The Health Care Improvement Foundation’s (HCIF) Partner Profiles highlight the efforts of valued and innovative health leaders. Our partners’ work supports HCIF’s vision of healthier communities through equitable, accessible, and quality health care.
We are pleased to feature Shannon Davila of ECRI to share more about her reflections on patient safety and quality improvement. Shannon currently serves as the Director of Total Systems Approach to Safety at ECRI and has a clinical background in adult critical care nursing and specializes in infection prevention and healthcare quality improvement. She is certified in infection control, healthcare quality, is a TeamSTEPPS Master Trainer and a High Reliability coach. Shannon is a current member of HCIF’s Clinical Advisory Committee as well as serving as our partner and facilitator for HCIF’s Safe Table program.
How did you first get involved or interested in Patient Safety?
Shortly after completing my enlistment in the United States Air Force, I went to nursing school. As a new graduate nurse, I worked in the ICU and immediately became aware of the safety risks that our patients face. As I have grown professionally, I have been drawn to focusing on how I can help reduce the risk of harm to patients.
ECRI and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices Patient Safety Organization (PSO) and HCIF have been partnering for the Partnership for Patient Care (PPC) Safe Table program for the past seven years. This program offers a framework for Patient Safety Officers to discuss and exchange best practices and solutions for current patient safety issues. Throughout that time, we’ve discussed over fifty different safety topics of concern. Reflecting on the program’s history, what do you see as some of the biggest accomplishments the Safe Table program has achieved?
First, I would say the longevity of the program is impressive! Additionally, the resilience of the participants to stay engaged over those years and through a pandemic demonstrates the power of those relationships. This program creates a safe space for safety leaders to talk, share and learn, and the value of that is evidenced by their continued commitment to the program.
“The Safe Table program serves as a valuable learning system for this region of Pennsylvania…This helps advance the application of safety principles and strategies across health systems, ultimately contributing to making our region safer.”
Shannon Davila
As an innovative model, how do you see the Safe Table program serving the general discipline of patient safety and overall contributing to making our region safer?
The Safe Table program serves as a valuable learning system for this region of Pennsylvania. Under the federal legal protections offered by the PSO, participants are able to share details of safety issues and learn from each other. This learning helps advance the application of safety principles and strategies across health systems, ultimately contributing to making our region safer.
One of the roles of HCIF’s Clinical Advisory Committee is to identify and address Southeastern Pennsylvania’s quality and patient safety priorities. We also know ECRI releases their annual Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns report. As a well-versed patient safety professional, what do you see as some of the biggest challenges ahead or shifts occurring in the field of Patient Safety? Are there any specific regional priorities that you are focusing on?
Issues related to staffing shortages have been something that ECRI has highlighted since the pandemic, and we still see many problems stemming from this issue. This includes problems with transitions of care, managing complex patient populations, and maintaining an adequate level of competent safety and quality improvement professionals. These professionals are critical for healthcare systems to both identify safety and quality issues and bring about transformative change.
As a longstanding partner of HCIF who has participated in several PPC programs over the years, what do you think makes HCIF unique and what have you found most valuable about working with HCIF?
I would say without a doubt, the HCIF team. I work closely with Pam and Liz and their dedication to their members and the program design is always evident.
Reflecting on your own career, what has been one of the proudest moments or greatest accomplishments of your career thus far?
In 2016 I was awarded the Heroes of Infection Prevention Award from Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), one of my mentors had nominated me and I was honored to have received it.
If you are interested in connecting with our partner, you can connect with Shannon via email at sdavila@ecri.org.
To get to know Shannon a bit more, she shared the following: A quote that she often returns to and inspires her in her work , “You can’t improve what you don’t measure.” Something most people don’t know about her is that she has a green thumb and loves to garden. To reflect back on her gardening hard work, she likes to document her plants as they grow by taking photos of them!
The Health Care Improvement Foundation’s (HCIF) Partner Profiles highlight the efforts of valued and innovative health leaders. Our partners’ work supports HCIF’s vision of healthier communities through equitable, accessible, and quality health care.
Dharmini Shah Pandya, MD Medical Director, Multi-Visit Patient Clinic Chair, Patient Safety Committee Temple University Hospital Associate Professor of Medicine, Lewis Katz School of Medicine Associate Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency Program
Antionett McNear, CNA Certified Community Health Worker
Your team won First Place in our 2022 Awards program, for your initiative “Delivering Equitable Care through a Community Health Worker Driven Multi-Visit Patient (MVP) Program”. What inspired you to address the connection between social determinants of health and hospital readmissions?
