W. Martin Smith Interdisciplinary
Patient Safety & Loss Prevention Awards
(Smith Awards)
Introduction:The W. Martin Smith Interdisciplinary Patient Safety & Loss Prevention Awards (Smith Awards) program is cosponsored by the UF College of Medicine Continuing Medical Education and the UF Self-Insurance Program (SIP). This program provides start-up support for faculty and staff to design and implement projects focused on reducing the likelihood of medical professional liability claims and/or patient safety and clinical process improvements. Projects selected for funding may also address national initiatives such as the Partnership for Patients, CMS improvement programs, and IHI and NQF initiatives. Topic-specific calls for project proposals will be made by the program periodically, in response to demonstrated quality and safety enhancement opportunities; however, unsolicited applications are also accepted during the open submission period. Project Requirements:Smith Awards-funded projects must:
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When ready, complete the below application during the open submission period from January 1 through March 31. Because you must fully complete and submit the application once started, we recommend you review a hard copy of the application (provided under the Info and Requirements tab above) to ensure you have all needed information prior to starting the below application process. |
Reminder: Awardees must provide brief 6-month progress reports. Progress report schedules are provided by an Awards Program Administrator once notification has been received that funds have been released and available for access. Ongoing funding is contingent on the receipt of these progress reports during the project period. Principal Investigators may be required to present project progress reports at various UF Health enterprise forums. Submit your 6-month progress report below. |
Reminder: Awardees must provide a final report at the end of the project support period. Final reports must describe each project goal and final achievement/implementation status, as well as itemize each goal by the budget allocated and amount of award funds. Submit your Award Final Report below. |
Principal Investigator: Thorsten Haas, MD.
Additional Team Members: Keith A. Howell, MD
Project: Implementation of a Preoperative Anemia Clinic as part of the Patient Blood Management Program at the University of Florida Health in Gainesville, FL.
Principal Investigator: Bhakti Chourasia, MBBS, MD
Additional Team Members: John D. Davis, MD; Sonia Rivera, BSMT (ASCP); Melodie Logue, MA, CPHQ, CPXP, LSSGB.
Not Pictured: Steven A. Godwin, MD; Agnes Aysola, MD; Dan Bui, BSIE, LSSGB.
Project: Improving Access to Emergency Blood Products for Labor and Delivery
The UF Self-Insurance Program is excited to announce the launch of our Early Reporting UF W. Martin Smith Interdisciplinary Patient Safety Awards Program (Early Reporting Smith Award). The Award recognizes the department with the lowest average report lag time (time from incident to report) and provides start-up monetary support for faculty and staff to design and implement patient safety projects. Studies consistently show the average claim cost (indemnity + expense) increases as the lag time increases. [i] Early reporting also facilitates effective process improvement.
The winners are ….
• Gainesville Smith Award Recipient: Department of Anesthesia
• Jacksonville Smith Award Recipient: Department of OB/GYN
These departments’ potential claims and adverse outcomes resulting in a SIP Investigation had the lowest average report lag among their peer departments, for FY 2019-2020 and FY 2020-2021. SIP applauds these departments for their early reporting practices and is pleased to reward their efforts.
Principal Investigators: Katharina M. Busl, MD, MS, Marc-Alain Babi, MD, Mackenzie Thompson, PA-C, not pictured: Jeannette Hester, MSN RN, their project is titled CODE-Brain – Emergency Neurological Life Support: What to do (and not to do) in the first hour of a neurological emergency.
Principal Investigators: Thomas Beardsley, MD, Alexandra Mannix, MD, Linda Edwards, MD, Colleen Kalynych, EdD, not pictured: Timothy Bryant, MBA, CPPS, Carmen Smotherman, MS, MPH, their project is titled Utilization of an Escape Room for Teaching Patient Safety.
Principal Investigators: Rosemarie Fernandez, MD, Med, Carolyn K. Holland, MD, MEd, FACEP, FAAP, Caroline Srihari, MD, Henry Young, MD, Mary Patterson, MD, MEd, Tom LeMaster MSN, MEd, RN, Harvey Norton Jr, MSN RN CCRN-K, Oka Wright, RN, Jennifer (Tamara) Boneta, RN, Hiren Mehta, MD, and Brenda Fahy, MD, MCCM, their project is titled SaFE CARE Simulation for Effective COVID Assessment and Response.
Principal Investigators: Phyllis Hendry, MD, FAAP, FACEP and Shawn Larson, MD, FACS, their project is titled Taking the “Trauma” out of Florida Pediatric Trauma Preparedness and Management: A Multidisciplinary Educational State Initiative.
Principal Investigators: Brenda Fahy MD, MCCM and Mary D Patterson MD, MEd, their project is titled Deploying In Situ Simulation to Improve Team Performance and Identify Safety Threats.
Principal Investigators: David Chesire, PhD, Carol Diachun, MD, Patrice Jones, DNP, RN, et al., their project is titled Implementing a Second Victim Peer-Counseling Program and Support Group to Provide Behavioral Support to Treatment Team Members Experiencing Adverse Professional Events.
