Faculty/Staff
Ron Gimbel, PhD
Interim Chairman
Biomedical Informatics Department, Room G058k
F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
4301 Jones Bridge Road
Bethesda, MD 20814
301.295.3077 (phone)
301.295.3585 (fax)
rgimbel@usuhs.mil
Information
Dr. Ron Gimbel, former healthcare administrator turned academic, originally joined the University as a faculty member in the Preventive Medicine & Biometrics Department. When the opportunity presented itself, Dr. Gimbel transitioned to the Biomedical Informatics Department where he currently serves as the Interim Chairman.
- Dr. Gimbel fosters an active research agenda on the use of information in the clinical environment toward a goal of improving health care quality and patient safety. This manifests through projects that explore:
- Health-related information retrieval strategies and devices;
- How information is displayed to clinicians and their staff;
- Push-pull strategies for bringing information (evidence) to clinicians;
- Health information systems as tools to enhance communications in the clinical environment;
- Quality and patient safety as related to health information systems; and
- Use of electronic health records in collecting and displaying information that "matters".
Dr. Gimbel is passionate about building biomedical informatics research and graduate education opportunities at USU. He is course director for two graduate courses: Introduction to Medical Informatics and Public Health Informatics.
Dr. Gimbel holds an earned doctorate from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy at SUNY Albany. He is currently active in the American Medical Informatics Association and AcademyHealth.
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Education/Courses
Introduction to Medical Informatics (PMO 594): The course provides future health care leaders a conceptual framework for understanding medical informatics and information technology as applied in the healthcare environment. The course will include in-depth discussion of technology in health care systems with emphasis on leveraging technology to improve quality and efficiency in care delivery. The course will also highlight successes and failures in implementing health information technology and the critical role that leaders play in each step of the developmental process from idea inception through systematic implementation. This course is a product of an emerging collaboration between the Uniformed Services University and the National Library of Medicine. (Dr. Gimbel - winter term)
Public Health Informatics (BID 501): The course provides students with a conceptual framework for understanding the emerging field of public health informatics. The course will include in-depth discussion of technology in the practice of public health with emphasis on preparing for and responding to manmade and natural disasters and emerging infectious diseases outbreaks. The course will also highlight successes and failures in implementing public health informatics projects and the critical role that leaders play in each step of the developmental process from idea inception through systematic implementation. This course is a product of an emerging collaboration between the Uniformed Services University and the National Library of Medicine. (Dr. Gimbel - spring term). Course website is www.usuhs.mil/publichealthinformatics.
4th Medical Student Elective Course: Clinical Informatics (BID 4001): This clinical informatics elective is offered to provide medical students with some training and exposure to clinical informatics. The student(s) will be mentored by the top clinical informaticians currently serving in the Military Health System. The student(s) will receive training on information systems, work alongside the clinical informatics staff developing tools/templates, participate in meetings with clinic personnel about their informatics needs, shadow their preceptor in command meetings with policy implications, and like activities (Dr. Gimbel/Dr. Do).
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Research - Funded Projects
Principal Investigator on a Uniformed Services University intramural grant titled "Family nurse practitioner (FNP) perception of journal abstract usefulness in clinical decision-making: a randomized controlled trial." This is a randomized controlled trial involving 1st and 2nd year graduate FNP students of the University. Study measures student perception of "abstract usefulness" in clinical decision-making and measures their behavior when full-text manuscripts are available. October 2010- present ($6.5k).
Principal Investigator on a Uniformed Services University Faculty Start-up grant titled "Leveraging Social Marketing to Improve Clinical Documentation & Promote Clinical Efficiency." This is a randomized controlled trial involving 3rd year medical students and simulated patients. Study measures ability to "influence" physicians toward use of evidence-based templates within AHLTA. March 2009 - present ($52k).
Principal Investigator on a U.S. Army Medical Research Command grant proposal titled "Quality of Clinical Encounter Notes in AHLTA." This is a multi-site study that begins with a series of qualitative interventions with stakeholders to "define" quality of documentation within a clinical encounter note, development and validation of a quality measurement tool, then multi-site longitudinal data abstraction before and after EMR implementation to measure variation in quality. February 2008 - present ($200k).
Associate Investigator for a U.S. Army Medical Research Command grant proposal to conduct a health system usability evaluation of AHLTA (electronic medical record). With Jiajie Zhang (PI) from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and Vimla Patel (PI) from Arizona State University. January 2008 - present ($198k).