Dr. Shah Pandya: Readmissions are complex and have multiple reasons and components to it. Research has shown that social determinants of health, such as access to healthcare, socioeconomic status, education, and living conditions, play a critical role in shaping health outcomes. These factors can impact a patient’s ability to manage their health and adhere to treatment plans, as well as their risk for complications and readmissions. As a hospitalist, we are the frontline to taking care of readmitted patients. One of the major factors that contribute to readmissions is social risk factors, and often as an inpatient physician, I felt that I didn’t always have the tools to stop the readmissions from happening when only addressing the acute medical problem. So, when hospital medicine was challenged by the health system to “reduce readmissions,” our specific recommendation was to have access to a program that could address social needs and handle the medical complexity of our patients. This led to creating a program, which aligned all the stakeholders – patients, population health, physicians, and metrics! Dr. Raab, Steve Carson, Dr. Rubin have been all early supporters, adopters, and creators of the program and I’d like to personally thank them for creating such a successful framework! Edward Drayton (previously the only Community Health Worker (CHW) for the program, and now a supervisor!) and Lakisha Sturgis have been imperative leaders from the CHW team to advance the work, create processes and improve patient engagement. Without the team, this work would not be possible. All the people here are my inspiration for moving the needle forward.
Antionett: The Multi-Visit Patient Clinic was a response to the high rate of readmissions among patients with Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Hypertension and uncontrolled Diabetes. Temple Centers for Population Health created this clinic with the intention to not only address and monitor symptoms of CHF, COPD, ESRD, etc., but to also closely monitor the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) of the patients that readmitted and to get a better understanding of why they were readmitting so frequently. What we found was that many patients had limited access to healthy food and transportation, and low health literacy. We understood that addressing the SDOH needs of our patients would be the key in enhancing their quality of life. This would in turn lead to better health outcomes, and lower readmission rates. In essence, through our success in managing these patient’s needs, we’ve been able to expand the clinic to address other chronic illnesses as well.
“I would like people to know that Certified Community Health Workers exist and we are here to serve our community and underserved patients that cannot necessarily fight for themselves.”
Antionett McNear
As evidenced by your submission in the Award, Temple Health has demonstrated a commitment to community health and health equity. What is one of the most impactful changes that Temple has achieved in this space?
Dr. Shah Pandya: Continuing to grow programs that allow for access to medical care and resources for social determinants are some of the biggest accomplishments! Additionally, seeing successful graduates of the MVP Program who continue to thrive and have an improved quality of life is always humbling to be a part of the process.
Antionett: Our commitment to community health and health equity has been the driving force of Center for Population Health initiatives such as the MVP Clinic, Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA Cares), and the Frazier Family Coalition. These initiatives have been some of the most impactful changes that Temple Health has achieved in this space as they each address health literacy, navigating and accessing adequate health care, and emphasizes the connection to community resources to create sustainable change.
What is one key thing you would like the public, or someone not in health care, to understand about community health workers and the role they serve in our communities and the healthcare system as a whole?
Dr. Shah Pandya: That Community Health Workers have a variety of skill sets, but most importantly that they are true patient advocates, and have excellent communication and motivational interviewing skills that allows them to interact with a wide variety of patients and healthcare professionals. Creation of the MVP program has required support from many places but the CHWs have been at the center of the work 100% of the time.
Antionett: That Certified Community Health Workers (CCHW) exist! We have a very unique role, which allows us to bridge the gap between the community and the healthcare system. We are highly trained to provide education, advocacy, resources, and support to our patients on an individualized level. I would like people to know that we exist and we are here to serve our community and underserved patients that cannot necessarily fight for themselves.
What have you found most meaningful about participating in the Award program? What are the next steps in advancing the work of your winning initiative?
Dr. Shah Pandya: Often in the daily work, it is easy to lose sight of the larger picture. Participating in the award allowed us to showcase our work that has been years in the making, and allowed us personally to see the impact of the work on a larger scale.
Antionett: The thing I’ve found most impactful about participating in the Award program is realizing how important and impactful our work is to our community. To be recognized for the work that we do, and for our program to be highlighted in this way, is affirming and humbling. It lets everyone know that even on the worst days, this work is necessary. The next steps to advance the work that we do is to graciously continue to serve our community, evaluate our programs and make changes or enhancements in ways that benefit our patients.
