Current Projects

This project directly addresses a gap in current telehealth education: patient safety and appropriate use of telehealth. Utilizing qualitative analysis of interview data, we will describe a conceptual framework for patient safety in a synchronous provider-to-patient telehealth encounter, including appropriate use of telemedicine and escalation of care grounded in the experiences and current competence of practicing telehealth physicians. We will then develop a distributable, simulation-based curriculum with an accompanying assessment tool to train physicians on how to decide when an encounter is appropriate for telehealth, determine when to escalate care, and identify the most appropriate approach of escalation. This curriculum will provide a scalable solution to support future doctors in providing safe telemedicine care.

A Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) funded study to evaluate the impact of Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) on post-discharge care for patients living with heart failure. This work is being done with collaborators from the Columbia University School of Nursing and the Mount Sinai School of Medicine Department of Emergency Medicine. The MIGHTy Heart (Using Mobile Integrated Health and Telehealth to Support Transitions of Care among Heart Failure Patients) study aims to enroll 2100 patients with heart failure after discharge from the acute care setting and randomize to either MIH or nurse care manager follow-up phone call. Since beginning recruitment in 2021, MIGHTy Heart has enrolled over 1500 patients across 11 hospitals in two academic health centers. 

The Geriatric Emergency Medicine Applied Research Network (GEAR)- Advancing Dementia Care awarded by the National Institute on Aging, West Health Institute, and the Emergency Medicine Foundation to conduct a pilot study using Community TeleParamedicine to screen for cognitive impairment and fall risk among ED patients discharged to home. The results of this study will be presented at the upcoming American College of Emergency Physicians research symposium. 

Along with collaborators from the Columbia University Medical Center Department of Emergency Medicine and  CRADLE (Cardiovascular and Radiologic Deep Learning Environment), the CACTUS trial will develop machine learning algorithms to identify undiagnosed structural heart disease in ED patients. Building on his prior work in mobile integrate health, discharged ED patients identified as high risk for structural heart disease will be referred to the CTP program for definitive diagnosis and appropriate outpatient management. A pilot feasibility study is currently in the final stages of design and approval with planned submission for a NHLBI R01 to conduct a randomized controlled trial across our health system to evaluate its potential to lead to earlier diagnosis of structural heart disease and reduce know health disparities in rates of diagnosis.

In partnership with the department of population health sciences, faculty working with the CVC have been awarded a 5-year R01 grant from the National Institute of Aging. This mixed methods study will develop GEMRA - a machine-learning model designed to identify acute post-ED risk in older adults - into accurate, real-time, automated EHR-based clinical decision support. The goal of GEMRA is to to identify older adult vulnerabilities that conventional clinical practice may otherwise under-recognize, to subsequently inform ED-based risk reduction strategies. The collaborative research team includes faculty from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, and Columbia University. 

Funded by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Telehealth Equity Catalyst (TEC) Award, the "Veamos Juntos" (Let's See Together) project tackles the growing digital divide in healthcare by specifically addressing the needs of Spanish-speaking families with limited English proficiency (LEP). Telehealth use is on the rise, but LEP communities often lack access due to language barriers and unfamiliarity with the technology. This initiative uses culturally-appropriate, multi-media educational videos in Spanish to bridge the gap. The videos focus on building digital literacy (covering aspects like ease of use, appropriate use of telehealth, and privacy concerns) and addressing quality concerns specific to virtual healthcare. The project targets caregivers of children visiting the Weill Cornell Pediatric Emergency Department and LEP families identified through partnerships with community organizations, with a focus on the boroughs of Queens and the Bronx. By developing new Spanish-language videos, distributing them through established channels, and evaluating their effectiveness through surveys and interviews, Veamos Juntos aims to empower LEP families and increase their access to equitable virtual care.

Funded by an NIH R61/R33 grant, investigators are evaluating the use of telemedicine to support community health workers in global settings. Patients with severe hypertension leaving emergency departments often struggle to manage their condition due to the complexities of urban life. This global health project builds on work which demonstrated a 4.5% mortality and 16.5% hospitalization rate over six months among patients discharged with severe hypertension from an emergency department in Karachi, Pakistan.  The plan is to further aims to improve outcomes by providing patients a tailored support system. The program leverages Community Health Workers, telehealth, and navigation assistance to connect patients with primary care and empower them to adopt healthy habits suited to their environment. Initially, researchers will refine the program with community input for long-term success. Then, a large-scale study will compare CONNECT-HTN to standard care, measuring its effectiveness in reducing heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular complications. Additionally, researchers will assess how well the program is implemented, identifying factors that help or hinder its success. This project holds the potential to significantly improve the lives of urban residents with severe hypertension in low- and middle-income countries, offering a valuable model for other cities around the world.