Health Sciences

A Data-Driven Approach to Wildfire Health Risk Mitigation

kaylal — Tue, 20 May 2025 06:23:01 +0000

A Data-Driven Approach to Wildfire Health Risk Mitigation kaylal Mon, 05/19/2025 - 23:23 Our team needed to integrate diverse data streams to dynamically identify patients at risk and proactively distribute tailored resources to empower them to protect their respiratory health. Our team needed to identify when high risk patients with respiratory conditions were experiencing poor air quality caused by wildfire smoke. We worked collaboratively with clinical subject matter experts (SME) to define the appropriate target patient population and air quality thresholds. Three wildfire MyChart letter templates were developed, each providing actionable recommendations, which was developed locally by SME’s. A Tableau Wildfire Alert Report was created and is linked to the Epic workbench reports. Occasional data inaccessibility from upstream sources (EPA, NASA) required process reruns. This pilot program demonstrated the potential of the wildfire alert system to improve patient care during wildfires, with future efforts focusing on optimizing the system's accuracy and scalability.

Matthew Crase

Supervisor of Clinical Informatics at UC Davis Health

Matthew Crase is the Supervisor, Clinical Informatics in the Office of Population Health and Accountable Care and has been at UCDH since 2019. Before taking on this role, Matthew came to UC Davis as a member of the Quality Initiatives and Reporting in the Quality and Safety Department at UCDH. His focus at Quality and Safety was direct technical support for the Quality Initiative Program (QIP). Matthew brings a quality background to his current position; prior he worked for over eight years at the California Correctional Health Care Services for the Quality Management department. He has a BA in Political Science from UC Santa Barbara. Matthew has consistently utilized data-driven approaches throughout his career to foster support and implement enduring changes that significantly benefit patients.

Andrew Wong

Clinical Informaticist IV at UC Davis Health

Andrew Wong is a Clinical Informaticist at UC Davis Health, where he plays a vital role in advancing data-driven healthcare solutions that support population health and accountable care initiatives. Andrew holds a master’s degree in mathematics, providing a strong foundation for his analytical approach to problem solving, and previously held a position with the state of California overseeing the data integrity of the Medi-Cal managed care program. In his current role, Andrew applies his expertise as an analytics engineer, helping to transform complex data into actionable insights that improve patient outcomes and operational eDiciency. His work exemplifies the UC Tech 2025 theme—"Innovate. Integrate. Inspire."—by leveraging technology to bridge gaps in healthcare delivery, integrating novel data into informatics solutions to enhance patient support initiatives, and inspiring teams to adopt a data-informed culture that drives innovation within the UC Davis Health system.

Session Format

Poster

Session Skill Level

Intermediate

Session Status

Accepted

Session Track

Health Sciences

Session Track Reasoning

Large-scale wildfires can significantly contribute to poor air quality during active fire events through the release of various pollutants. Our patient population is directly affected by these wildfires and the increase in poor air quality, especially those diagnosed with Asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). This project sought to create an intelligent alert system using both internal (Electronic Health Record (Epic)) and external (Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA)) data sources to support patients with respiratory conditions during wildfires.

June 27, 2025 @ 10:45 am - June 27, 2025 @ 11:30 am

EH C

APeX Enabled Research

kaylal — Tue, 20 May 2025 06:17:08 +0000

APeX Enabled Research kaylal Mon, 05/19/2025 - 23:17 This poster will highlight the impact of the APeX Enabled Research (AER) team on implementing clinical and technical innovations at UCSF. The poster will explain the primary goals of the team, volume of project work, and breadth of technologies used to support research innovation. Ideally UC Tech attendees will learn more about what is technically possible today to support research, get inspiration for projects at their organization, get connected with others doing similar work, and lead to future collaboration and innovation across UC campuses. The AER team has supported dozens of research implementations over the last six years and would love an opportunity to share our learnings with the UC Tech community.

Jory Purvis

APeX Enabled Research - Technical Lead at UC San Francisco

Jory Purvis is the Technical Lead for the APeX (Epic) Enabled Research Team at the University of California, San Francisco. He and his team support the full research project lifecycle—from initial study design, scoping, and budgeting to grant submissions and ongoing implementation. Their work includes developing innovative Epic configurations, supporting multi-site study implementations, and enabling external system integrations to advance clinical research across institutions.