Outcomes Project Manager for a HRSA-funded Ryan White Title II grant to develop and pilot a continuum-based client outcome assessment program for HIV/AIDS case managed individuals residing in New York State. Project centers around 50 HIV/AIDS community-based organizations serving high intensity need clients. April 2005 - April 2006. ($200k)
Principal Investigator for an evaluation sub-component of a CDC-funded Corrections Demonstration Project (CDP) with the Bureau of Community Based Services of the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute, Albany, NY. The primary goal of evaluation activities was to develop, pilot, measure and analyze client outcome data relating to the reintegration into society of formerly incarcerated individuals. October 2003 - November 2004. ($56k)
Principal Investigator for a HRSA-funded Ryan White Title II federal grant with the Bureau of Community Services of the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute, Albany, NY. Provided a wide array of research and consulting support in the areas of performance and accountability for 50 HIV/AIDS community-based organizations delivering case management services to Medicaid clients across the state and 16 AIDS Service Networks located across the state. April 2002 - March 2005. ($750k)
Case Study Coordinator for a grant with the Office of the Medical Director of the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute. Evaluated the impact of a public release of medical outcomes data. September 2000 - February 2001. ($55k)
Co-principal Investigator for four grants with the Case Management Section of the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute, Albany, New York. Assisted with the development and evaluation of outcome indicators for a Medicaid funded case management program (COBRA Community Follow-up Program) in New York. April 1998 - March 1999; April 1999 - March 2000; April 2000 - March 2001; April 2001 - March 2002. ($1.0M total)
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Research - Publications & Presentations
Papers and Book Chapters- Published
Stephens, M., Gimbel, R. & Pangaro, L. "The RIME/EMR Scheme: An Educational Approach to Clinical Documentation in Electronic Medical Records," Academic Medicine, in Press.
Gimbel, R., Pangaro, L & Barbour, G. "America’s "Undiscovered" Laboratory for Health Services Research," Medical Care, Vol. 48, No. 8, pp. 751-756, August 2010.
Strosberg, M. & Gimbel, R. "Kidney Donation: When all else Fails, Try a Regulated Market," Journal of the National Medical Association, 2010;102:44-45.
Gimbel, R & Clyburn, C. "Toward a DoD/VA Longitudinal Health Record: Politics and the Policy Landscape," Military Medicine, Vol. 174, No. 5, May 2009.
Gimbel R Cruess D, Schor K, Hooper T, & Barbour G. "Faculty Performance Evaluation in Accredited U.S. Public Health Graduate Schools and Programs," Academic Medicine, Vol. 83, No. 10, October 2008.
Agee B, & Gimbel, R. "Assessing the Legal and Ethical Preparedness of Master of Public Health Graduates," American Journal of Public Health, published July 16, 2008, 10.2105/AJPH.2007.133173.
Gimbel, R., Ziac, V., Tackley, L., Lehrman, S. & Freedman, J. "A Continuum-Based Outcome Approach to Measuring Performance in HIV/AIDS Case Management," AIDS Care, Vol. 19, No. 6, July 2007.
Gimbel, R. Performance-Based Accountability in the U.S. Organ Procurement System, Doctoral Dissertation, State University of New York at Albany, 2005.
Gimbel, R., Strosberg, M., Lehrman, S., Gefanas, E., & Taft, F. "Presumed Consent and Environmental Predictors of Cadaveric Organ Donation in Europe," Progress in Transplantation, Vol. 13, No. 1, March 2003.
Strosberg, M. & Gimbel, R. "The Public Administration of Organ Allocation: Maintaining the Public-Private Partnership," Journal of Public Administration and Management: An Interactive Journal, Vol. 7, No. 3, December 2002.
Lehrman, S., Gimbel, R., Freedman, J., Savicki, K., and Tackley, L. "Development and Implementation of an HIV/AIDS Case Management Outcomes Assessment Program," AIDS Care, Vol. 14, No. 6, December 2002.
Gimbel, R., Lehrman, S., Strosberg, M., Ziac, V., Freedman, J., Savicki, K. & Tackley, L. "Organizational and Environmental Predictors of Job Satisfaction in HIV/AIDS Community-Based Organizations," Social Work Research, Vol. 26, No. 1, March 2002.
Gimbel, R., Strosberg, M. & Lehrman, S. "Cultural Analysis of an Organ Procurement Organization," Progress in Transplantation, Vol. 11, No. 4, December 2001.
