In this month’s Chair’s Spotlight, we highlight the work of Mayra Tisminetzky, MD, PhD, MPH, an associate professor of medicine in the Divisions of Health Systems Science and Geriatrics. She also holds a secondary appointment in population and quantitative health sciences.  

Dr. Tisminetzky’s research focuses on the epidemiology of aging and cardiovascular diseases with a specific focus on addressing the management and clinical outcomes of older adults with multiple chronic conditions. In her spotlight, we highlight some of her recent and prominent projects, and her dedicated work teaching medical, nursing, and graduate students at UMass Chan.

Learn more about Dr. Tisminetzky by clicking the button below.

Frail geriatric patients are vulnerable to acute stressors including hospitalizations. They can become more vulnerable when they transition from one environment to another and need additional support when recovering from acute stressors. When patients go home from the hospital, they usually receive a follow-up telephone call within 48-72 hours of their discharge from the primary care or geriatric clinic as part of transitional care management. During this brief call, nurses check to see how the patients are doing. Although this call provides a touchpoint, there is no face-to-face assessment which can make it difficult to determine how the patient is adjusting to the transition back home. The majority of these patients then receive home health services for about 3-4 weeks which may include nursing care, physical therapy, and/or occupational therapy and a one-time visit with their primary care provider. When the home health services are complete, their follow-up care generally comes to an end. While paperwork from the home health visits is transmitted to the primary care and geriatrics clinics at the conclusion of their care, there is generally no other communication with providers, unless there is a serious problem. Thus, it is difficult for primary care and geriatric providers to assess whether or not the patient has made progress since their hospitalization. 

In an effort to provide better coordinated and patient-centered care during the transition period, Stephanie Sison, MD, a geriatrician working at the Benedict Adult Primary Care Clinic and assistant professor of medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine, and Kouta Ito, MD, a geriatrician and assistant professor of medicine in the Divisions of Geriatrics and Health Systems Science, are planning to partner with Mobile Integrated Health (MIH), a team of specially trained paramedics at UMass, to address the gaps in care between discharge and when home health services begin, as well as follow up after home health services are complete. The concept is that after frail geriatric patients are released from the hospital, MIH will go to the patient’s home within 48 hours to complete a medical and geriatric assessment and fill the gaps in care before home health services commence. In addition to the typical medical assessment which happens during post-discharge follow-up, the geriatric evaluation will include assessment of fall risk, safety, cognitive status (presence of delirium), medication appropriateness and adherence, and social support. When home health services are complete, MIH will return to the patient’s home to conduct a follow-up visit, assess their progress, and address needs that may have come up after their clinic visit and after discharge from home health services. During these visits, the MIH team will be in direct contact with the primary care or geriatric providers to discuss patient needs based on their assessment. The main goal of this collaborative initiative is to provide additional support for frail older adults in their recovery phase after an acute stressor, filling in the gaps that have been observed to commonly exist when older adults transition from hospital to home, ultimately improving patient outcomes such as reducing the incidence of rehospitalization.  

Dr. Sison anticipates this collaborative initiative will launch at the end of June.  

In this month’s Fellow Spotlight, we feature Offdan Narvaez-Guerra, MD, a fellow in Cardiovascular Medicine, from Arequipa, a city in the Andean Highlands of southern Peru. We recently caught up with Dr. Narvaez-Guerra to learn more about his work, why he chose UMass, and more. 

What are your clinical and research interests?  

My main interest is the non-invasive assessment of cardiovascular hemodynamics, specifically in extreme environments such as hypobaric hypoxia. I want to explore the potential utility of the use of cardiac magnetic resonance-based new technologies for the evaluation of right-sided ventriculo-arterial interactions and dysfunction at high-altitude, a research area with enormous applications in the clinical field. After completing my training in cardiovascular medicine, I will do an additional year of advanced cardiac imaging, focusing on magnetic resonance, computed tomography, and echocardiographic guidance of structural interventions at Georgetown University. In the future, I would be open to studying the use of deep learning methods in cardiovascular image analysis.  

Why did you choose UMass for your fellowship?  

I chose UMass for my cardiology fellowship because it provides superb exposure to all the areas in the field. Its unique location is advantageous in the sense that it is a large referral center in central Massachusetts, providing fellows the opportunity of taking care of patients from diverse demographic backgrounds. Additionally, UMass is proud in having some of the world-renowned gurus in echocardiography and hemodynamics among its faculty. 

Where is your favorite place to travel for vacation and why?  

My favorite vacation was a family trip to the small town of Stowe, in Vermont. It was a breathtaking adventure and one of the best traditional Christmas experiences we have had in North America. 

What is your favorite game or sport to watch and play?  

I am a soccer enthusiast. I follow AC Milan in the Italian Calcio and whenever they are competing in the Champions League. 

