POOJA TANDON

Pediatrics

Research Interests

Dr. Tandon is interested in researching programs and policies that could prevent childhood obesity through interventions in the early childhood years. She is particularly interested in understanding the factors that put poor & immigrant children at higher risk of obesity. (Mentor: Paula Lozano)

BRANDON ONG

General Internal Medicine (starts 10/1/08)

Research Interests

JEFFREY TOM

Pediatrics

Research Interests

Dr. Tom is interested in understanding what aspects of outpatient care maintain the health of children. His first study was done using Hawaii's BlueCross BlueChield (50% market share) claims and administrative data to understand whether well child care adherence and/or continuity of care were protective in preventing Ambulatory Care Sensitive Hospitalizations. He will be replicating this study with Group Health's data as a means to verify his findings from Hawaii.

QUYNH BUI

Family Medicine

Research Interests

Dr. Bui's interest is in improving chronic illness care in ethnic minority populations.  She is conducting a secondary analysis of a national dataset examining associations between immigrant status and acculturation and the prevalence of back and neck pain among Latino and Asian Americans.  Additionally, she has been involved in a qualitative project about medical students and palliative care training.  She is working with Harborview Medical Center Community Housecalls Program in implementing a program in which cultural mediators assist ethnic and linguistic minority patients in the self-management of their chronic conditions. (Mentor: Bill Phillips)

VICKI WILKINS

Pediatrics

Research Interests

Dr. Wilkins is interested in finding techniques to provide better quality care to underserved minority populations.  She has a particular interest in approaches that improve the cultural efficacy of providers.  She is conducting a cross-sectional study using the CAHPS dataset to understand predictors of dissatisfaction with care in Hispanics of varying English proficiency.  Dr. Wilkins is also exploring disparities in provider communication with patients from racial/ethnic minority groups in a pediatric office visit.  It is expected that this study will suggest avenues for improving patient-provider communication. (Mentor: Paula Lozano)

BILL WEPPNER

General Internal Medicine

Research Interests

Dr. Weppner is conducting a secondary analysis of data on adoption and use of an interactive medical record by elderly patients with chronic disease at Group Health Cooperative.  He is also am examining the use of internet-based pharmaceutical samples as a form of direct-to-consumer advertising.  Finally,  he is participating in an RCT to evaluate the impact of a decision aid in patients' bariatric surgery choices and subsequent satisfaction. (Mentor: Eric Larson)