“Seeing successful graduates of the Multi-Visit Patient Program who continue to thrive and have an improved quality of life is always humbling to be a part of the process.”
Dr. Shah Pandya
Reflecting on your own professional background and accomplishments, how did you become interested in community health and health equity? What is one of your greatest accomplishments within your field so far?
Dr. Shah Pandya: As a prior medical resident at Temple Health, and now a faculty member – the mission for me in medicine has always been to focus on providing healthcare to those that are underserved. Temple Health’s flagship campus in North Philadelphia serves a population that faces many challenges, so focuses on creating programs that are community-based and helping the population as a whole. Health equity is the foundation for my interest in medicine. I’ve been incredibly lucky to be surrounded by mentors and supporters who propel my interests further in creating accessible programs for patients. Temple Health is a special place –if you have an idea that is mission driven, people will support you to achieve the mission. Multiple disciplines will come together with different roles to work together to achieve patient centered care. The MVP program has allowed me to learn a new skillset, and connect with patients and CHW’s that has allowed me to grow as a physician.
On a personal note, one of my personal accomplishments has been becoming a mother. Showing my kids that innovation and helping others can help you find purpose in your job and life. I’m incredibly lucky to have a job that allows me to contribute to the North Philadelphia community and advance a program that approaches health equity is humbling, and hopefully role models for my kids that anything is possible!
Antionett: I became interested in Community Health and Health Equity because I’ve seen that access to healthcare and education affects families and communities of color. It makes me proud to know that I have a hand in shaping outcomes for my elders and the next generation. One of my greatest accomplishments in the field so far was becoming a Certified Community Health Worker. Having a certification in my field adds more respect and value to the role. It lets people know that I’m committed to the work I do.
Something you may not know about Dr. Shah Pandya and Antoinette…
Dr. Shah Pandya’s favorite hobbies are walking, doing puzzles, and cooking with her kids – as a vegetarian foodie, she loves finding new cuisines and places to eat. She also has a previous background of dancing and choreographing throughout her academic journey!
Antionett is inspired by Denzel Washington’s quote, “At the end, it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished. It’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back,” and applies it to her work with families and communities.
They would also like to thank their entire team at Temple University Hospital that helped make the Multi-Visit Patient Program a success:
Section of Hospital Medicine: Anam Fatma, MD; Kelly Hughes, MD; Vik Induru, MD; Nikhil Kothari, MD; Monica Poeske, NP; Rachel Rubin MD (section chief), Dharmini Shah Pandya, MD; Cara Smith, MD; Priju Varghese, MD
Center for Population Health: Patrice Armstead, Jannette Cruz, Edward Drayton, Larry Kendrick, Patrick Mann, Antionett McNear, Lakisha Sturgis
Central Scheduling Team: Denise Carter, Tom Cleary, Brand-Lee Croft, Dora Han
PI: Louis Fetscher, DNP; Rashidah Hardwick, MHA
Leadership: Steve Carson, MHA, BSN; Lisa Fino; Nina O’Connor, MD; Claire Raab, MD
Temple University Hospital’s 1st Place team accepting their award at the 2022 Partnership for Patient Care Leadership Summit.
From left to right: Dharmini Shah Pandya, Edward Drayton, Steve Carson, Lakisha Sturgis, Wendy Nickel (HCIF President)
The Health Care Improvement Foundation’s (HCIF) Partner Profiles highlight the efforts of valued and innovative health leaders. Our partners’ work supports HCIF’s vision of healthier communities through equitable, accessible, and quality health care.
As HCIF celebrates Patient Safety Awareness Week (March 12 – March 18) this month, we’re excited to feature one of the longest-standing members of HCIF’s Clinical Advisory Committee, Dr. Charles Wagner of Redeemer Health. Learn more about how he applies patient safety principles to his everyday life, what changes in patient safety he’s witnessed throughout his career, and what he sees as the most important future priorities in patient safety. This conversation has been edited and condensed.
Charles I. Wagner, MD, FACP currently serves as the Medical Adviser for Patient Safety and Quality at Redeemer Health in Meadowbrook, PA. He has practiced gastroenterology in academic and community based settings and has served as the Chief Medical Officer and Patient Safety Officer at Redeemer Health. He is a member of the Clinical Advisory Committee of the Health Care Improvement Foundation and had served on the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Health Care Quality Alliance.
