Catherine Quatman-Yates

About

Biography

I am dedicated to pursuing research that empowers individuals to engage in safe and physically active lifestyles across the lifespan. I am the director for the Leading Improvement-Focused Teams for Advancing Health System Outcomes Lab (LIFT Lab). I am diversely trained in the philosophies and methods for a variety of inquiry paradigms including: classic experimental and quasi-experimental designs, naturalistic/qualitative approaches, complexity science approaches (e.g., social network analysis and non-linear time series analyses), and improvement/implementation science methods. I leverage systems thinking/modeling and various investigative and analytic approaches to work toward ongoing improvement of patient outcomes for a variety of injuries and conditions. My current research focus areas include:

Continuous Learning Health Systems to Improve Outcomes

Frontline clinicians are indispensable brokers between breakthroughs in knowledge and the patients who can most benefit from these advancements. Continuous learning health systems can provide an infrastructure and culture that allows for fluid and prompt identification and integration of new evidence, reduction of unintended variation in care, improved transparency and communication among stakeholders, and valuable opportunities to study and act on new information generated through quality improvement and research activities. My collaborators and I are currently pursuing a series of observational studies and improvement science projects evaluating how we can better facilitate the involvement of frontline care providers in evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and research activities through the creation of continuous learning health systems in health and rehabilitation contexts.

Physical Therapy Evaluation and Intervention after Mild TBI/Concussion

Physical therapists are increasingly recognized as an integral part of the team of providers that can aid in the care for individuals who sustain mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI), or concussions. My collaborators and I are working steadily to advance the evidence with regard to: 1) identification of post-mTBI/concussion impairments that can be addressed with physical therapy interventions, 2) development, optimization, and implementation of physical therapy interventions to address post-mTBI/concussion impairments, and 3) improvement of the efficacy and efficiency of physical therapy service delivery for patients with mTBI/concussion.

Getting Effective Fall/Health Crisis Prevention into the Homes of People Who Need it Most

Falls are a leading cause of emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths in the United States. While evidence-based and publically available fall prevention resources exist, fall-related morbidity, mortality, and costs have continued to escalate. Evidence indicates that among people who are at high-risk for falls, there is a sub-group of individuals who are extremely vulnerable to injurious falls that prevention efforts are failing to reach. Community paramedicine is a growing model of care globally that redirects emergency response service resources toward preventative care for vulnerable individuals provided in non-emergency contexts. Community paramedic engagement in fall prevention activities has been touted as a promising new delivery system to get effective fall prevention solutions in to the homes of the people who need it most. However, there is currently limited infrastructure and guidance to support community paramedic programs in providing high-quality, evidence-based fall and health crisis prevention care. My research collaborators and I work closely with community partners in fire/emergency medical services all over the state of Ohio to study and work on the development of a learning health system that leverages community paramedicine to effectively tackle wicked public health problems among vulnerable individuals.

Patient Empowerment to Become and Stay Physically Active for Life (Physical Literacy)

Maintaining high levels of physical activity across the lifespan is an ambitious challenge for everyone. Injuries, illness, and congenital impairments can bring about additional obstacles and barriers that may necessitate unique expertise and strategies to make physical activity possible, safe, and appealing. Leveraging the emerging framework of physical literacy, my collaborators and I are interested in understanding and addressing barriers that limit patients’ ability, motivation, and desire to engage in and maintain a physically active lifestyle among at-risk populations with the goal of developing strategies and interventions that can empower patients and their families to overcome barriers that discourage and limit physical activity after acute illness, injury, or while living with chronic health conditions.

Credentials

Research

News and media

My news coverage

• BWC awards $1.4 million to Ohio State Wexner Medical Center for Workforce Safety