Artificial Intelligence has no doubt already changed how we work and create things – indeed, it has done so in ways that fundamentally change how we do so. This process will only continue to accelerate – a fact that has often been pointed to as a reason to worry. However, there is a great opportunity to harness this massive paradigm shift for the greater good.

Artificial Intelligence is, in a nutshell, the field of concepts in which a computer is able to learn and teach itself a skill with basic problem solving and data collection. In essence, the computer can gather information and teach itself to solve a problem on its own.

Dr. Gabriel Alain, an esteemed leader here at the LIFT Lab, recently attained his PhD from The School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. He has been working on methods to utilize AI in the Healthcare field, and has found that its potential to positively impact patients’ lives is immense. Per Dr. Alain’s work, AI has the potential to help Healthcare Practitioners with everything from Data Collection and Organization, to streamlining the process of Grant and Abstract Writing, to Patient Care Plans, and much more.

Despite legitimate concerns over Artificial Intelligence’s possible adverse impacts, there will always be room to utilize its power and accomplish great things, in Healthcare and beyond.

The LIFT Lab now has three new members – Graduate Students Nick Leahy and Yogesh Kumaran, and Lab Staff Najhee Purdy. They are each performing key roles in the Lab, and contribute greatly to the LIFT Lab’s efforts to strengthen Quality Improvement in Health Systems. Here are their introductions and goals, in their own words:

Nick

I grew up in Westfield, Indiana with a family of Buckeyes and an ingrained fondness for the Scarlet and Grey. I graduated from Ohio State in 2022 with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, and I earned Honors Research Distinction through my work in heart failure and ophthalmic surgery research. At Ohio State, I also competed as a Cross-Country and Track athlete, persisting despite numerous injuries. Running remains a big part of my life today, in addition to my lifelong passions of classical piano, crossword puzzles, and outdoor adventure.

I have been working on the Surgeon Athlete project – a concept which explores the idea that a surgeon’s optimal performance in the operating room is related to an elite athlete’s performance in his or her respective sport. While athletes routinely use data-driven monitoring to measure and enhance the performance of their bodies and minds, few groups have leveraged these wearable technologies in surgeons.

For this project, the LIFT Lab has been working closely with the Human Performance Collaborative here at Ohio State, whose research team specializes in validating the accuracy of wearable devices. Our effort aims to assess the feasibility of surgeons wearing continuous glucose monitors, heart rate sensors, sweat sensors, and sleep sensors both in and out of the operating room. We are hoping that these wearable technologies will create solutions which allow surgeons to properly gather and analyze information that can improve surgeon performance in the operating room.

Yogesh

I am an MD/PhD student from the University of Toledo Colleges of Medicine and Engineering with a background in biomedical engineering and a focus on orthopedic biomechanics. Currently, I am assisting the LIFT-Lab on two projects: SPIRIT Club and Carestream. Alongside a team of Researchers and Clinicians, I am helping design and implement a program through SPIRIT Club for patients rehabilitating from chronic brain injury (CBI). Through Carestream, I serve as a peer mentor and preceptor in the emergency department, where I oversee students engaged in the Carestream curriculum. I particularly enjoy guiding students through their early clinical experiences and helping them with their first patient interactions as they prepare for careers in medicine, PA school, or nursing.

My goals include gaining valuable experience in medical education, clinical trial design, and implementation, as well as honing my skills in grantsmanship pertaining to medicine, rehabilitation, and research implementation. I also aim to develop my abilities to work in team science environments – I believe collaborative research efforts are crucial for addressing complex medical challenges in my future research career.

The LIFT Lab provides an ideal setting for achieving these objectives.

Najhee

I am the newest project manager for The Ohio State University Quality Improvement (QI) Hub. As a project manager, I will assist the lead project manager, Riley Summers, in coordinating daily operations for the QI Hub. The QI Hub is sponsored by the Ohio Department of Medicaid and its global aim is to reduce complications associated with hypertension in adults (18-85) while addressing health equity.

I am originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison majoring in Biochemistry with a certificate in Global Health. I am currently a MD/MPH student at The Ohio State University. My overall career goal is to become a physician focused on serving populations that are historically marginalized and advancing equitable health policy solutions.

Ella Snead of the LIFT Lab has been elected as Service Chair for the 2027 Physical Therapy Cohort!

