particularly impressed that the program has an entire EMSHA course dedicated to Healthcare Innovation that is taught by the UAB Health System’s Deputy Chief Information Officer. In addition, it was noted that a strength of UAB’s MSHA program is in “weaving innovative concepts throughout the curriculum, the “InnoHack,” and the learning process where the importance of innovation is highlighted by faculty visits to leading innovators.” This national award recognizes George and Regi Herzlinger’s breakthrough contributions in creating and inspiring medical innovations that changed patients’ lives and helped entrepreneurs globally. It recognizes the significant impact that CAHME Accredited programs can have in providing the foundation in the principles of innovation for future leaders to be the change needed in healthcare. ■ 3 uab.edu/hsa➤ HSA NEWS & UPDATES Celebrating Eta Berner’s Influence on Biomedical and Health Informatics E ta S. Berner, EdD, FACMI, FIAHSI, died on December 11, 2023, only a month after interacting with many colleagues at the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) Annual Symposium in New Orleans. As co-workers, collaborators, and friends, we each have personal memories that we hold near and dear. Dr. Berner was a member of UAB faculty from 1986 until her retirement in 2023. Even in retirement, she continued to teach as an adjunct faculty member and conduct research as an investigator on grants. Beyond JAMIA, Dr. Berner’s influence was international in scope. In addition to editing multiple volumes of highly valued textbooks, Clinical Decision Support Systems: Theory and Practice and Informatics Education in Healthcare: Lessons Learned, she made longstanding contributions as an IMIA Yearbook co-editor for the Health Information Exchange section. Most recently, she had been contributing to the development of clinical decision support for participants and clinicians involved in the electronic MEdical Records and GEnomics (eMERGE) study. ■ This excerpt is from an article in JAMIA (2024, 31(3), 549–551). The Authors, Suzanne Bakken, PhD; James J. Cimino, MD; Sue Feldman, PhD; Nancy M. Lorenzi, PhD, celebrated Eta Berner and her professional contributions. Eta was a much-loved member of our department family – everyone was touched on a daily basis by her kindness. We are truly grateful for every moment we shared with Eta, and we will miss her deeply. — JANE BANASZAK-HOLL, PhD, DEPARTMENT CHAIR Dr. Berner was an author of 20 papers published in Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association (JAMIA), the most recent in the February 2024 issue, posthumously. Her 1994 New England Journal of Medicine paper on evaluation of diagnostic decision support systems set the standard for rigorous evaluation of such systems. Several of her early JAMIA papers reflected her expertise in decision support, while others represented Dr. Berner’s commitment to competency-based informatics education was evident through her own work as well as her substantial contributions to efforts within AMIA. A third area of important contribution published in JAMIA was in the area of professional ethics for the field. In addition to her authorship contributions, Dr. Berner served multiple terms on the JAMIA Editorial Board providing thoughtful peer-reviews on hundreds of manuscripts. HSA has created a scholarship in honor of Dr. Berner — Scan the QR to contribute today! 4 HSA FALL 2024 NEXUS[ HSA NEWS & UPDATES ] Health Equity Leadership Academy Graduates 5th Cohort D uring Fall 2023, we successfully completed our fifth cohort for the UAB Health Equity Leadership Academy. The Academy, whose students are known formally as the John Lewis Equity Scholars, seeks to prepare outstanding college students who identify with racially/ethnically underrepresented groups, are from rural or other underrepresented geographical areas, or are first- generation scholars. This year, we had 10 scholars matriculate into the program and for 10 weeks they attended professional development seminars led by HSA faculty and staff as well as external speakers. Topics included Anatomy of a Graduate School Application, Developing a Mentor Network, Health Equity Simulation, Diversity in Health Care, Personal Branding and more. They also took a transformative journey to the Equal Justice Initiative’s Legacy Museum in Montgomery, to delve into the profound intersections of racial injustice, civil rights, and health disparities in American History. Reflecting on the significance of the trip, Dr. Geoff Silvera emphasized: “Health disparities are not new; they reflect longstanding systemic inequities deeply entrenched in our society. However, there is also a narrative of progress that is often forgotten when we discuss the harsh realities of our history. I am hopeful that the knowledge gained today will inspire meaningful action among our students and myself.” Avery Wiles , an undergraduate Health Care Management major and participant in the trip, shared a heartfelt reflection, stating: “As we traveled to Montgomery, I was reminded of the need for celebration. Celebration for the differences amongst our group, celebration for the lives we are able to live, and celebration for new and impactful opportunities. We still live in a world that is in desperate need of change and has a very long ways to go. I am thankful for this opportunity and the experiences that came with it as I was able to learn more about the past. I am now part of the fight for a more unified world and have a newfound gratitude for the life I can live.” We are very proud of each member of