Five UCLA researchers were awarded grants for projects designed to improve patient care and reduce the risk of clinical harm to UC surgery patients.
The grants come from a new joint venture between the UC Center for Health Quality and Innovation and UC’s systemwide Office of Risk Services.
Dr. Anahat Dhillon, assistant clinical professor of anesthesiology, is project director of a study about development and implementation of comprehensive periprocedural handover processes. She was awarded $167,000 for the two-year project.
Dr. Nancy McLaughlin, assistant clinical professor of neurosurgery, was awarded $250,000 over three years as project director to study the delivery of value-based neurosurgery care (NERVS protocol) and enhanced professional communication for comprehensive risk prevention.
Also receiving awards:
Dr. Nasim Afsarmanesh, associate medical director of quality and safety at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and director of quality for neurosurgery. Afsarmanesh is the UCLA lead on the team that won for its proposal to study how to improve outcomes for neurosurgical patients. The grant totals $1.25 million over three years.
Dr. Clifford Ko, professor of surgery. Ko is the UCLA lead on a project studying how to increase the quality of care for high-risk colorectal surgery patients. The team was awarded $1 million over three years.
Dr. Zachary Rubin, assistant professor of medicine. Rubin is the UCLA lead on a study to decrease surgical site infections. The grant totals $1.35 million over three years.
More than 30 projects were submitted for this round of funding. Along with the grants, risk fellows will receive training in leadership and change management from the UCSF Center for Health Professions.
Dhillon is pictured above left.