Principal Investigator: Sharon Y. Byun, MD, her project is titled Labor and Delivery Patient Education Video.
Principal Investigator: David Scott Lind, MD, his project is titled VHs in the Operating Room.
Principal Investigators: Carolina Pereira, MD & Andrew C. Schmidt, DO, MPH, their project is titled EMS to ED Handoffs: A Performance Improvement Initiative.
The Smith Award recipients were notified of their acceptance on January 25th, 2016.
![]() Principal Investigator: Azra Bihorac, MD MS, her project is titled Automated algorithm identifies and communicates risk of acute kidney injury among health care providers and patients. Other Team Members: Ms. Gloria Lipori, UF Health Chief Data Officer |
![]() Principal Investigator: Mariam Louis, MD, her project is titled Minimizing Post-Operative Risk in Patients with Moderate-Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Other Team Members: |
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Dr. Heather Vincent and Dr. Kalia Sadasivan- Co-Principal Investigators, their project is titled “An Integrated-Delivery-of-Care-Approach to Improve Patient Outcomes, Safety, Well-Being After Orthopaedic Trauma” |
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Dr. Melanie Hagen, her project is titled “Advanced Directives Completion Rates and an Intervention to Address Health Literacy in a Clinic Population” |
Practice Transformation: Improving Quality and Safety Using a Team-Based Care Approach Dr. Christopher Scuderi, Principal Investigator.
Shooting for the Stars: Promoting a Just Culture and Better Communication in Patient Safety: Susan Hendrickson, MHRD/OD, LSSGB, RN, CHPQ, FACHE(PI) and Christine Miller, DPMK, CWS, FACCWS
Medication Reconciliation in Adult and Pediatric Emergency Departments: Erin Wright, Pharm.D., Kara Krzan, Pharm.D., MS (PI), Irfan Nasir, MD
INCPIRE: Incorporating community pharmacy, quality improvement, and meaningful feedback into the ePrescribing process: Ganesh Omjoy, PharmD, PhD and Anzeela Schentrup, PharmD, PhD(PI)
Improving Communication Among Neuromedicine Patients, Families and Healthcare Providers: An Advisory Panel for the Neuromedicine Interdisciplinary Clinical and Academic Program (NICAP) Jacqueline Baron-Lee, PhD(PI)
Reducing 30-Day Neurosurgical Readmissions: A Quality Improvement Initiative: Dr. Daniel Hoh and Dr. Maryam Rahman, Co-Principal Investigators. Pictured (Left to right): Dr. Daniel Hoh and Jacqueline Baron-Lee, PhD
Evaluate, develop, and implement medication safety measures using medication error claim reporting systems and medical records: Natohya Mallory, Pharm.D. BCACP, Principal Investigator. Pictured (Left to right): Natohya Mallory Pharm.D., BCACP, and Karen Malcolm, Pharm.D.
Improving Geriatric Care through Pharmacist-Physician Collaboration with the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit: Karen R. Sando. Pharm.D. BCACP, CDE/Clinical Professor, Principal Investigator. Pictured (left to right): Anzeela Schentrup, Pharm.D., PhD; Karen Sando, Pharm.D. BCACP and Michelle Knight, Pharm.D.
Maximizing the Electronic Health Record to Improve Hospitalized Patient nutrition and Decrease Errors of Omission: Sandra Wolfe Citty, PhD, ARNP-BC, Principal Investigator. Pictured: Sandra Wolfe Citty, PhD, ARNP-BC
Irene M. Estores, MD for her proposal on Introducing an Innovative Mindfulness Training Program to Improve Teamwork Among Interdisciplinary Health Professionals. Co-Investigators: Nancy Lasseter, Ed.S., LMHC; Lauren Arce, MSN, RN, CNL, OCN
Maureen LaTour, MSN, RN, CNL for her proposal on Simulation Team Training for Interdisciplinary Communication in Emergency Pediatric Situations. Co-Investigators: Shelly Collins, MD; Nora Colman, MD; Betty Jax, MSN, ARNP, RN-BC; Kim Mueller, MSN, ACNP-BC
Maureen Novak, MD for her proposal on Enhancing Inter-Professional Learning to Improve Clinical Care and Patient Safety with Technology. Co-Investigators: Karen Sando; Sara Weitzel; Christine Marin
Michael S. Okun, MD for his proposal on Reducing Parkinson’s Disease Related Future Legal Claims and Preventing Future Patient Injuries Through a Real-Time Quality and Safety Assessment Program. Co-Investigators: Chuck Jacobson; Danielle McGee; Chalice Rahl; Janet Romrell, PA; Pam Zeilman, ARNP; Hok Morita,UF Fellow; Vince Sposato; Cyndi Falck
Kristen Vanderhoef, MD & Adrienne Warrick, MD for their proposal on A Pilot Project for Promoting a Culture of Safety Through TeamSTEPPS and Standardization of Central Line Insertion: An Interdisciplinary Grant for the Department of Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine. Co-Investigators: Joan Sacerio, RN, MHSA, BSN, CHPN; Steven A. Godwin, MD; Michael C. Lewis, MBBS; David A. Caro, MD; Sharon Edmunds, RN; Ronda Williams, Anesthesiology Technician; Cynthia L. Leaphart, MD
Julie Greenwalt, MD for proposal on Reducing Errors in Radiation Treatment through the Implementation of Electronic Safety Checklists within the University of Florida Department of Radiation Oncology. Co-Investigators: Anamaria Yeung, M.D.; Chihray Liu, Physicist and Professor of Physics; Kathryn Mittauer, Physics Graduate Student;
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Betty Jax, MSN, ARNP, RN-BC for proposal on Expectation Management and Medical Information (EMMI). Co-Investigators: Cathy Zorilo, MSN, RN, ARNP and Eric Rosenberg, M.D., MSPH, FACP; |
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Peggy Kalynych, RN, MSN, NE-BC for proposal on Patient Comprehension of Discharge Medication Regimen Post Percutaneous Coronary Intervention. Co-Investigators: Ryan Altman, M.D. and Luis Guzman, Medical Director Interventional Cardiology; |
Laila Samiian, MD, FACS for proposal on Can Program Development Improve the Quality of Care for Patients with Breast Cancer? Co-Investigators: Jilma Patrick, M.D. and Katherine Puckett, DO.
