Nurse Practitioner PDA Project receives Computerworld Honors

Research Centers

Center for Evidence-Based Practice in the Underserved

Reducing Health Disparities Through Informatics (RHeaDI) Program

Directors: Suzanne Bakken, RN, DNSc, FAAN

Co-director: James J. Cimino , MD

The overarching premise of the Reducing Health Disparities Through Informatics (RHeaDI) training program is that informatics infrastructure, processes, and applications are essential components of a system to facilitate evidence-based practice, to reduce health disparities, and to promote patient and public safety. Through funding from the National Institute of Nursing Research (T32NR07969), RHeaDI provides post-doctoral and pre-doctoral trainees with a monthly stipend as well as funds for partial tuition support.

 Pre-doctoral Trainees

  • Jacqueline Anne Merrill (2002-2006)
    Current Position: Associate Research Scientist, Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University
    Research Interest: Public Health Informatics
    Training Mentor: Bakken
    Dissertation Title: A Network Analysis of Information Use in a Public Health Organization


  • Tsai-Ya Lai (2002-2006)
    Current position: Postdoctoral Trainee, Columbia University
    Research Interest: Mental Health; HIV/AIDS; Consumer Informatics; Interactive System Design and Evaluation; Health Behavior Change
    Training Mentor: Bakken
    Dissertation Title: Design and Evaluation of HIV-TIDES-Tailored Interventions for Management of Depressive Symptoms in Persons Living with HIV/AIDS


  • Cara Sue Schlegel (2004-2005)
    Current position: Nurse Informaticist, Christus Santa Rosa Health Care, TX
    Research Interest: Computer-based provider order entry
    Training Mentor: Bakken


  • Sarah Anne Collins (2005-)
    Current Trainee
    Research Interest: Patient safety and informatics
    Training Mentor: Currie


  • Maryelena Vargas (2006-)
    Current Trainee
    Research Interest: Information and communication needs of Latinas during lactation
    Training Mentor: Bakken

    • Post-doctoral Trainees

  • Jeungok Choi, RN, PhD (2003-2006)
    Current Position: Assistant Professor, University of Massachussets, Amherst
    Research Interest: Web-based educational materials for patients and their caregivers with low literate skills
    Training Mentor: Bakken

Pre-doctoral Trainee Application (pdf) (will be posted soon)

Doctor of Nursing Science Program (DNSc) School of Nursing

PhD Program Department of Biomedical Informatics

Post-doctoral Trainee Application (pdf)