Jassmine Vansise

APeX Enabled Research Build Analyst at UC San Francisco

The APeX Enabled Research (AER) team at UCSF supports researchers in utilizing UCSF's Epic instance to advance their research and clinical trials. In my role as an AER Build Analyst, I work closely with researchers to implement their algorithms, digital tools, and interventions within APeX. I collaborate with teams across UCSF and external sites to develop tailored technical solutions—from disease registries and clinical detection tools to SMART on FHIR integrations, SQL queries, and custom workflows. The work the AER team does aims to bridge the gap between the research and health systems, implementing technology to support data-driven clinical innovation and outcome evaluation.

Session Format

Poster

Session Skill Level

Intermediate

Session Status

Accepted

Session Track

Health Sciences

Session Track Reasoning

The APeX Enabled Research team support the implementation of research projects within the EMR environment. Our team is consistently helping test new clinical and technical innovations in a real-world environment. This includes new therapies, processes, AI models, and integration of new technologies into the clinical workflow.

June 27, 2025 @ 10:45 am - June 27, 2025 @ 11:30 am

EH C

Revolutionizing Postpartum Discharge: Virtual Nursing’s One-to-Many Approach

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 06:53:44 +0000

Revolutionizing Postpartum Discharge: Virtual Nursing’s One-to-Many Approach Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/27/2025 - 23:53 This innovative care model leverages virtual nursing to support the efficient discharge of moms and babies from postpartum care unit. By enabling one nurse to manage and assist multiple families simultaneously, the model streamlines the teaching process, expedites discharges, and ensures a safe forum for patients to ask questions and share concerns. This communal approach not only provides individualized care but also fosters a sense of shared experience, reassuring new mothers that they are not alone on their journey. The virtual nursing model has undergone continuous iterations, incorporating feedback to enhance its effectiveness. Future updates will include support for additional languages, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility for diverse patient populations. The model is also expanding, with more nurses being trained to take on the virtual nursing role, further increasing its reach and impact.

Amy Kuwata

Clinical Nurse Informaticist at UC San Francisco

Amy Kuwata is a Clinical Nurse Informaticist at UCSF Health, integral to the Nursing Informatics team. With Master’s degrees in Nursing and Geology, she combines scientific and technological expertise in her role. Amy has 20 years of experience as a registered nurse and clinical nurse specialist, board certified in nursing informatics for nine years, and has been active in this field since 2007. Her journey began with a strong foundation in science and technology from her career as a geologist. Driven by a passion for midwifery, she returned to academia to pursue nursing, though life steered her toward healthcare technology. Amy’s clinical experience started in obstetrics as a labor and delivery nurse. Initially, she focused solely on nursing, keeping her tech skills hidden. Her desire to help colleagues with computer malfunctions, EHR documentation, and data issues soon surfaced. Now, as a Clinical Nurse Informaticist at UCSF, Amy analyzes nursing workflows, implements technology, and educates staff to enhance patient care. She aims to reduce workflow burdens, increase nurse satisfaction, and improve patient experiences.

Session Format

Standard Presentation

Session Skill Level

Advanced

Session Status

Accepted

Session Track

Health Sciences

Session Track Reasoning

This topic is excellent for the healthcare track at UC Tech because it demonstrates innovative solutions for providing postpartum discharge care through virtual nursing. The one-to-many scenario optimizes nurse efficiency, allowing a single nurse to support multiple moms and babies simultaneously, ensuring timely and effective discharges. Virtual nursing leverages technology to provide personalized care, enhance patient outcomes, and streamline processes, reducing the strain on healthcare resources. Attendees will gain insights into leveraging tech for scalable, efficient, and high-quality patient education. The integration of virtual nursing showcases how technology can revolutionize traditional care models, making it a pertinent and impactful discussion.

June 26, 2025 @ 4:00 pm - June 26, 2025 @ 4:45 pm

MR 7

A Data-Driven Approach to Wildfire Health Risk Mitigation

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 22:53:04 +0000

A Data-Driven Approach to Wildfire Health Risk Mitigation Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/27/2025 - 15:53 Our team needed to integrate diverse data streams to dynamically identify patients at risk and proactively distribute tailored resources to empower them to protect their respiratory health. Our team needed to identify when high risk patients with respiratory conditions were experiencing poor air quality caused by wildfire smoke. We worked collaboratively with clinical subject matter experts (SME) to define the appropriate target patient population and air quality thresholds. Three wildfire MyChart letter templates were developed, each providing actionable recommendations, which was developed locally by SME’s. A Tableau Wildfire Alert Report was created and is linked to the Epic workbench reports. Occasional data inaccessibility from upstream sources (EPA, NASA) required process reruns. This pilot program demonstrated the potential of the wildfire alert system to improve patient care during wildfires, with future efforts focusing on optimizing the system's accuracy and scalability.