In this month’s Resident Spotlight, we feature Alessandro Colletta, MD, a third-year Internal Medicine resident, originally from San Maurizio D’Opaglio, a small town in northern Italy. He will be one of the chief residents in 2023-2024. We recently caught up with Dr. Colletta to learn more about his clinical and research interests, his involvement in the Diversity Action Council, and more. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

What are your clinical and research interests?  

I enjoy every discipline within internal medicine, but I nurture a keen interest in hepatology. I see this interdisciplinary specialty as a field with nuanced physiology and a diverse array of pathologies. UMass Medical Center is one of the largest liver transplant centers in New England. Here, I have had the opportunity to witness firsthand the multidisciplinary nature of transplant hepatology and to appreciate the clinical and social complexity of the patient population we care for. I would like to pursue my gastroenterology fellowship at a large transplant center, and then specialize in transplant hepatology.   

Throughout residency, I have nourished my commitment to clinical and scientific research, and also had the opportunity to join the IM Research Track. This provided me with the mentorship of senior faculty and a core research curriculum which enabled me to efficiently structure my research in hepatology and gastroenterology. Some of my research is centered on the multi-organ system manifestations and hemodynamics of decompensated liver disease. I have also investigated the effect of hepatorenal syndrome on renal outcomes post-liver transplant in patients with acute alcohol-associated hepatitis compared to those with chronic liver disease. Additionally, I am exploring the interplay between heart and liver, and the assessment of diastolic dysfunction via echocardiography to predict post-transplant outcomes.  

I am a member and co-chair of the Diversity Action Council (DAC), which aims to create a safe and innovative environment for residents and faculty to engage in discussions involving race and social justice through teaching and learning. We have launched a journal club committee focused on discussing research articles that are centered on the implications of structural racism on health disparities. Furthermore, we have recently instituted a “Research Hub” that aims to give our residents the opportunity to conduct projects that actively address social barriers to equity in healthcare. We hope that through these initiatives we can promote the core values of inclusivity, diversity, and equity at UMass.  

What makes UMass a great place for your residency?  

UMass is a welcoming institution that provides superb education to trainees, and outstanding, equitable care to its patients. Our institution is also at the forefront of innovative, clinical, and scientific research studies, which makes UMass a stimulating and engaging environment. Particularly, our internal medicine residency is a special place to train. Our program truly feels like a big family where high-quality education and mentorship are supplemented by inclusivity and continuous support.  

Favorite Hobby? 

I love sailing, horseback riding, and running outdoors. I am a big soccer aficionado and passionately follow all the major leagues in Europe. I also love cooking Italian cuisine, dancing salsa, and reading poetry and philosophy.   

Favorite thing to do in Worcester/Worcester area? 

The outdoor activities are the absolute best. I love going for walks to State parks, kayaking on Lake Quinsigamond, and going to outdoor breweries and music festivals with friends. Boston is also easily reachable, which makes it perfect for a special evening outing or for enjoying a Celtics or Bruins game. 

Rahul Sood Discusses New Same Day Procedure to Diagnose and Treat Lung Cancer with Boston 25 News  



Rahul Sood, MD, clinician and assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, was recently interviewed on Boston 25 News, where he discussed a new procedure at UMass that enables doctors to diagnose and remove cancerous tumors in the same day.  

Dr. Sood, along with thoracic surgeon Dr. Mark Maxfield, and pathologist Dr. Andrew Fisher discuss a robotic procedure called RODAT (robotic, one anesthetic diagnosis and treatment) that can diagnose and remove cancerous lung tumors in patients within the course of about three to four hours. The procedure begins with a pulmonologist, in this case, Dr. Sood, performing a robotic bronchoscopy to view and biopsy the tumor. “With the robotic bronchoscopy procedure, we can get much deeper into the lung tissue than we were able to do with prior equipment,” stated Dr. Sood. The sample is then promptly analyzed by UMass pathologists to determine a diagnosis, and if it is cancerous, providers can operate and remove the tumor in the same day. UMass was the first health care system in New England to perform this type of procedure.  

Congratulations to Sandeep Jubbal, MD, assistant professor of medicine in Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Nancy Lee, MD, assistant professor of medicine in Hospital Medicine, Christopher Marshall, MD, clinical chief and assistant professor of medicine in Gastroenterology, and David Cachia, MD, associate professor of medicine in Hematology and Oncology, for graduating from the Physician Leadership Development Program on Friday, May 5, 2023. As part of their final project within the PLDP, they each presented a business proposal for a new service to UMass leadership, with the goal of obtaining funding. We are thrilled to announce that all their projects were funded! 



