The Institute holds 13th Annual Research and Innovation Symposium

The Institute hosted its 13th Annual Research and Innovation Symposium on May 21, 2025 at the New York Academy of Medicine. This event allows staff, students and organizational partners to present their research and quality improvement projects and share findings with colleagues and the community. The event also recognizes the hard work of Institute staff and partners who continually seek evidence-based ways to improve their services and provide better care for our communities.

Michaela Frazier, PhD, LMSW, the Institute’s Vice President for Social Support Services, delivered the keynote address. She spoke to the value that social services staff bring to our patients, and the vital way that this department contributes to the Institute’s mission – whether it’s through helping a patient sign up for insurance, connecting a patient with benefits like SNAP or EBT, or assisting with transportation to appointments.

Awards were given to projects in four different categories: Research, Continuous Quality Improvement, Innovative Projects, and Resident-led. At the end of the event, the attendees voted for their favorite project to win the People’s Choice Award.

First place winners in each category were:

Research:

eNav – Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Non Completion: A Thematic Analysis

Authors: Luz E. Soto-Cossio, MD, Samantha Alzate, Matthew W. Beyrouty, MPA, Neil S. Calman, MD, FAAFP, Michaela Frazier, PhD, LMSW, Steven Itzkowitz, MD, Lina Jandorf, MA, Jay Musella, LMSW, Jamilia R. Sly, PhD, Cristina Villagra, MPH, Julie Schoonover, MD, and Sarah J. Miller, PsyD

Continuous Quality Improvement (tied): 

• Leveraging Family Nurse Practitioner Post-Graduate Trainees to Improve Cervical Cancer Screening Rates at an Urban Federally Qualified Health CenterAuthors: Maria Pizzirusso, DNP, MPH, FNP-BC, Nadeen Eliyan, MS, FNP-BC, Isadora Kagan, MS, FNP-BC, Jacinth Ramsay-Green, MS, FNP-BC, Shirley Then, MS, FNP-BC, Emily Zhao, MS, FNP-BC, Amy Balbierz, MS, MPH, RN, Anna Kutner, MS, RN, Marie Toupou, BSN, RN, Allison Zimmerman, MS, MPH, RN, Brianna Bouchez, DNP, FNP-C, and Daniel Napolitano, MD
• Improving In Basket Efficiency: A Targeted ApproachAuthors: Xiangie Salgado Vazquez, BSN, RN, AMB-BC, Cindy-Lou Killikelly, MSN, RN, AMB-BC, NEA-BC, Andrea Brown Scott, BSN, MHA, RN, and Nahiomi Gonzalez, BSN, RN

Innovative Projects: 

Impact of Bi-directional Text Messaging on Colon Cancer Screening

Authors: Hetali Jokhakar, MPH, Annie Cummings, LCSW, Kiana Herod, BS, Rohan Waghray, BS, Suthasenthuran Kanagalingam, MD, Sai Akhila Reddy Bhumanapalli, MD, MPH, and Daniel Napolitano, MD

Resident-led (tied): 

• Improving Cervical Cancer Screening Rates at New Paltz Family PracticeAuthors: Sana T. Subzwari, MD, Nilesh Bhargav, MD, and Hassan Nagy, MD, MBA
• Atypical Presentation of Salmonella BacteremiaAuthors: Fabiola Corbette, MD, Navneet Grewal, MD, and Marcel Williams, MD

People’s Choice Award:

Maternal Depression Screening at Every Well-Child Visit   

Authors: Naila Ferris, MD and Raquel Graham, MD

Congratulations to all of the awardees and participants!