Matthew Crase

Supervisor of Clinical Informatics at UC Davis Health

Andrew Wong

Clinical Informaticist IV at UC Davis Health

Session Format

Poster

Session Skill Level

Intermediate

Session Status

Accepted

Session Track

Health Sciences

Session Track Reasoning

June 26, 2025 @ 1:00 pm - June 26, 2025 @ 1:45 pm

EH C

Creating 14,000 Problem Solvers: A Path to Operational Excellence

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 18:02:24 +0000

Creating 14,000 Problem Solvers: A Path to Operational Excellence Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/27/2025 - 11:02 What do you get when you combine a common continuous improvement vision for 14,000 staff members, 5,600+ Lean trained team members, 700+ improvement projects, 300 daily engagement huddles, and plenty of problems to solve…??? You get a well-oiled organization with empowered team members, reduced waste and wait times, financial savings, and improved care and quality! Now more than ever, “efficiency” is the name of the game. It’s never too late to kickstart or renew your continuous improvement practices. Come learn how UC San Diego transformed healthcare outcomes using an award-winning approach to continuous improvement. We’ll share our Lean House foundation, the Daily Engagement System, along with a wealth of unique resources to continually develop and empower our most valuable resources, our staff! Side Notes: Open to Panel or Standard session format. The attachments include: The application used for UCTech Award this year, and the 6-year Continuous improvement journey.

Mojgan Amini

Director of Transformational Healthcare at UC San Diego Health

Mojgan Amini is an enthusiastic leader with a proven track record in driving large-scale innovation and digital transformation. She specializes in spearheading and implementing world-class solutions, collaborating with C-suite executives, and enhancing team engagement and productivity. Passionate about continuous improvement, modernizing operations and fostering a positive workplace culture, she leverages solid methods to tackle complex challenges and deliver measurable results. Mojgan has played an active leadership role at UC San Diego and UC San Diego Health for close to 20 years.

Session Files

uc-tech-awards-application-form-2025-healthcare-transformation-team-1.docx (39.03 KB)

6-years-in-on-our-transformational-healthcare-journey.pptx (8.23 MB)

Session Format

Standard Presentation

Session Skill Level

Beginner

Session Status

Accepted

Session Track

Health Sciences

Session Track Reasoning

We are totally open to classifying the session in the track that is most appropriate.

June 26, 2025 @ 10:45 am - June 26, 2025 @ 11:30 am

MR 8

Imaging to Intervention: Automating Aortic Stenosis Detection in the EHR

Anonymous — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 17:39:50 +0000

Imaging to Intervention: Automating Aortic Stenosis Detection in the EHR Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 03/21/2025 - 10:39 Severe aortic stenosis (AS) is a life-threatening condition with a high mortality rate if left untreated. Studies show that symptomatic severe AS can have a 50% mortality rate within one year, yet timely intervention with aortic valve replacement (AVR) significantly improves survival outcomes. Despite the availability of effective treatment, many cases go unnoticed or unaddressed due to gaps in clinical workflows and provider follow-up. The ValveAccess project aims to bridge this gap by integrating cardiology imaging databases with Epic to create an automated, real-time patient identification and referral pipeline. The system detects severe AS findings in echocardiograms and automatically alerts the patient's care team. If no action is taken within 14 days, an automatic referral is triggered to the Cardiac Valve Center for further evaluation. By leveraging technology to streamline clinical decision-making, ValveAccess represents a scalable life-saving innovation in health sciences.

Jassmine Vansise

APeX Enabled Research Build Analyst at UC San Francisco

Jory Purvis

APeX Enabled Research - Technical Lead at UC San Francisco

Session Format

Standard Presentation

Session Skill Level

Intermediate

Session Status

Accepted

Session Track

Health Sciences

Session Track Reasoning

The ValveAccess project directly supports the Health Sciences track by addressing clinical care technology and electronic health record integration to improve patient care and outcomes. This initiative exemplifies how technology can enhance disease detection, provider communication, and clinical workflow efficiency. It aligns with the UC health mission by ensuring critical echocardiogram findings lead to timely interventions, with the objective of reducing preventable mortality rates in patients with severe aortic stenosis.