Gimbel, R. "Tension in the HHS Contract Regime: A Matter of Life and Death," The Rockefeller College Review (Working Paper Series), Vol. 1, No. 1, September 2001.
Strosberg, M. & Gimbel, R. "Organ Allocation: The Public Policymaking Process," published as a book chapter in The Ethics of Organ Transplantation, Advances in Bioethics, Vol. 7, JAI / Elsevier Science, 2001.
Gimbel, R. & Hufstader, R., "The Art & Challenge of Physician Recruiting," Navy Medicine, Vol. 88, No. 1, January - February 1997.
Gimbel, R. & Ryan, K., "Alternate Technologies & Home Care Service (ATHCS): An Interdisciplinary Approach to Alternative Health Care," Navy Medicine, Vol. 85, No. 6, November - Spring 1995.
Consulting Reports:
Gimbel, R., et al. (one of fourteen authors) Personalized Health Care: Military Health System Current and Future Capabilities to Incorporate Health Information Technologies and Biomedical Advances to Support Personalized Health Care, Department of Defense Response to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Request for Information, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs), Falls Church, VA, 2006.
Gimbel, R. & Fitzgerald. J. Program Evaluation: The AIDS Council of Northeastern New York and Staten Island AIDS Task Force Transitional Assistance Program for Clients being Released from Prison, for the AIDS Institute of the New York State Health Department, Albany, 2004.
Gimbel, R. Naval Medicine Primary Care Assessment: Issues from the Field, published by the U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Washington, DC, 2004.
Lehrman, S. & Gimbel, R. AIDS Institute Community Follow-up Program Outcomes Study, Rounds I and II, published by the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute, Albany, 2000.
Gimbel, R., Process Analysis/Improvement Project: The Career Development, Advisement & Support Function for Graduate Students at the Graduate Management Institute, Union College, prepared for the Graduate Management Institute, Union College, 1998.
Refereed Presentations & Abstracts:
Gimbel, R., Hakkinen, P, Phillips, S. "POSTER: The Uniformed Services University / National Library of Medicine Public Health Informatics Course: A Unique Educational Collaboration, to be presented at AMIA Now! 2010, May 25, 2010, Phoenix, Arizona.
Zhang, Z., Walji, M., Patel, V., Gimbel, R., Zhang, J. "Functional Analysis of Interfaces in U.S. Military Electronic Health Record System using UFuRT Framework," presented at the 2009 Annual Symposium of the American Medical Informatics Association, November 17, 2009, San Francisco, California.
Gimbel, R., Lehrman, S., Tackley, L., Ziac, V., & Freedman, J. "Measuring Client Outcomes to Enhance Program Accountability in HIV/AIDS Case Management: Lessons from a Nine Year Project in New York State," Poster presented at the XVI International AIDS Conference, August 13 - 18, 2006, Toronto, Canada.
Gimbel, R. "Overcoming Challenges to Measuring Performance in HIV/AIDS Case Management: Lessons from a Nine Year Experience," 29th Annual Conference of the Eastern Evaluation Research Society, April 24, 2006, Absecon, New Jersey.
Gimbel, R. "Navigating Unfamiliar Water: Evaluating Disease Management Initiatives in the U.S. Navy Healthcare System," 18th Annual Conference of the American Evaluation Association, November 5, 2004, Atlanta, Georgia.
Yew, K. and Gimbel, R. "Systematically Turning the TRIP Tide: Disease Management and the U.S. Naval Healthcare System," Translating Research into Practice: Advancing Excellence from Discovery to Delivery National Conference, Sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research et al., July 13, 2004, Washington, DC.
Gimbel, R. and Freedman, J. "Advance Content Intensive Session on Measuring and Improving Performance in HIV/AIDS Case Management: Collaboration, Methodology and Lessons Learned in New York State," HIV/AIDS 2004: The Social Work Response, 16th Annual National Convention on Social Work and HIV/AIDS, May 29, 2004, Washington, DC.
Gimbel, R, "Defining & Evaluating Performance in HIV/AIDS Case Management: Collaboration, Methodology and Lessons Learned in New York State," American Evaluation Association 17th Annual Conference, November 7, 2003, Reno, Nevada.
