Learning Health System

UF CTSI Learning Health System

Overview

The Learning Health System Program is committed to strengthening the capacity of UF Health as a learning health system and advancing implementation science.

medical technology concept with brain connection and medical icons illustration

About the Program

The CTSI Learning Health System Program pursues the development and piloting of implementation strategies at UF Health that can ultimately be adapted and scaled for use in other healthcare settings. The program collaborates with the CTSI’s statewide research partners, including the OneFlorida Clinical Research Consortium, UF Health Precision Medicine Program, and other initiatives

“Implementation is the use of strategies to adopt and integrate evidence-based health interventions that change practice patterns and improve health.”

Annual NIH Conference on Implementation and Dissemination

Implementation science is a multidisciplinary field that aims to promote health by improving the quality, effectiveness, and sustainability of health services by promoting the systematic uptake of research findings and evidence-based practices into routine practice. Implementation science emphasizes outcomes that consumers, practitioners, and communities value, thus taking a patient- and community-centered approach.


Process infographic of learning health system

Program Goals

Goal 1

Promote Research

To promote research on the dissemination and implementation of clinical research findings in healthcare settings.

goal 2

Team Science

To promote innovative, multidisciplinary team science that connects researchers from across the university with community clinicians and patients to conduct high-quality research in “real-world” settings.

Goal 3

Pragmatic Trials

To consult with researchers and community clinicians to develop research ideas and clinical problems into pragmatic trials.

goal 4

Disseminate

To create a learning health system by conducting research within UF Health and disseminating the research findings to health system administrators and policymakers.


Resources

Dissemination & Implementation Science Core

The Dissemination and Implementation Science core consults with investigators across the academic health center to improve research and evaluation of evidence-based health interventions. We provide expertise in D&I methodology, including study design, conceptual frameworks, implementation strategies and measurement.

The Community Scientist Program

The Community Scientist Program was developed to engage patients and community members as collaborators throughout the research process, including identifying study topics, study design, recruitment, retention, interpretation of findings, and information dissemination.

LHS Operations Committee

The Learning Health System Program’s Operations Committee meets monthly to set program goals and direct the program’s activities. The Operations Committee is comprised of leadership, faculty, and staff from UF Health and across the university. The committee’s enthusiasm, and dedication promote the collaboration required for a learning health system.

Implementation Science Studios

Each semester, the program offers Implementation Science Studios, which are multidisciplinary roundtable discussions of implementation science-related research proposals and ideas. Scientists, methodologists, community clinicians, patients and research coordinators participate in the studio process and provide concrete, actionable advice.

resource

NIH Resources

The NIH supports dissemination and implementation (D&I) research on how evidence-based practices, interventions, and policies are effectively translated to and used in real-world settings like hospitals, schools, and communities.


Education

Implementation Science

Graduate Programs

The Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics offers several graduate programs with a focus on implementation science


Leadership

director

Ramzi G. Salloum, Ph.D.

Dr. Salloum is the director of the Learning Health System Program at the UF Clinical and Translational Science Institute and Professor and Division Director of Implementation Science in the Department of Health Outcomes & Biomedical Informatics at the UF College of Medicine. His research considers the economic implications of the implementation and dissemination of evidence-based practices.

Ramzi G Salloum, PhD LHS Director

CO-DIRECTOR

Elizabeth A. Shenkman, Ph.D.

Dr. Shenkman, PhD is the Chair of the Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics and also is the Co-Director of the University of Florida Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI). Dr. Shenkman interfaces with clinicians, health system leaders, researchers, and patients to align research and clinical operations to improve health outcomes.

Elizabeth Shenkman, PhD - LHS Co-director

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Jennifer H. LeLaurin, Ph.D., MPH

Dr. LeLaurin a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Outcomes & Biomedical Informatics. She also serves as the Assistant Director of the Learning Health System Program. Assistant Director for the CTSI Learning Health System Program. Dr. LeLaurin provides expertise in the use of qualitative and mixed-methods approaches to support implementation and technology-based interventions in clinical settings. 

Jennifer LeLaurin, MPH - LHS Assistant Director

Affiiliated faculty and staff

Location

Implementation science faculty and staff from the Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics are located on the 7th floor of the Malachowsky Hall for Data Science & Information Technology.

Events

September 4-6, 2024
amelia island, fl

2nd Annual AI and Learning Health Systems Conference

The OneFlorida+ Clinical Research Network and the University of Florida Clinical and Translational Science Institute will be hosting the 2nd Annual Learning Health System and Al Workshop. The topics are centered on the intersection of Artificial Intelligence with the Learning Health System, Patient-centered Outcomes Research, and Real World Evidence.

Students and professors at the OneFlorida+ Conference Poster Session

Questions? Please contact:

Learning Health System Clinical Research Manager

Jacqueline De La Cruz, MPH

Email: delacruz.j@ufl.edu | lhs@ctsi.ufl.edu | Phone: (352) 627-9086

location

Malachowsky Hall for Data Science and Information Technology Building

1889 Museum Rd, 7th Floor, Suite 7000, Gainesville, FL 32606

Exterior of Malachowsky Hall