June 27, 2025 @ 1:00 pm - June 27, 2025 @ 1:45 pm

RC C

APeX Enabled Research

Anonymous — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 17:02:53 +0000

APeX Enabled Research Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 03/21/2025 - 10:02 This poster will highlight the impact of the APeX Enabled Research (AER) team on implementing clinical and technical innovations at UCSF. The poster will explain the primary goals of the team, volume of project work, and breadth of technologies used to support research innovation. Ideally UC Tech attendees will learn more about what is technically possible today to support research, get inspiration for projects at their organization, get connected with others doing similar work, and lead to future collaboration and innovation across UC campuses. The AER team has supported dozens of research implementations over the last six years and would love an opportunity to share our learnings with the UC Tech community.

Jory Purvis

APeX Enabled Research - Technical Lead at UC San Francisco

Jassmine Vansise

APeX Enabled Research Build Analyst at UC San Francisco

Session Format

Poster

Session Skill Level

Intermediate

Session Status

Accepted

Session Track

Health Sciences

Session Track Reasoning

June 26, 2025 @ 1:00 pm - June 26, 2025 @ 1:45 pm

EH C

Optimizing Epic User Support with AI-Powered Chatbot

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 18:58:17 +0000

Optimizing Epic User Support with AI-Powered Chatbot Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 03/11/2025 - 11:58 As institutions continue to evolve in the digital landscape, optimizing IT support is crucial for enhancing user experience and operational efficiency. This session explores how an AI-powered chatbot can revolutionize Epic user support by providing immediate assistance, reducing helpdesk call volume, and improving response times. A real-time dashboard tracks key metrics such as response time, interaction frequency, and peak call volume, enabling data-driven decision-making to refine support strategies. Attendees will gain insights into how AI-driven automation can streamline IT service management, enhance resource allocation, and improve end-user satisfaction in higher education and healthcare environments.

Peggy Conner

Epic Principal Trainer at UC Irvine

Peggy has built an established and impactful career in healthcare information technology and electronic health record (EHR) training, sustained by years of dedicated service in advancing clinical systems and user education. A California resident since 1981, she moved from Michigan to pursue professional opportunities in the growing field of Information Services. She began her career with CompuCorp in Santa Monica, California, where she quickly demonstrated her aptitude for complex systems and was entrusted with a prestigious assignment as a Marketing Support Representative in Washington, D.C. In this role, she provided on-site technical support and system training to high-profile clients including the Superior Courts and the White House—an early testament to her exceptional communication and instructional abilities.

Her expertise deepened in 2007 when she obtained her Epic Ambulatory Certification from Epic in Madison, Wisconsin while working as an Epic Ambulatory Analyst at UC San Diego Health. Peggy played a critical role in onboarding clinical users during a pivotal period of EHR implementation at UCSD. Peggy’s clarity in building the Epic system depends on her understanding of Epic workflows, and rapport with both clinical and technical teams.

In 2009, Peggy transitioned into the healthcare IT consulting world, expanding her reach nationwide. She brought her talents to a variety of leading healthcare institutions across the country, delivering Epic training to physicians, nurses, and healthcare support staff. Her work included engagements with prominent hospitals such as New York– Presbyterian, Texas Children's Hospital, Group Health Cooperative, Alleghany Health, and the Sisters of St. Mary Health System to mention a few.

In 2017, she returned to Southern California to serve as a consultant for the implementation of Epic at UC Irvine Health. There, she supported the organization’s initial Epic rollout by designing and delivering targeted training programs for providers and nursing staff. Her effectiveness led to her recruitment as a full-time Principal Trainer in 2019, specializing in the Epic Ambulatory module. At UC Irvine, Peggy has become a cornerstone of the training and informatics team. She collaborates regularly with Nursing Informaticists, Clinical Informaticists, and the Information Technology Services (ITS) department to identify communication gaps and implement solutions that streamline clinical workflows.

Currently, Peggy continues to lead as UC Irvine undertakes a major system-wide upgrade, transitioning to a new instance of Epic based on the Epic Foundation System. Her legacy is one of innovation, mentorship, and a tireless commitment to empowering healthcare professionals through education and technology.

Session Format

Standard Presentation

Session Skill Level

Intermediate

Session Status

Accepted

Session Track

Health Sciences

Session Track Reasoning

This track focuses on leveraging AI technology to optimize IT service management within higher education and healthcare. The AI-powered chatbot enhances user support efficiency, reduces helpdesk workload, and provides actionable insights through a real-time dashboard. These improvements align with the theme by demonstrating how AI can transform IT service delivery, improving operational effectiveness and end-user satisfaction.

June 26, 2025 @ 1:00 pm - June 26, 2025 @ 1:45 pm

MR 10