As a long-standing member of HCIF’s Clinical Advisory Committee since its inception, you’ve contributed to a number of the Partnership for Patient Care (PPC) programs. During your time as an advisor, in what ways do you think that PPC has helped advance quality and patient safety across the region? What is something you’ve learned through working with our organization?
It’s been a remarkable adventure to serve as an advisor and working in the patient safety space has opened my eyes a lot. There are patient safety principles that we use all the time in our everyday lives that you don’t really think about. Ultimately, though, it comes down to patient safety being a way to help people and prevent problems. The real advantage of HCIF and PPC is that we all want to do the same thing and doing it together has lots of advantages. For example, it combines the work allowing for organizations to share their experiences and move things faster. It also allows for institutions to provide care to their patients in their community through the full spectrum of their experience. Lastly, it allows for common definitions and approaches to be used by everyone.
Early on in my career as Chief Medical Officer, there were numerous requirements from regulatory bodies that wanted hospitals to look at many metrics. We developed a patient scorecard and thus began a big effort to standardize amongst ourselves and try to convince regulatory bodies to use the same indicators so there was common definitions and terminology. That’s also the kind of thing HCIF became useful in. For example, when we first started looking at falls, everyone had different definitions of what constituted a fall and how to respond to it. We adopted a common terminology that was used across the country and could then compare rates better. When you don’t have that common definition, it becomes problematic, and we saw that with COVID-19.
“There are patient safety principles that we use all the time in our everyday lives that you don’t really think about. Ultimately, though, it comes down to patient safety being a way to help people and prevent problems.”
Charles Wagner, MD
HCIF is celebrating Patient Safety Awareness Week from March 12-18, 2023 this year. Given your expertise, work, and advocacy in patient safety, what are some of the most significant changes or evolutions of patient safety that you’ve witnessed during your tenure?
I think that probably the most important factor is we’re now actively talking about and prioritizing Patient Safety. For a long time, we didn’t talk about it, and individually we had been aware of some problems, but we weren’t collectively collaborating or educating about them. The more people that are aware of patient safety, the more attention they can pay to helping prevent future problems.
Another important thing that has occurred is we’ve gotten patients involved in patient safety. By including and empowering them in their care, we’re asking for their help to identify problems. We’re aware that patients are a last step in preventing problems, such as double checking they are the right person to receive a certain surgery, or that they are receiving the correct medication. Patient involvement is crucial to the whole process of patient safety. One of the things [Redeemer] was recognized for years ago was about infection prevention regarding handwashing. We put a sign in every patient’s room that read “Did you ask your caregiver to wash their hands?” This allowed the patient to be an active participant in their care and put staff on notice that they were going to be asked if they washed their hands. Redeemer had such a successful initiative that our work got picked up by the local news and made its way to national news. This initiative helped educate the population about something as simple as handwashing and everyone’s involvement in doing that.
Lastly, it’s important to emphasize that everybody has a role that contributes to and makes up the bigger picture of patient safety. Having everybody involved—everyone from patients, nurses, clinicians, dieticians, cleaning staff—helps reinforce behavior and creates a culture of safety.
Looking ahead, what is something that excites you about where the field of patient safety is headed?
A crucial step along the way in the future of patient safety is understanding our own behavior. It’s important to understand how people think and act in order to anticipate what steps we may need to take in response to actions. The behavioral stuff of how we learn and how we respond, it’s everywhere in our lives. I spent time in the U.S. Public Health Service that provided health service to the U.S. Coast Guard, and from that experience I took away learnings of how the military practiced and completed drills in preparation for problems they may have encountered. I witnessed how everyone on the team had their assigned job and I was able to draw many parallels to the very same concepts of education, practice, and accountability that we carry out in health care.
Along those same lines, another big insight I had occurred when I started at a new institution during my graduate training and found that they were not doing things the same way I did or was taught. I realized that I was inculcated with the behavior and institutional approach of the people that previously taught me and worked with. When I went to another institution that had a different orientation or culture—it wasn’t a matter of who was right or wrong, but rather an opportunity to interface with and learn from each other. That same principle applies to the cross-fertilization that HCIF’s work promotes. As each institution learns about a safety issue or solution, sharing it or exchanging that information in collaboration with someone else has real value to it.
As you reflect on your career of being a health care provider and patient safety expert, how did you become interested in patient safety? What do you think is one of the most compelling or important components of patient safety that the general public might not yet know?