Invited Presentations:
Gimbel, R., Moderator, Information Management/Information Technology Educational Needs (2 sessions), Inaugural Federal Partner Workshop, National Center for Disaster Medicine & Public Health, Bethesda, Maryland, September 25, 2009.
Gimbel, R., Session Chair, Panel on Geriatrics & Women’s Health Among Active Duty Military & Veterans, 25th Annual Research Meeting, AcademyHealth, Washington, District of Columbia, June 10, 2008.
Gimbel, R., Hanson, J., Stephens, M., Bohen, E., Yarvis, J., Barbour, G., Forrest, L., Seckman, C., Benge, J., Renfro, J., Connolly, N. & Pangaro, L., POSTER: Quality of the Clinical Encounter Note in AHLTA, 2008 AHLTA Users Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, 3-5 June 2008.
Zhang, J., Patel, V., & Gimbel, R. POSTER: Usability Evaluation of AHLTA, 2008 AHLTA Users Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, 3-5 June 2008.
Gimbel, R. "Empirical Assessment of Faculty Performance in U.S. Public Health Graduate Schools and programs." Preventive Medicine & Biometrics Department Noon Seminar, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, September 5, 2007, Bethesda, Maryland.
Gimbel, R. "Informatics and Quality Health Care: The Federal Health Informatics Training Initiative." Informatics Seminar: Research in Progress, Division of Health Sciences Informatics, the Johns Hopkins University, November 3, 2006, Baltimore, Maryland.
Gimbel, R. and Barbour, G. "Pay-for-Performance Programs: Overview and Implications for Medicaid?" Lecture and Facilitated Discussion, Office of Management and Budget, July 22, 2005, Washington, DC.
Gimbel, R. and Barbour, G. "Pay-for-Performance Programs: Overview and Implications for the Military Health System," Brownbag Session, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs)/TRICARE Management Activity, May 24, 2005, Falls Church, Virginia.
Gimbel, R. "Understanding and Using Outcome Measures to Drive Improvement in HIV/AIDS Case Management Program Performance," Improving Medicaid-Funded Case Management: Using Outcome Measurements Workshop, New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute, March 21, 2005, New York, New York.
Fitzgerald, J. and Gimbel, R, "Quality Improvement in HIV/AIDS Nutrition Service Provision in New York," HIV/AIDS Nutrition Provider Workshop, New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute, April 29, 2004, New York, New York.
Gimbel, R, "Power and the Supervisor: Understanding power and its effective application," HIV/AIDS Case Management Supervisor Development Workshop, New York State Department of Health, January 12, 2004, Fordham University, New York, New York.
Gimbel, R, "Workshop Session: Understanding Work Styles and Behavior in the Work Setting," Continuing the Journey: Bringing Quality Improvement to HIV/AIDS COBRA Case Management Conference, New York State Department of Health, March 18, 2003, Fordham University, New York, New York.
Gimbel, R, "Implementing Quality Improvement in HIV/AIDS Community-Based Organizations," Moderator for Panel Discussion, Continuing the Journey: Bringing Quality Improvement to HIV/AIDS COBRA Case Management Conference, New York State Department of Health, March 18, 2003, Fordham University, New York, New York.
Gimbel, R., "Organizational and Environmental Predictors of Job Satisfaction in HIV/AIDS Community-Based Organizations," COBRA Case Management Quality Improvement Symposium sponsored by the AIDS Institute, New York State Department of Health, June 12, 2001, New York, New York.
Gimbel, R., "Cultural Analysis of an Organ Procurement Organization," Best Practices Seminar sponsored by the New York Consortium of Organ Procurement Organizations, May 22, 2001, Syracuse, New York.
Lehrman, S., Gimbel, R. & Fitzgerald, J., "Making Quality Happen in Case Management," Two-day seminar for HIV/AIDS Case Managers offered through the AIDS Institute, New York State Department of Health, 14-15 May & 4-5 June, 2001, New York, New York.
Lehrman, S., Gimbel, R., Capela, S., Pichinson, D. and Samuels, N., "Putting Results to Work: What to Do With Outcomes Data," COBRA HIV Case Management Provider Annual Meeting: Y2CM: HIV Case Management in the New Millennium, November 1999, Tarrytown, New York.
Gimbel, R., Norton, C., Reilly, P., & Rueckert, D., "Panel Discussion on Understanding the Role of Marketing in Your Healthcare Organization," Institute for the Advancement of Healthcare Management Continuing Education Breakfast Series, May 1999, Albany, New York.
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