Dr. Jubbal’s proposal “Leveraging Existing Digital Tools for Sustainable Mental Health Care”, aims to provide an automated, standardized, and empathic MyChart message to patients struggling with mental health after their discharge, directing them to a UMass Memorial Health website which will streamline access to psychiatric care. The website will link to area outpatient mental health centers to arrange intake appointments in-person or through telehealth. The hope is that this proposal becomes a national model for suicide prevention innovation. Other key personnel for this proposal include Drs. Christian Klauke, Department of Emergency Medicine, and Brian Daly, Department of Psychiatry. 

Dr. Lee’s proposal “Integration of Social Determinants of Health Screening to Inpatient Workflows”, is to pilot an inpatient social determinants of health (SDOH) screening project to help identify barriers to the process, gain feedback from stakeholders, and ensure successful integration of standardized early SDOH screening processes into UMass inpatient workflows. She explains that UMass has already implemented SDOH screening in many ambulatory clinics, however, these screenings are not used on the inpatient side. Successful implementation of inpatient SDOH screening has the potential to improve patient flow and long-term patient outcomes. Other key personnel for this proposal include Drs. Rita Khodosh, Department of Dermatology, and Thi Hong Van Do, Tri-River Primary Care. 

Dr. Marshall’s proposal “Walk and Roll Program: Enhanced Recovery by Early Ambulation,” aims to launch an early mobilization program for transplant patients within UMass. Current barriers to ambulation after transplant procedures include a lack of equipment and expertise, and competing priorities throughout the clinic, making early and intensive ambulation a low priority. By developing an early intensive patient ambulation program, Dr. Marshall and his colleagues hope to decrease the need for post-acute inpatient rehabilitation and reduce the length of stay at the hospital. Other key personnel for this proposal include Drs. Matthew McCauley, Chair of Quality Improvement, Division of Hospital Medicine, and Babak Movahedi, Chief of Transplant, UMass Memorial Medical Center. 

Dr. Cachia’s proposal “STAY Interview for Physician Retention,” aims to implement a new interview process to help increase physician retention. The goal is to identify any concerns of physicians earlier on to build employee engagement and loyalty, improve employee retention, build trust between employees and managers, and foster a positive workplace culture. By interviewing physicians with this new process, Dr. Cachia and colleagues hope the data gathered can then be used to expand the pilot study to a system-wide initiative. Other key personnel for this proposal include Drs. Muriel Cleary, Pediatric Surgery, Brandon Smoller, Department of Anesthesiology, and Xiaofei Wang, Department of Pathology.  

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has approved the expansion of the Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and Pulmonary and Critical Care fellowships. Gastroenterology and Hepatology will expand from 9 fellows this year to 12 fellows by academic year 2026-2027, Hospice and Palliative Care will expand from 1 to 2 fellows for academic year 2024-2025, and Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine will expand from 9 fellows this year to 12 fellows by academic year 2026-2027.  

The fellowships’ program directors Krunal Patel, MD, assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology, Sunita Puri, MD, associate professor of medicine in the Division of Palliative Care Medicine, and William Wong, DO, assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, were instrumental in moving these proposals forward. Congratulations!

A special congratulations to DoM faculty and staff members who have recently achieved service milestones in the years 2020, 2021, and 2022. Please join us in recognizing the following colleagues: 

The Department of Medicine Grand Rounds series continued this past month, with presentations from Leonard Feldman, MD, associate professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, titled "Things We Do for No Reason," Maggie Feeney, MD, MSc, professor of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, UCSF, titled "Malaria in Pregnancy: From a Fetal Point of View," and from David T. Rubin, MD, Joseph B. Kirsner Professor of Medicine, professor of Pathology, chief, Section of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, University of Chicago Medicine, titled "Raising the Bar in the Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Treating a Global Problem One Patient at a Time."

View this year's line-up of speakers here. Please join us in person for these presentations if you are able. Light refreshments will be available. 

Interested in watching our Grand Rounds presentations? Click on the links below.

May 4 - Grand Rounds: Things We Do for No Reason

May 11 - Grand Rounds: Malaria in Pregnancy: From a Fetal Point of View

May 18 - Grand Rounds: Raising the Bar in the Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Treating a Global Problem One Patient at a Time

Congratulations to the following staff members on their recent appointments:

Elena Byhoff, MD, MSc

Division of General Internal Medicine

Associate Professor

Vishesh Chhibber, MD

Division of Hematology and Oncology

Associate Professor

Lauren Feld, MD

Division of Gastroenterology

Assistant Professor

Michael Kalfopoulos, MD

Division of Hospital Medicine

Assistant Professor

Filiz Korkmaz, PhD

Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology

Instructor

Chiaki Nakata, MD, ScM

Tri-River Internal Medicine

Assistant Professor

Kevin O'Day, MD

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine

Assistant Professor

Stephanie Sison, MD, MPH

Division of General Internal Medicine

Assistant Professor

Shiv Sutaria, MD

Division of Hospital Medicine

Assistant Professor

Jungwon Yoon, MD, MPH

Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology

Assistant Professor