Roberto Zori, MD for proposal on Communication Intervention to Improve Patient Experience during a Genetic Counseling Visit: Pre-Visit Video Pilot Project. Co-Investigators: Yulia Strekalova, MBA, COM-Pediatrics/COJ-Health Communication, Laura Fairbrother, MS, CGC, Pediatrics/Genetics.
Sandra Sullivan, MD, for proposal on Best Fed Beginnings: A First Step. Co-investigators: Kati S. Harlan, RN, MSN, LHRM; Mary Ryngaert, ARNP, IBCLC; Meredith Mowitz, MD; Brenda Ray, RN, MSN, CNM; Brenda Owens, RN, BSN, IBCLC and Jessica Essex, Mother Representative.
Amy L. Rosenberg, PharmD, BCPS and Erin Jones, PharmD, for proposal on Medication Error Detection by Hospitalized Patients and Analysis of Patient Satisfaction Using a Daily Medication List. Co-investigators: Kathy Gamble, MN, ARNP, CPN; Gale Danek, PhD, RN, NE-BC, DPNAP; Thomas Johns, PharmD, BCPS and Eric Rosenberg, MD, MSPH, FACP.
Colleen Counsell, RN, MSN, for proposal on Management of the Traumatic Brain Injury Patient in Acute Care. Co-investigators: Julie Smith, RN, BSN, PCCN; Donna York, MSN; Latha Stead, MD; Karly L. O’Brien, Pharm.D.; Morgan Soule, MOT, OTR/L; Peggy Guin PhD, ARNP, CNS-BC, CNRN; Susan Currie, RN, BSN, CCRN; George Conol, RN; Amy Fullerton, MA, CCC-SLP; Dorothea Lever, ARNP and Bill Shreve, RN.
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Nicole Paradise Black, MD for proposal on Improving Patient-and Family-Centered Care: A Family Partner for the Inpatient Unit at Shands Hospital for Children at the University of Florida. |
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Garth Graham, MD, MPH, FACP for proposal on Implementation of a Hospital Based Discharge Intervention to Improve Heart Failure Readmissions. Co-Investigators: Eric I. Rosenberg, MD, MSPH, FACP and Erin L. Jones, Pharm.D. |
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Stephen R. Grobmyer, MD for proposal on Implementation of a Prospective Quality Assessment Program for the UF-Shands Breast Cancer Program. Co-Investigators: Martha Comstock, ARNP, Stephen Staal, MD, Judith Lightsey, MD, Julia Marshall, MD and Samer Al-Quran, MD. |
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Linda Le-Wendling, MD for proposal on Venous Air Embolism (VAE): A Widespread and Likely Fatal Complication and the Development of a Multidisciplinary Simulation Model for the Education of the Physiology, Detection and Management of VAE. Co-Investigators: Dietrich Gravenstein, MD, Morgan Mathie, MD, Sem Lampoteng, PhD, F Kayser Enneking, MD and David Lizdas. |
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Michael E. Mahla, MD and Virginia Pesata, MSN, ARNP, NEA-BC, DPNAP for proposal on Developing a Second Victim Staff Support Pilot Program for the Consequences of Unanticipated Clinical Events. |
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Christine Van Dillen, MD for proposal on Prehospital Sepsis Recognition. |
SaFE CARE: Simulation for Effective Child Assessment and Response in Trauma
PROJECT SUMMARY AND RESOURCE LINKS – EMS to ED Handoffs: A Performance Improvement Initiative
Detailed paper can also be found here: https://arxiv.org/abs/1903.03149