Varsha G. Vimalananda MD, MPH
Associate Professor, Endocrinology, Diabetes, Nutrition & Weight Management
Physician-Scientist, Center for Health Optimization & Implementation Research (CHOIR)
150 S Huntington Avenue | (617) 638-8530varsha.vimalananda@bmc.org
varsha.vimalananda@va.gov
varshav@bu.edu

Sections
Endocrinology, Diabetes, Nutrition & Weight Management
Biography
I am an endocrinologist, an Associate Professor of Medicine at Boston University, and a Physician-Scientist at the Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research (CHOIR) at the VA Bedford Medical Center. I lead research to improve the quality of specialty health care delivery from patient and clinician perspectives.
My projects include work to:
- Develop and validate survey measures of specialty care coordination from patient and clinician perspectives
- Measure coordination of face-to-face care, telehealth, and cross-system care and examine their influences and outcomes in order to guide improvement work
- Identify and apply strategies to improve the efficiency and experience of e-consults and telehealth
- Ensure a clinical perspective in research on telehealth, secure messaging, text messaging, patient portals, and natural language processing to improve care for patients with diabetes
My research draws on my expertise in survey methods, qualitative methods, care coordination, patient-centered care, and endocrinology subspecialty care. I serve as a subject matter expert as a member of the Endocrine Society Clinical Affairs Core Committee and also for the American College of Physicians Council of Subspecialty Societies.
Websites
VA Boston Center for Healthcare Organization & Implementation Research
Interview with the Endocrine Society -- Mind the Gap: Health Services Research
Education
MD, Drexel University College of Medicine
Epidemiology, MPH, University of California, Berkeley
Anthropology, BA, University of Chicago
Publications
Jasuja GK, Zocchi MS, Reisman JI, Brady JE, Livingston NA, Blosnich JR, Vimalananda VG, Singh RS, Goodman M, Silverberg MJ, Wormwood JB, Shipherd JC. Using Self-Identified Gender Identity Data to Advance Health Equity Among Transgender and Gender Diverse Veterans in the Veterans Health Administration. Med Care. 2025 Sep 26. PMID: 41001883.
Published on 9/2/2025Sitter KE, Kragen B, Leibowitz AJ, Wormwood JB, Kim B, Vimalananda VG. Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Primary Care: A Survey of Primary Care Providers. J Gen Intern Med. 2025 Sep 02. PMID: 40897967.
Published on 8/15/2025Pagliaro JA, Wash LK, Ly K, Mathew J, Leibowitz A, Cabrera R, Wormwood JB, Vimalananda VG. Enrollment and Retention Outcomes from the Veterans Health Administration for a Remote Digital Health Study: Multisite Observational Study. JMIR Form Res. 2025 Aug 15; 9:e68676. PMID: 40334212.
Published on 3/27/2025Mathew J, Pagliaro JA, Elumalai S, Wash LK, Ly K, Leibowitz AJ, Vimalananda VG. Developing a Multisensor-Based Machine Learning Technology (Aidar Decompensation Index) for Real-Time Automated Detection of Post-COVID-19 Condition: Protocol for an Observational Study. JMIR Res Protoc. 2025 Mar 27; 14:e54993. PMID: 40146983.
Published on 3/8/2025Vimalananda VG, Kragen B, Leibowitz AJ, Qian S, Wormwood J, Linsky AM, Underwood P, Conlin PR, Kim B. Determinants of implementation of continuous glucose monitoring for patients with Insulin-Treated type 2 diabetes: a national survey of primary care providers. BMC Prim Care. 2025 Mar 08; 26(1):68. PMID: 40057678.
Published on 2/13/2025Underwood PC, Chirokas K, Keels J, Vimalananda VG, Magny-Normilus C. Race and ethnic disparities in insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor use between 2017 and 2024: a systematic review with a focus on health equity. J Health Equity. 2025; 2(1). PMID: 40814306.
Published on 9/26/2024Abdellatif B, Natarajan V, Leibowitz AJ, Sitter KE, Vimalananda VG. Electronic Consultations for Endocrine Conditions: A Scoping Review. J Endocr Soc. 2024 Sep 26; 8(11):bvae170. PMID: 39403676.
Published on 7/8/2024Jasuja GK, Wolfe HL, Reisman JI, Vimalananda VG, Rao SR, Blosnich JR, Livingston NA, Shipherd JC. Corrigendum: Clinicians in the Veterans Health Administration initiate gender-affirming hormone therapy in concordance with clinical guideline recommendations. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024; 15:1448887. PMID: 39040672.
Published on 5/10/2024Jasuja GK, Wolfe HL, Reisman JI, Vimalananda VG, Rao SR, Blosnich JR, Livingston NA, Shipherd JC. Clinicians in the Veterans Health Administration initiate gender-affirming hormone therapy in concordance with clinical guideline recommendations. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024; 15:1086158. PMID: 38800485.
Published on 4/3/2024Wolfe HL, Vimalananda VG, Wong DH, Reisman JI, Rao SR, Shipherd JC, Blosnich JR, Livingston NA, Jasuja GK. Patient Characteristics Associated with Receiving Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy in the Veterans Health Administration. Transgend Health. 2024 Apr; 9(2):151-161. PMID: 38694620.
Media Mentions
Published on 10/7/2022
Telehealth visits expected to remain important in endocrine care
Published on 10/4/2022
Fractures & Intellectual Disability; Incorporating Telehealth; Start Calcium Young?
Published on 4/14/2020
E-Consults May Be Appropriate Alternative to In-Person Specialist Visit
Published on 5/28/2019
US veterans with obesity underutilize weight management medications
View full list of 4 media mentions.