A neurology team aims to improve stroke care. From left: K. Singh, P. Sofat, M. Masud, D. Gaindh, N. Silvestri (mentor), N. Abdelhamid. Not pictured: G. Ahmad.
Awards Support 8 Innovative Quality Improvement Projects
Published October 3, 2014
Story by Alexandra Edelblute
University at Buffalo residents and fellows are teaming up with faculty mentors to explore new ways of providing better health care.
Eight diverse quality improvement projects — including ones focused on osteoporosis screening, chronic lung disease and the transition from emergency care to primary care — have been funded with 2014-2015 Quality Improvement Awards.
The grants of up to $3,000 each are awarded annually through the Office of Graduate Medical Education.
Award-Winning Teams Represent 5 Departments
Grant recipients, grouped by department, are listed below:
Zubair M. Butt, MBBS, resident
Program: Combined internal medicine-preventive medicine residency
Faculty mentor: Roberto O. Diaz Del Carpio, MD, clinical assistant professor
Project: “Improving Quality of Medical Care of Chronic Lung Disease (COPD and Asthma) at Hertel-Elmwood Internal Medicine Center, Buffalo NY 14204”
Anh Dao, MD, and Kim S. Sahib, MB, BCh, BAO, residents
Program: Internal medicine residency
Faculty mentor: Diaz Del Carpio
Project: “Problems With Osteoporosis Screening in an Outpatient Setting at Hertel-Elmwood Internal Medicine”
Victor Kairouz, MD, resident
Program: Internal medicine residency
Faculty mentors: Brian J. Page, MD, research assistant professor, and Diaz Del Carpio
Project: “A Multidisciplinary Checklist to Improve the Discharge Process of CHF Patients at BGMC”
Wudeneh M. Mulugeta, MD, MPH, resident
Program: Combined internal medicine-preventive medicine residency
Faculty mentor: Diaz Del Carpio
Project: “Improving Transition of Care From Emergency Department Through Timely Primary Care Follow Up at Hertel-Elmwood Internal Medicine Center, Buffalo”
Muaz Alabd Alrazzak, MD, fellow
Program: Pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship
Faculty mentor: Meghan A. Higman, MD, PhD, clinical assistant professor
Project: “Early Administration of Intravenous Antibiotics for Pediatric Hematology Oncology Patients Presenting With Fever”
Andrew Fanous, MD, resident
Program: Neurosurgery residency
Faculty mentor: Elad I. Levy, MD, MBA, professor of neurosurgery and radiology
Project: “Steps Toward Improving Patient Satisfaction and Care”
Pooja Sofat, MBBS, resident
Program: Neurology residency
Faculty mentor: Nicholas J. Silvestri, MD, asistant professor of clinical neurology
Project: “Time is Brain: Preventing Delays in Iv tPA in Acute Stroke Patients”
Kaori P. Tanaka, DO, resident
Program: Emergency medicine residency
Faculty mentor: Kevin McGee, DO, clinical assistant professor
Project: “Accuracy/Consistency on Online Medical Direction Given by University at Buffalo Emergency Medicine Residents at Buffalo General Medical Centers”