Paired with the landmark report “To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System” from the Institute of Medicine in 1999, and witnessing things happen in the clinical setting, I realized how important patient safety was. From there and serving as Chief Medical Officer, I was involved in writing our organization’s first Patient Safety plan.
Two of the big tenents of patient safety is communication—we have to make sure we’re talking the same “language”—and education. Additionally, as I shared before, we have to keep in mind the human behaviors behind actions. Knowing how we react and what we do and why is really crucial. It’s important to understand what people are working with and why they’re reacting a certain way when you are educating and training them, especially as it applies to health care. Addressing the components of communication and education can ultimately have a profound impact on the outcomes of care and culture at an organization.
If you are interested in connecting with our partner, you can connect with Dr. Wagner via email at Cwagner@holyredeemer.com.
Something you may not know about Dr. Wagner…
His favorite book is Moby Dick, which he first read in high school and when the movie came out, he saw it fifty-six times while working as an usher in the movies! When reading Moby Dick, Dr. Wagner likes to reflect on what a case study of patient safety the story is. He draws parallels of the actors, actions, and lessons learned in the story to that in health care and appreciates looking at all those aspects of behavior, safety, and leadership in just one story.
Additionally, Dr. Wagner likes to garden as a hobby and form of exercise. With the help from his wife, he sees the everyday tasks of gardening following the same steps of a Plan, Do, Check, Act quality cycle. As he’s shared throughout this profile, he likes to seek and apply patient safety principles to his every day when he can!
The Health Care Improvement Foundation’s (HCIF) Partner Profiles highlight the efforts of valued and innovative health leaders. Our partners’ work supports HCIF’s vision of healthier communities through equitable, accessible, and quality health care.
In recognition of November being Men’s Health Awareness Month, HCIF is pleased to feature Dr. Andres Correa, MD, Urologic Oncologist and Assistant Professor of Surgery at Fox Chase Cancer Center. Dr. Correa completed his Urologic Surgery residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Fellowship at Fox Chase Cancer Center. Originally from Cali, Colombia, Dr. Correa completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and earned his medical school degree at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland.
Dr. Correa has been a member of the PURC collaborative since starting in May of 2020 and since has been an active participant in the biopsy working group. Within the collaborative, Dr. Correa has explored the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on prostate cancer care across minority populations. As Chair of the biopsy working group, he has championed the adoption of the transperineal prostate biopsy approach, including the development of education resources for collaborative members, and closely tracking practice patterns and outcomes
What led you to urology? What interests you most about urology?
I chose to pursue urology because of the great mentors I had while in medical school in Maryland. I was captured by their unassuming demeanor and easy-going attitude while at the same time tackling complex health conditions. As I progressed through my urology training, I became interested in the management of urological cancers. I was intrigued by the wide spectrum of management strategies for each condition, ranging from observation in some patients to invasive procedures in others.
What is one thing you think people should know about providing prostate cancer care?
The main thing I would like people to know about the treatment of prostate cancer is how important it is to individualize the management strategy for each patient. Prostate cancer treatment has the potential to impact several domains of the patient’s life and without discussing important social factors, the consequences can be significant. An in-depth discussion about the patient’s employment status, dependents under his care, future employment, or financial plans are crucial to limit the impact of the treatment strategy on their livelihood.
“Prostate cancer treatment has the potential to impact several domains of the patient’s life and without discussing important social factors, the consequences can be significant.”
-DR. CORREA
If you could motivate people in your field to tackle one issue or address one challenge, what would it be?
The expansion of treatment options for patients with prostate cancer has also opened the window to increasing financial toxicity. As we move forward with adopting novel therapeutics, we also need to the cognizant of the downstream financial impact these therapies are having on our patients. It is well recognized that financial toxicity leads to an increase in mental health conditions and potentially inferior oncological outcomes as patients are tasked with choosing health over other life necessities.
What have you found most valuable about working with HCIF? What is something you’ve learned from our partnership?
I have been involved in the HCIF partnership since 2020, starting as a member of the prostate biopsy working group. It has been an amazing experience to share ideas within the collaborative and identify potential barriers to achieving our quality metrics. The changes made by the collaborative have been amazing, with our active surveillance rates above the national average and our rapid adoption of the transperineal prostate biopsy technique.
What’s a quote that inspires you in your work?
“Most of the successful people I’ve known are the ones that do more listening than talking” – Bernard M. Baruch. I believe that in the world of medicine, listening is a skill set that I work on daily to make sure I am providing the best care for patients. That means taking time to listen to their stories, their concerns, and their future plans. Only by active listening can you have a patient be a partner in their care.
