Foundation interns display their studies at UNT
Interns of the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council Foundation (DFWHC Foundation) presented their research during a “poster session” at the University of North Texas (UNT) Health Science Center, April 15. The event was an opportunity for students Rajasree Sarah Das and Richa Bashyal to display their research on public health practices.
For more than five years, the DFWHC Foundation has provided numerous internships to students from the UNT Health Science Center. The internship, in addition to the “poster session,” is one of many requirements for students to obtain their Masters of Public Health (MPS) degree. During the event, Das and Bashyal presented research conducted while interning at the DFWHC Foundation.
Rajasree Sarah Das
Das (above) summarized the DFWHC Foundation’s study evaluating electronic video devices that communicate discharge instructions to patients to reduce congestive heart failure readmissions at hospitals. The study reported that 66 percent of the patients found the videos helpful following discharge from the hospital. Survey results indicated a 30-day readmission rate reduction of 24 percent. The study’s conclusion suggested use of the electronic video tablet to be an affordable option for hospitals in the future.
Richa Bashyal
Bashyal’s study (above) highlighted the importance of integrated healthcare informatics in public health. Healthcare informatics deals with the understanding and promotion of effective analysis, management and use of data information in healthcare. Bashyal’s work demonstrated the potential of healthcare analysis combining Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping with the DFWHC Foundation’s data on emergency room visits. The effort identified “hot blocks” in the community, in addition to patients with high emergency room use. The study concluded that the combination of healthcare informatics and analytical tools identify disparities of diseases in specific zip codes. These studies can render the community transparent, allowing resources to be efficiently used for prevention and management.
For more information on the DFWHC Foundation’s internship program, please contact me at ssharma@dfwhcfoundation.org.