Kaori P. Tanaka DO, MSPH, FACEP, FAMPA, FAEMS
Kaori P. Tanaka
DO, MSPH, FACEP, FAMPA, FAEMS
Associate Professor | Associate Site Director - ECMC
Department of Emergency Medicine
Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Specialty/Research Focus
Emergency Medical Services; Emergency Medicine
Contact Information
Patient Care
Patient Care
This faculty member is affiliated with UBMD, practicing physicians who are also professors in the Jacobs School.
View this physician on UBMDProfessional Summary:
Dr. Tanaka is dual board certified in Emergency Medicine (ABEM) and Emergency Medical Services (ABEM), with specialty training in EMS, Critical Care Air Transport Medicine and Tactical Medicine. She completed her residency at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo and received her fellowship training in EMS through SUNY at Buffalo. She currently works as an attending physician in the Emergency Department at Buffalo General Hospital and Erie County Medical Center. Dr. Tanaka is also the System Medical Director and a flight physician for Mercy Flight of WNY, covering both ground and air ambulances (rotor and fixed wing).
Dr. Tanaka’s research interests centers around prehospital resuscitation, training prehospital providers, critical care transport medicine and international emergency medicine. She has a passion for international emergency medicine development and has worked in Vietnam through the International Federation of Emergency Medicine and Vietnam Society of Emergency Medicine. She serves on national committees with the American College of Emergency Physicians, National Association of EMS Physicians, and the Air Medical Physician Association.
Education and Training:
- Board Certified, American Board of Emergency Medicine, EMS Subspecialty (2019)
- Fellowship, Emergency Medical Services, University at Buffalo (2016)
- Residency, Emergency Medicine, University at Buffalo (2015)
- DO, Medicine, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine - Georgia Campus (2012)
- MPH, Public Health, Tropical Medicine, Parasitology, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine (2007)
- BS, Biochemistry, University of Dallas (2004)
- ABLS, ACLS, PALS, ATLS, BDLS, ADLS Certified
- Disaster Medicine, Infectious Disease Response Unit (IDRU), STRAC (Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council)/NETEC (National Ebola Training & Education Center)
- EMS Provider, National Registry EMT - Basic (NREMT-B)
- Incident Command Service (ICS)/FEMA
- Moderate-Complexity Laboratory Director
Employment:
- Associate Chief of Services, Emergency Medicine, Erie County Medical Center (2025-present)
- Medical Director, Lake Erie Beach Volunteer Fire Company (2024-present)
- Medical Director, Angola Fire Department (2023-present)
- Medical Director, Evans Center Volunteer Fire Department (2023-present)
- Clinical Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo (2022-present)
- Medical Director, Farnham Volunteer Fire Agency (2022-present)
- Mentorship, NYACEP (2020-present)
- Clinical Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo (2019-present)
- Attending Physician, Buffalo General Medical Center (2019-present)
- Attending Physician, Erie County Medical Center (2019-present)
- System Medical Director, Mercy Flight, Inc. (2019-present)
- Chief Medical Advisor, Blue Spear Solutions (2016–2022)
- Assistant Professor, Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education (ORISE) (2018–2019)
- Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine, University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio (2016–2019)