The main responsibilities of the PTC Service Chair are:

• Overseeing all service events completed by the Physical Therapy Cohort.
• Planning and running Theraball, the program’s largest annual fundraiser that raises money for the Foundation of Physical Therapy Research.

Congratulations, Ella, and may your time as Service Chair see great success!

CLICK HERE FOR ADVISORY BOARD INFO

The LIFT Lab and SPIRIT Club are looking for people to join their Advisory Boards – this will allow our program to tailor its curriculum to better fit the needs of patients, both individually and systemically. To join an Advisory Board, you must be one of the following: a Survivor of Chronic Brain Injury, a Caregiver for someone with a Chronic Brain injury, or a Clinician who provides treatment to CBI Survivors. Please be sure to list in the questionnaire your preference of advisory boards. Check out the updated SBIR SPIRIT Club tab for more information.

On July 10 James successfully defended his dissertation focused on “immobility harms” and reducing mobility-related complications in hospital settings. Immobility harm is defined as reduced mobilization among hospitalized adults – this often results in worse patient outcomes, longer lengths of stay, and additional medical costs. While many immobility harms are considered preventable, they remain common due to a vast array of systemic barriers in the hospital system.

In three separate studies, James’ dissertation investigates these systemic barriers and explores innovative solutions to combat immobility harm. The studies employed both qualitative and quantitative analyses to understand and overcome barriers,

collectively evaluating current practices to enhance their effectiveness and patient outcomes.

Great work on the successful dissertation, James. May this work shed light on how to better improve the lives of our patients!

Jamie Lenzo is the newest member of the LIFT Lab, specializing in Education Program Management. Jamie grew up in Pennsylvania and developed a love for sports early on, which gave her a sense of the importance of accessibility for all.

Jamie went on to work with schools and focusing on Special Education improvement. She also worked with numerous research projects to further develop curriculum for assisting special education students, and ensuring that equity, empowerment, and opportunity are primary goals of the educational system.

Working with the LIFT Lab, Jamie will help with the management of numerous projects to further enhance our mission!

Welcome to the team, Jamie.

Healthcare is doubtlessly a stressful field. In the course of taking care of patients, research, and countless hours dedicated to helping others, healthcare professionals often burn out and struggle from high stress, quite often with an adverse impact on one’s mental health. In this reality, it has become evident that measures to improve the quality of conditions for healthcare professionals is vital.

Catherine Quatman-Yates, Riley Summers and Jamileh Alain of the LIFT Lab worked with a multi-disciplinary team measuring biofeedback on Mindfulness In Motion (MIM) interventions for healthcare professionals. This study, called the Buckeye Pause Bundle, aimed to measure physiological changes and perceived experience of participants in the program.

Congratulations to the LIFT Lab, the Human Performance Collaborative and the Center for Integrative Health for getting this work published. To learn more about the study, visit the article here!

Three of our LIFT Lab students have started their graduate school journey at OSU. Congratulations to Maeghan, Gideon and Ella on this wonderful accomplishment! Maeghan is studying in the Occupational Therapy program, and Gideon and Ella are studying in the Physical Therapy program.

Best wishes and may you continue to succeed in your aspiring fields!

Timothy Rethorn, PhD

On April 4^th and 5^th, 2024, Timothy Rethorn PhD, DPT, PT and Gabriel Alain PhD, DPT, PT successfully defended their dissertations.

Timothy Rethorn’s dissertation, Trauma-Informed Care: Opportunities and Challenges for Physical Therapists, addresses the gap in training of physical therapists regarding their responsibility and practice involving their patients’ psychological trauma. Tim’s Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) work involved a multi-pronged educational approach developed for use by physical therapists to give tangible tools to clinicians to implement TIC, as well as facilitate discussion around this topic. This toolkit contributes to advancing the field of musculoskeletal physical therapy by addressing the critical intersection between physical and psychological health.

Gabriel Alain, PhD

Gabriel Alain’s dissertation delves into addressing inefficiencies in delivering and improving care within healthcare systems. To do this, Gabe adapted financial principles inspired by the S&P 500 to synthesize The Agile Healthcare Performance Index (AHPI). This measurement tool seeks to increase the efficiency of healthcare systems in domains including decision making, benchmarking and evaluation, and resource allocation.

Congratulations to Dr. Alain and Dr. Rethorn!