Mayo Clinic Kern Center announces new scholars, funding in population health science
The Mayo Clinic Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery has added three new scholars to its Population Health Science Scholars Program. In addition, three program alumni have received additional funding to address specific primary care research priorities of the in Southeast Minnesota practice.
Clinicians who are trained and equipped with population health science expertise are increasingly valuable to the delivery of high-quality primary care. At Mayo Clinic, specifically in the Primary Care in Southeast Minnesota practice, the need for embedded clinician-researchers led to a collaboration with the Mayo Clinic Kern Center. In this mentored training program, primary care clinicians engage in scientific evaluation of population-based health care interventions.
New Population Health Science Scholars
The new scholars starting their multiyear program are:
Mairead Bartley, M.B., B.Ch., M.D. (N ’15, GERI ’17, PLM ’18), Division of Community Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic in Rochester
Project: Improve dementia diagnosis and education for patients and caregivers, promote advanced care planning discussions early on to help direct patient goal-driven care, reduce acute health care utilization where possible and improve symptom management toward the end of life.
Research mentors: Jennifer St. Sauver, Ph.D. (HSR ’99), and Joan Griffin, Ph.D. (HSR '14)
Ahmed (Shafii) Mohamed, M.D. (I ’19, PCIR ’20), Division of Community Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic in Rochester
Project: Conduct systematic review of cancer screening interventions tested in immigrants from Somalia, two retrospective cohort Rochester Epidemiology Project studies: cancer screening adherence and cancer incidence for patients of Somali descent in southeast Minnesota, participatory adaptation of cancer prevention intervention with community and practice partners, and pilot testing of interventions.
Research mentors: Lila Rutten, Ph.D. (HSR '15), and Alanna Chamberlain, Ph.D. (HSR ’10)
Alumni Population Health Science Scholars
Alumni scholars who received funding in 2021 for additional or follow-on population health research are:
Ramona DeJesus, M.D. (I ’02), Division of Community Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic in Rochester
Project: Examine use of remote monitoring in patients with diabetes to understand its impact on relevant outcomes.
Kathy MacLaughlin, M.D. (FM ’03), Department of Family Medicine, Mayo Clinic in Rochester
Project: Increase cervical cancer screening rates among never screened and underscreened women through an in-home HPV test; assess association of sociodemographic factors with uptake in screening.
Jane Njeru, M.B., Ch.B. (I ’12, PCIR ’13), Division of Community Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic in Rochester
Project: Refine the social demographic and behavioral health risk index with an artificial intelligence algorithm to identify predictors of unmet social needs associated with health outcomes and health care utilization.