this year’s John Lewis Equity Scholars! ■ 5 uab.edu/hsa➤ DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS $1M Awarded to Study Ways to Reduce Emergency Department Overcrowding F aculty members Abdulaziz Ahmed, PhD and Bunyamin Ozaydin, PhD , have been awarded $1 million to develop and implement solutions to reduce emergency department (ED) overcrowding. “This is definitely a significant topic and an important societal problem,” said Abdulaziz Ahmed, PhD, associate professor in our department and associate scientist in the Center for Clinical and Translational Science. The research will use artificial intelligence, machine learning and health information technology to analyze the Full Capacity Protocol (FCP) in managing patient flow in the ED and beyond. The FCP consists of multiple levels, each triggered by specific criteria. When a level is activated, various interventions can be implemented to address ED crowding. Ozaydin, who has extensive system development experience in the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine Department ABDULAZIZ AHMED, PhD Associate Professor BUNYAMIN OZAYDIN, PhD Associate Professor 6 HSA FALL 2024 NEXUS[ RESEARCH UPDATES ] of Anesthesiology, emphasizes that ED overcrowding is not solely an ED problem but rather a hospital-wide issue affecting patient flow. “After leaving the operating room, surgical patients go into post-op or ICU, then some go to inpatient units, and those are the same destinations for admitted ER patients,” Ozaydin said. “That is why we’re looking at this more holistically and looking at more of the overall hospital patient flow.” Shortly after joining the HSA department, Ahmed gave a presentation at the CCTS, where he discussed the research he conducted, predicting ED admission disposition at the time of triage. This connected him with James Booth, M.D., associate vice chairman of the UAB Department of Emergency Medicine and interim chief medical information officer of the UAB Health System. After extensive discussion, they agreed to collaborate and proposed shifting from reactive strategies to proactive solutions. “In the simplest terms, we decided to use AI and machine learning to leverage reactive FCP and make it proactive,” Ahmed said. “We plan to use a deep learning model to predict different patient flow measures across the hospital and then package all these models to feed data automatically into a decision support system, which is a dashboard that can be integrated with the set of tools the patient flow management team utilizes.” The team will focus on the conceptualization and development of the process and procedures in the first two years of the grant. During this time, the UAB team will study the effectiveness and feasibility of proactive FCP that is supported by AI. “The models are the engine of the car, but an engine alone doesn’t get you there — you have to build a car that is actually drivable,” said Ozaydin, who holds a master’s degree in electrical engineering and a doctoral degree in computer engineering. “For that, we need a substantial system with input interfaces, output interfaces, user requirements, user interfaces and more built around the models.” The proactive FCP simulation will compare the system prediction model outcomes with the reactive outcomes to evaluate the effectiveness of the proactive FCP before its full implementation. Once the models reach a certain maturity level, they will be launched live. During the last three years of the study, they will focus on establishing a proof-of-principle by implementing their models at three hospitals. The selection of multiple sites will enable them to generalize the system as much as possible and to study configuration settings specific to a particular organization. “We will do the customization for the first site, and then we will do it at the other sites so we can understand what parameters need to be generalized, which will help us better understand how our solution can be implemented at any given hospital,” Ozaydin said. “There are many very complex processes in health care that could be improved. Our project further signifies the importance of AI in positively impacting everyone’s lives and how it can be used to tackle many problems across health care.” ■ There are many very complex processes in health care that could be improved. Our project further signifies the importance of AI in positively impacting everyone’s lives and how it can be used to tackle many problems across health care. — BUNYAMIN OZAYDIN, PHD 7 uab.edu/hsa➤ To learn more about our research projects, contact Larry Hearld, PhD at lhearld@uab.edu. ➤ DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS Estimation of Racial and Language Disparities in Pediatric Emergency Department (ED) Triage Using Statistical Modeling & Natural Language Processing Seung-Yup (Joshua) Lee, Mohammad Alzeen, Abdulaziz Ahmed Journal of American Medical Informatics Association The study aims to assess racial and language disparities in pediatric ED triage using analytical techniques and provide insights into the extent and nature of the disparities in the ED setting. Results: The study consistently found that non- White children, especially African American (AA) and Hispanic, were often under-triaged, with AA children having >2 times higher odds of receiving lower acuity scores compared to White children. While the results are generally consistent, incorporating relevant variables modified the results for specific patient groups (eg, Asians). Conclusions: The study’s findings highlight the significant need for equal and fair assessment