Division Photo
Row 1: Y Yu, K Komorov
Row 2: J Ma, B Aronow, E Kirkendall, M Kouril
Row 3: I Solti, M Wagner, K Marsolo, J Hutton
Significant Accomplishments
Linking Research Registries and Electronic Health Records
The Division of Biomedical Informatics (BMI) was awarded a three-year, $12 million grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality(AHRQ) to create a modular registry that can be populated with data directly from electronic health records (EHRs) to support comparative effectiveness and quality improvement research. Collaborating with the ImproveCareNow network, which serves children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), our developers are using the open-source SHRINE and i2b2 informatics platforms to create a registry that can be populated with data directly from sites’ EHRs, removing the need for staff to perform the double data entry common to most research registries. Our team also is automating quality and population management reports so they can be generated on demand. Finally, we are enhancing the registries so they can be federated, making it possible for sites to keep their registry data at their own institution, but still share aggregate numbers across institutions. Once these developments are complete, these enhanced registries will be used to compare the effectiveness of alternative treatment strategies for IBD, with a special focus on the timing of biologic agents. John Hutton, MD, is principal investigator on the AHRQ grant and Keith Marsolo, PhD, is co-investigator.
Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Human Diseases
Jason Lu, PhD, is developing network and systems approaches to study of molecular mechanisms underlying human diseases. One focus of his research is identifying subspecies of blood lipoproteins such as HDL and their role in causing human atherosclerosis. So far, he has identified approximately 30 potential HDL subspecies. His approach also has proved useful in mapping transcriptional networks controlling surfactant homeostasis in the lung.
Making Meaningful Use of Electronic Medical Records
Andrew Spooner, MD, chief medical information officer at Cincinnati Children’s, completed the institutional assessment and project team preparation for the federal “Meaningful Use” incentive program, with payments due to arrive in 2012. Spooner also participated as a clinical leader in the design, training and support for 11 ambulatory divisions that have gone live with Epic.
Spooner is leading projects to use electronic medical records to implement population management programs and to maintain compliance with medication reconciliation regulations. He has collaborated on an accepted manuscript report of the STEPSTools pediatric drug dosing clinical decision support project. Spooner actively participated in the Epic KidShare network as a presenter in multiple pediatric-focused presentations. He also presented educational sessions on health IT at the annual American Academy of Pediatrics meeting and the state chapter meeting.
