Congratulations Davidson Fellows

Henry Ford staff learn about entrepreneurship, create solutions to healthcare problems using technology.

June 14 was graduation day for the 30 Henry Ford Health team members who completed the 2023-24 Davidson Fellowship for Innovation in Healthcare.

The fellowship offers team members — both clinicians and non-clinicians — who are passionate about healthcare innovation the chance to learn how to address healthcare challenges using innovative solutions. Fellows meet monthly for nine months and receive instruction and mentorship from experienced clinical entrepreneurs, advanced academic instructors, investors and intellectual property experts. An advanced innovation project applying classroom learning to solve a specific technology or healthcare problem also was assigned.

The highlight of graduation day is the opportunity for each of the five project groups to present their innovation to a group of distinguished judges. Each group receives feedback and the judges choose a winner. The prize is a beautiful traveling glass “trophy” and of course bragging rights.

This year’s winner: Team InfuseReady

InfuseReady is a MyChart care companion designed for oncology patients receiving IV chemotherapy. It empowers patients by providing a personalized, real-time checklist that updates with EPIC. This ensures that patients are fully prepared for each infusion, while improving the overall experience for both patients and clinical staff.

Team members:

• David Althoen, PhD, MBA, Henry Ford Innovations
• Kayla Ellis, RN, Assistant Clinical Manager
• Raid Faddah, MD, MSHA, CCRP, CSM, Group Practice Manager
• Sumin Thomas, PharmD, RPh, LVN, Clinical Pharmacist – Hematology/Oncology
• Alycia Williams, BA, Contract Sourcing Manager.

Four other amazing projects

Visiclear – Integrated Healthcare Systems is an automated system that collects pertinent patient data that will be shared across different health system’s EMR that is easily accessed by physicians and APRNs.

Team members:

• Jolly Jaimon MSN, RN, Senior Application Analyst, EPIC
• Michael Mannina MBA, MSN, RN, Assistant Clinical Manager
• Laura Susick, PhD, Assistant Scientist, Public Health Sciences
• Jessica Thomas, IT Technician
• Kate Zenlea, MPH, CPH, Program Director, Henry Ford Innovations

Bedside Mobile App: Improving the Emergency Department (ED) Experience: Visiting the ED is often a patient’s first experience with a health system and offers a notable opportunity to create a positive first impression. However, these visits often occur during times of great stress and uncertainty for the patient and in a care environment where inadequate communication and information sharing are frequently reported. The team’s proposed solution is a digital health application, with direct integration with the electronic health record, that will provide patients in the ED with real-time communication updates such as when tests are ordered, projected result times, next steps, etc, throughout their visit.

Team members:

• Danielle Bastien, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
• Paige Coyne, PhD
• Jo-Ann Rammal, MBA(c)
• Jacob Tuttle, MS

Stellar Solutions: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) evaluates all Medicare Advantage (MA) plans annually on a five-star scale based on quality, service and member satisfaction. Higher scoring plans earn payors extra financial incentives and marketing and enrollment opportunities. Stellar Solutions is an app-based solution designed to increase a payor’s star score. Our technology is customizable to payor’s specific star performance needs because claims data can be used to identify members who need reminders for care, and an easy-to-use app interface allows for better and easier communication.

Team members:

• Shaylyn Brady, Manager, Digital Strategy
• Joe Figueras, Manager, Consolidated Service Center
• Jenny Frey, MS, LGC, Manager, Precision Medicine
• Maria Kinsler, Supervisor, Employee Health and Safety
• Nick Woodall, Director, Procurement to Payment

iCope Mental Health App: Interim Solution While Waiting for an Appointment: There is an increase need for mental health services and not enough access to support all the patients being referred to Outpatient Behavioral Health Services. An interim solution to alleviate mental health symptoms while waiting for an appointment with a provider is needed for healthcare systems. Our team developed iCope, a mental health app that is integrated with EMR and provides real time monitoring for patients by a Digital Navigator. iCope is a self-management tool that educates patients on coping skills and uses 1-5 minute interventions for relief from symptoms while waiting for a behavioral health appointment.

Team members:

• Shamole Ahmed, MPH, CLSSBB, Group Practice Operations Director for Behavioral Health Services
• Katy Bandfield, MBA, CTRS, Team Leader for Henry Ford @ Home
• James Chirackal, DO, Anesthesiology Resident
• Shelby Ward, MBA, OTRL, Occupational Therapist

Many thanks to our panel of judges:

• Dr. Sarah Gretter Atkinson, Michigan State University Office of the Provost
• Brian Day, Chief Technology Officer, Henry Ford Health IT
• Paul Toenjes, CuraCollaboration Founder, President and Board Chair
• Jim Snyder, DO, Hermelin Brain Tumor Center, Henry Ford Health Department of Neurosurgery and Associate CMO of Henry Ford Innovations.

Apply today for the 2024-25 Davidson Fellowship class

If you are driven to improve healthcare, passionate about digital health and entrepreneurial focused we invite you to apply for our class of 2024-25. Applications are due Aug. 9. Learn more here, including extensive program details and qualifications necessary to apply.