What are some of your favorite hobbies or things you like to do for fun?
I like spending time with my two sons Mateo (8) and Nico (4). They are very active kids, so we spend a lot of time outdoors playing around. I also like to travel and get to experience new cultures.
The Health Care Improvement Foundation’s (HCIF) Partner Profiles highlight the efforts of valued and innovative health leaders. Our partners’ work supports HCIF’s vision of healthier communities through equitable, accessible, and quality health care.
As HCIF continues to tackle trauma-informed care and food insecurity as part of its COACH programming, we are pleased to feature Danielle Cullen MD, MPH, MSHP, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Emergency Medicine at CHOP. Danielle serves as Co-Chair of the COACH Food Insecurity Workgroup that consists of medical and health professionals who have come together to address social determinants of health and food access in Pennsylvania.
You serve on the COACH Food Insecurity Workgroup while also conducting research on childhood food insecurity and community-based interventions to improve health equity among children and their families. How did you become interested in pediatrics and working with socially disadvantaged children?
I’ve always been drawn to working with children and their families, whether it was as a swim instructor through high school and college, tutoring, or now as a physician and public health professional. When kids and their families enter the medical setting, they bring with them more than their acute presenting complaint; they bring their stories, their experiences, and the relationships that impact who they are and how they engage with care. I believe that being a pediatrician means more than treating patients medically; we also have the responsibility of providing a voice for children. Through my work, I see pediatric emergency medicine as a platform to combine clinical practice with research in a way that enables me to advocate effectively for the health of children and their families.
In addition to your work with COACH, you have also been involved with tackling childhood food insecurity at CHOP through programs like the Healthier Together initiative and the Complete Eats program. What is one thing you think people should know about childhood food insecurity?
That it is common and underrecognized. That there’s no specific way that a food insecure family should “look.” And that it’s generally the tip of the iceberg—if a family is experiencing food insecurity, there are likely many other areas in life that are stressful. Most importantly, I want people to know that even if a family is experiencing food insecurity, we must prioritize the family’s autonomy to decide what they want assistance with, when, and from whom. If we ask the questions—and if the family wants assistance— we must be ready to help. I suppose this is more than just one thing…
What are your greatest accomplishments within your field so far?
My greatest accomplishment is my team. I am fortunate to work with a phenomenal group of community partners, social workers, health professionals, academic researchers, and students. It is tremendously invigorating to work with such dedicated and caring humans who are striving to make life a little easier—and hopefully better—for the patients and families that we serve.
“There’s no specific way that a food insecure family should ‘look’.”
-Dr. Cullen
Tell us about the Complete Eats program.
The Complete Eats program is CHOP’s partnership with the USDA, PA Department of Education, and the Nutritional Development Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to serve kids free balanced meals at the point of clinical care and connect families with food and other social resources that exist within their community. It is an extension of the summer food service program, a mirror program of the National School breakfast and lunch programs, operating during school closures. With the tremendous work on our clinical and community partners, this program has been in operation at CHOP for the past six years, providing meals at five different clinical settings. Most impressively, with the dedication of our team, we were able to operate nearly-continuously for 18 months during the COVID-19 pandemic, serving over 101,100 meals to kids, and demonstrating impact of the program in terms of improvement in family-level food security.
If you could motivate people in your field to tackle one issue or address one challenge, what would it be?
Oh, good question. I have a few different “fields” so I’m tempted to cheat on this one and give multiple answers. At the root, it really comes down to pushing further and further upstream, working together to dismantle systemic inequity, racism, and systems of poverty. In this we need to elevate and amplify the experiences and preferences of our patients/families, and the strength in our communities, to promote desired, effective change.
What have you found most valuable about working with the COACH collaborative?
I love the opportunity for clinical and community partners to come together, share lessons learned, and work towards improvement across our fields. As an implementation scientist, I also feel that this group has the potential to serve as a model to decrease the “know-do” gap, allowing for shared learning, dissemination of best practices, and scaling of effective innovations across institutions on a timeline that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.
What’s a quote that inspires you in your work?
Sitting on my desk right now, and every day, is a framed quotable card that continues to resonate. It says, “This is your world. Shape it or someone else will.”
Something you may not know about Dr. Cullen is that her grandfather invented car signals! Not only is she very proud that her grandfather was such a tremendous innovator, but also appreciates that an emphasis on safety and clear communication has a strong lineage in her family.