- Associate Program Director - EMS Fellowship, Emergency Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (2016–2019)
- Attending Physician, UTHSCSA Emergency Medicine Department (2016–2019)
- Clinical Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine, University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio (2016–2019)
- Director of Special Operations, Emergency Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (2016–2019)
- Associate Program Director, Emergency Medicine Residency, Emergency Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (2018)
- Assistant Advisor, EMS Scholarly Track, Emergency Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo (2015–2016)
- Attending Physician, FDR Medical Services, DeGraff Memorial Hospital (2015–2016)
- Fellow, Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Medicine, University at Buffalo (2015–2016)
- Clinical Assistant Instructor, Emergency Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo (2012–2016)
- Chief Resident, Emergency Medicine, University at Buffalo (2014–2015)
- Resident, Emergency Medicine, University at Buffalo (2012–2015)
Awards and Honors:
- Fellow, National Association of EMS Physicians (2024)
- Fellow, Air Medical Physician Association (2023)
- Fellow, American College of Emergency Physicians (2020)
- Chief's Award, UT Health San Antonio Police Department (2019)
- Texas Monthly Super Doctors Award - Rising Star Edition (2019)
- UT Clinical Excellence Award (2019)
- Texas Monthly Super Doctors Award (2018)
- San Antonio Scene - Best Doctors Award (2017)
- San Antonio Scene - Rising Star Doctors (2017)
- GME Quality Improvement Award (2015)
- PCOM Alumni Association International Fellowship Award (2012)
- Tulane University SPHTM Ernest Carroll Faust Award (2007)
Research Expertise:
- Air Medical Services
- Disaster Medicine
- Emergency Medical Services
- Tactical Medicine
Grants and Sponsored Research:
- September 2024
Efficacy of Teleconsultation to Improve Prehospital Patient Safety for Critically Ill Infants and Children - A Multicenter, Simulation-based Randomized Control Trial
NIH
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Journal Articles:
- Kaisler M, Pichette C, Popieluszko P, Tift F, Tanaka K. (2023) The Value of Physicians as Part of a Helicopter Emergency Medical Services Crew: A Review. Air medical journal (Jan), 42(6): 477-482.
- Fairley RR, Ahmed S, Schauer SG, Wampler DA, Tanaka K, Everitt B, Sparkman MK, Casanova R, Sifuentes J, Winckler CJ. (2021) A Pilot Study to Assess Urban, Fire-Based Paramedic Accuracy in Identification of Anatomical Landmarks Necessary for Cricothyrotomy and Needle Chest Decompression Using Live Patient Models. Prehospital and disaster medicine (Aug), 36(4): 408-411.
- Emanuel T, Varney SM, McRoy G, Tanaka K. (2020) Cannabis and acute myocardial infarction. JAAPA : official journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (Aug), 33(8): 23-26.
- Schauer SG, Naylor JF, Beaumont DM, April MD, Tanaka K, Baldwin DS, Maddry JK, Becker TE, De Lorenzo RA. (2020) Airway Management in the Prehospital, Combat Environment: Analysis of After-Action Reviews and Lessons Learned. Journal of special operations medicine : a peer reviewed journal for SOF medical professionals (Jan), 20(3): 62-66.
- Simon EM, Tanaka K. (2018) Double Sequential Defibrillation. Cardiology clinics (Aug), 36(3): 387-393.
- Clemency B, Tanaka K, May P, Innes J, Zagroba S, Blaszak J, Hostler D, Cooney D, McGee K, Lindstrom H. (2017) Intravenous vs. intraosseous access and return of spontaneous circulation during out of hospital cardiac arrest. The American journal of emergency medicine (Feb), 35(2): 222-226.
