Harris Health and UTHealth Houston Research and Quality Improvement Day

HH UT Research & Quality Improvement Day October 15, 2025

Thank you to everyone who participated in and helped make Harris Health and UTH Research and QI Day a tremendous success. The 54 poster presentations were both innovative and inspiring.

We extend our sincere appreciation to Dr. Porsa, Dr. Love, Dr. Ko, Dr. Medina, Dr. Small, and all presenters for delivering such insightful and engaging sessions. Special thanks also go to our project grading and planning teams for their invaluable contributions.

We’re excited to continue highlighting the spirit of collaboration and the impactful Research and QI initiatives taking place across Harris Health.

Research winner: CHALLENGES IN ANAL CYTOLOGY FOR SCREENING HIGH-GRADE SQUAMOUS NEOPLASIA AND ABOVE LESIONS IN HIGH-RISK POPULATIONS: A SINGLE INSTITUTION’S EXPERIENCE OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS by Connor Brown, MD; April Hull, MPH, CT(ASCP)CM; Antonio Galvao Neto, MD; Tianhua Guo, MD

Quality Improvement winner: KEEPING LINES OPEN: A QI INITIATIVE TO REDUCE NEONATAL PICC OCCLUSIONS by Veselinovic Julie, BSN, RNC-MNN RNC-NIC; D’Souza Maria, DNP, RNC-NIC, MHA, NEA-BC; Pascual Lynn, RNC-NIC; Fry Jon, BSN, RNC-NIC; Monserrate Shannon, Pharm.D., BCPPS; Tsakiri Sophia, MD

Click the links below to relive some of the event’s most memorable moments:

Presenter Name	Study Title	Category
Narayana, Nithya, BS Bender, Nathan, MD	IMPROVING FIT KIT RETURN RATES THROUGH REMINDER CALLS AT A SAFETY-NET CLINIC: A QUALITY IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVE	Quality Improvement
Wyatt, Cameron, MD	THE INCIDENCE OF OCCULT INGUINAL HERNIA DURING LAPAROSCOPIC CONTRALATERAL REPAIR: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY	Research
Nguyen, Andrea, MD Nguyen, PD, MD Mallela, Vijaya, MD	EDUCATING RESIDENTS ON HOW TO COUNSEL PATIENTS DURING THIRD TRIMESTER PRENATAL VISIT ON PERINEAL MASSAGE AND HOW TO PUSH DURING DELIVERY	Quality Improvement
Shailee Modi, BS	HPV VACCINATION AMONG HIV-POSITIVE PATIENTS IN THE HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM	Research
Erika Fanous, MPH	ASSESSING HEALTH LITERACY AND PERINATAL OUTCOMES AT A PUBLIC HOSPITAL IN THE SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES	Research
Smith, Matthew, MD	DETERMINING BARRIERS TO DIETARY CHANGE AMONG MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED MEN WITH PROSTATE CANCER	Research
Garcia, Rebekka, MPH	ADAPTATION OF THE PREDIMED INTERVENTION FOR MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED PROSTATE CANCER PATIENTS THROUGH INTERVENTION MAPPING	Research
Courtney T. Kirkland, MPH, CIC, CLSSYB Dennis Murdie, RN, CEN, VA-BC	OPTIMIZING LINE DECISIONS: ADD REGISTERED DIETITIAN TO LINE HUDDLES	Quality Improvement
Corey, Nikeeta Tarif Khair, MD Tammy Straps	ELEVATING HEART FAILURE CARE: STRATGIES FOR OPTOMIZING ARNI ADHERNCE	Quality Improvement
Joe, Mackenzie, BA	LOCAL ADHERENCE WITH SOCIETY GUIDELINES AND POSTOPERATIVE OUTCOMES IN PERFORATED APPENDICITIS	Research
Lozoya, Eloy	PREDICTORS OF TELEMEDICINE PREFERENCE AMONG LOW INCOME PATIENTS IN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS	Research
Jayakumar, Srisha, BS	PREDICTORS OF FAILURE DURING NONOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT OF SIMPLE ACUTE APPENDICITIS	Research
Lashvili, Levani, MD	CARDIAC TAMPONADE AS THE INITIAL PRESENTATION OF LARGE B-CELL LYMPHOMA	Research