and treatment in the pediatric ED, regardless of their patients’ race and language. Assessing Student Empathy Elicited After In-Person and Screen-Based Poverty Simulations Ashleigh Allgood, Anita Samaniego, Dawn Taylor Peterson, Michelle R. Brown At UAB, we implemented a poverty simulation both in person and screen-based. Both modalities are followed by a structured debrief focused on: 1) challenges faced navigating life in poverty, 2) decisions made that impacted family and income, 3) Insights gained on how healthcare professionals can better meet the needs of individuals with low income. Results: It is important to train future healthcare providers how to empathetically care for those in socioeconomical hardship. Conclusions: Overwhelmingly, students responded with cognitively empathic statements for both poverty simulations. One student noted ‘I gained insight as to how/why parents aren’t able to always be active in their kid’s life,’ another remarked ‘Even if someone is doing their best, circumstance may still stand in the way of them doing what I think is right or best for them.’ Researching “Real World” Issues Our faculty focus on a variety of research interests while they also teach and serve. These overviews highlight some of these projects and their collaborations. 8 HSA FALL 2024 NEXUS[ RESEARCH UPDATES ] Leadership to Accelerate Healthcare’s Digital Transformation: Evidence From 33 Health Systems Christy Harris Lemak, Dalton Pena, Douglas Jones, Dae Hyun Kim, Janet Guptill Journal of Healthcare Management This study seeks to understand the evolving roles of CEOs, chief information officers, and other executive leaders in the post-pandemic era and highlight the adaptability and strategic vision of healthcare executives in shaping the future of healthcare delivery. Results: Some incumbent healthcare information systems executives are unprepared for current and future challenges, and some CEOs are unsure how to leverage digital technologies and C-suite executive expertise to transform their organizations. Conclusions: This research provides important insights into how the nation’s health systems are building and sustaining leadership teams capable of adapting to the changing healthcare environment as well as accelerating organizational transformation. Organizational and Market Characteristics Associated with Nursing Homes’ Affiliation with a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) Dae Hyun Kim, Ganisher Davlyatov, Phil Cendoma, Robert Weech-Maldonado Journal of Hospital Management and Health Policy CCRCs have emerged as an integrated long-term care solutions, but face limitations due to location in affluent areas. This study examines differences in organizational and market factors, quality, and financial performance between nursing homes with & without CCRC affiliation. Results: Findings reveal that nursing homes with CCRC affiliation have higher quality star ratings but lower operating margins than those without the affiliation. Conclusions: This study is the first to examine the association between the delivery of a continuum of care and an organization’s performance, using a national sample of nursing home data over 5 years. It provides a comprehensive examination of the CCRC affiliation utilizing rigorous methodology. Future research will investigate the relationship between nursing homes with CCRC affiliation and different quality star rating domains, and financial performance associated with quality star ratings for nursing homes with & without CCRC affiliation. Service Mix and Financial Performance in Rural Hospitals Phil Cendoma, Ria Hearld, Devdutt Upadhye, Rob Landry III, Amy Landry Health Care Management Review In this article, we explore rural hospital service offerings and financial performance, with an aim to illuminate if specific service offerings are associated with positive financial performance in a rural setting. Results: The findings suggest that some services deemed unprofitable in urban and suburban hospital settings – such as obstetrics and drug/alcohol rehabilitation – are associated with higher margins in rural hospitals. Other unprofitable service lines – such as psychiatry and long-term care – are associated with lower margins in rural hospitals. Conclusions: Hospital administrators in rural settings need to take a nuanced look at their environmental and organizational specifics when deciding upon the service mix. Generalizations regarding profitability should be avoided to maximize financial performance. Analyzing Multiple Social Determinants of Health Using Different Clustering Methods Li Zhang, Olivio Jay, Seung-Yup (Joshua) Lee, Carrie Howell International Journal of Environmental Research & Public Health Here we discuss our experience utilizing three statistical methods—exploratory factor analysis (FA), hierarchical clustering, and latent class analysis (LCA)—to analyze data collected using an electronic medical record social risk screener called Protocol for Responding to and Assessing Patient Assets, Risks, and Experience (PRAPARE). Results: We identified a total of three composite SDoH clusters using FA, along with four clusters identified through hierarchical clustering, and four latent classes of patients using LCA. Our results highlight how different approaches can be used to handle SDoH, as well as how to select a method based on the intended outcome of the researcher. Conclusions: Our study shows the usefulness of employing multiple statistical methods to analyze complex SDoH gathered using social risk screeners such as the PRAPARE tool. ■ 9 uab.edu/hsaNext >