Professional Memberships:
- Air Medical Physician Association (2019–present)
- National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP) (2017–present)
- American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) (2017–present)
- Special Operations Medical Association (2016–present)
- National Association of Emergency Medical Services (2014–present)
- Emergency Medicine Residents' Association (2012–present)
- American Medical Association (2012–present)
Presentations:
- "Airway and Ventilation Management" Medical Director Core Curriculum II, Air Medical Transport Conference (2024)
- "HEMS Integration into EMS Systems" Medical Director Core Curriculum II, Air Medical Transport Conference (2024)
- "Panel Discussion: Stroke Protocols, Blood Pressure Targets" Air Medical Physician Symposium Lite, Air Medical Transport Conference (2024)
- "Best Practices for Heat-Related Emergencies" Vietnam Society of Emergency Medicine Conference (2024)
- "Quality Improvement and Quality Assurance" EMS Fellow Education, Mercy Flight of WNY (2024)
- "History of Air Medical Transport" EMS Fellow Education, Mercy Flight of WNY (2024)
- "Medical Oversight" EMS Fellow Education, Mercy Flight of WNY (2024)
- "Regulations: What does it all mean?" Medical Director Core Curriculum I, Critical Care Transport Medicine Conference (2024)
- "Panel: Physiologically Difficult Airway Strategies" Air Medical Physician Symposium, NAEMSP (2024)
- "Cold Weather Emergencies" Customs and Border Protection (CBP) BORESTAR (2023)
- "Updates and Trends in HEMS Programs and Models" Medical Director Core Curriculum I, Air Medical Transport Conference, Air Medical Physician Association (2023)
- "Prehospital Stroke Care: How to Save Brain. A 2023 Update" Vietnam Society of Emergency Medicine (2023)
- "History of Air Medical Transport" EMS Fellow Education, Mercy Flight WNY (2023)
- "Airway and Ventilation Management" Medical Director Core Curriculum II, Air Medical Physician Association (2023)
- "Medical Education Advances in Air Medical Education" Air Medical Physician Symposium, Air Medical Physician Association (2023)
- "Women in EMS" EMRA Prehospital and Disaster Committee (2022)
- "HEMS Utilization: When to call and how to ready your patient" Emergency Medicine Grand Rounds, University at Buffalo (2022)
- "International Emergency Medicine in Vietname" Public Health Scholarly Track Meeting, University at Buffalo (2022)
- "Airway Ventilation Management" Air Medical Physician Association (2021)
- "Prehospital TXA" Regional Trauma Advisory Committee (2021)
- "Initial Patient Assessment - Chest Pain and STEMI" Vietnam Society of Emergency Medicine Conference (2019)
- "Prehospital Airway Management: Why, When, and How?" Vietnam Society of Emergency Medicine Conference (2019)
- "Respiratory Distress - Emergent Airway Management" Vietnam Society of Emergency Medicine Conference (2019)
- "EMS Protocol Development: Chest Pain" Vietnam Society of Emergency Medicine Conference (2018)
- "Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE)" (2018)
- "End tidal CO2 in EMS: Clinical Signifcance and Tricks of the Trade" Vietnam Society of Emergency Medicine Conference (2017)
- "End tidal CO2 Monitoring: How can we use this in the emergency department?" Vietnam Society of Emergency Medicine Conference (2017)
- "Nuts and Bolts of Protocol Development" Vietnam Society of Emergency Medicine Conference (2016)
Service Activities:
- Flight Physician Committee, Air Medical Physicians Association (AMPA); Chair (2023–present)
- Board Member, Air Medical Physician Association; Secretary/Treasurer of Board (2023–present)
- Flight Physician Committee, Air Medical Physicians Association (AMPA); Chair-elect (2020–2022)
- STEMI Committee, Kaleida Health; Member (2020–present)
- QI Committee, WREMAC, Western Region, NY; Chair (2020–present)
- Mercy Flight of Western New York; System Medical Director (2019–present)
- Buffalo General Hospital; Emergency Medical Services Liaison Back-up (2019–present)
- University at Buffalo; Emergency Medicine Interest Group (2019–present)
- Clinical Competency Committee (CCC); Member (2019–present)
- Program Evaluation Committee; Member (2019–present)
- Air Medical Section, ACEP; Member (2019–present)
- University at Buffalo; Preceptor (2019–present)
- Council of EMS Fellowship Directors; Member (2018–2019)
- South Texas Regional Advisory Committee (STRAC) Emergency Medical Task Force (EMTF-8); Hurricane Harvey Deployment (2017)
- Operational EMS Committee; Member (2017–present)
- Asian EMS Council; Member (2017–present)
- BlueSpear Solutions; Chief Medical Advisor (2016–present)
- Fellow/Graduate Committee; Member (2016–present)
- Tactical Emergency Medicine Section, ACEP; Member (2012–present)
- EMS-Prehospital Section, ACEP; Member (2012–present)
- Disaster Medical Section, ACEP; Member (2012–present)
- Young Physicians Section, ACEP; Member (2012–present)
- International Emergency Medicine Section; Member (2012–present)
- Stop the Bleed, Ukrainian Camp (Cholodvny), Alleghany County, NY; Instructor