Varsha G. Vimalananda MD, MPH

Voluntary Associate Professor, Endocrinology, Diabetes, Nutrition & Weight Management

Physician-Scientist, Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research (CHOIR)

150 S Huntington Avenue | (617) 638-8530
Varsha Vimalananda
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

BU Profile

VA Boston Center for Healthcare Organization & Implementation Research

Interview with the Endocrine Society -- Mind the Gap: Health Services Research

My NCBI

Education

MD, Drexel University College of Medicine, 2004

Epidemiology, MPH, University of California, Berkeley, 1999

Anthropology, BA, University of Chicago, 1997

Publications

Published on 3/23/2023

Robinson SA, Zocchi M, Purington C, Am L, DeLaughter K, Vimalananda VG, Netherton D, Ash AS, Hogan TP, Shimada SL. Secure Messaging for Diabetes Management: Content Analysis. JMIR Diabetes. 2023 Mar 23; 8:e40272. PMID: 36951903.

PubMed
Published on 3/23/2023

Robinson SA, Zocchi M, Purington C, Am L, DeLaughter K, Vimalananda VG, Netherton D, Ash AS, Hogan TP, Shimada SL. Secure Messaging for Diabetes Management: Content Analysis. JMIR Diabetes. 2023 Mar 23; 8:e40272. PMID: 36951903.

PubMed
Published on 3/1/2023

Shanahan J, Vimalananda VG, Graham L, Schumann R, Mull HJ. Association Between Preoperative Diabetes Control and Postoperative Adverse Events Among Veterans Health Administration Patients With Diabetes Who Underwent Elective Ambulatory Hernia Surgery. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Mar 01; 6(3):e236318. PMID: 37000453.

PubMed
Published on 3/1/2023

Li B, Gillmeyer KR, Molloy-Paolillo B, Vimalananda VG, Elwy AR, Wiener RS, Rinne ST. Scoping Review of Pulmonary Telemedicine Consults: Current Knowledge and Research Gaps. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2023 Mar; 20(3):456-465. PMID: 36490386.

PubMed
Published on 12/1/2022

Khanna A, Fix GM, Anderson E, Bolton RE, Bokhour BG, Foster M, Smith JG, Vimalananda VG. Towards a framework for patient-centred care coordination: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open. 2022 Dec 01; 12(12):e066808. PMID: 36456025.

PubMed
Published on 11/23/2022

Vimalananda VG, Brito JP, Eiland LA, Lal RA, Maraka S, McDonnell ME, Narla RR, Roth MY, Crossen SS. Appropriate Use of Telehealth Visits in Endocrinology: Policy Perspective of the Endocrine Society. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2022 Nov 23; 107(11):2953-2962. PMID: 36194041.

PubMed
Published on 11/9/2022

Wong DH, Bolton RE, Sitter KE, Vimalananda VG. Endocrinologists' Experiences With Telehealth: A Qualitative Study With Implications for Promoting Sustained Use. Endocr Pract. 2023 Feb; 29(2):104-109. PMID: 36370984.

PubMed
Published on 10/9/2022

Kershaw K, Martelly L, Stevens C, McInnes DK, Silverman A, Byrne T, Aycinena D, Sabin LL, Garvin LA, Vimalananda VG, Hass R. Text messaging to increase patient engagement in a large health care for the homeless clinic: Results of a randomized pilot study. Digit Health. 2022 Jan-Dec; 8:20552076221129729. PMID: 36238754.

PubMed
Published on 6/6/2022

Sitter KE, Wong DH, Bolton RE, Vimalananda VG. Clinical Appropriateness of Telehealth: A Qualitative Study of Endocrinologists' Perspectives. J Endocr Soc. 2022 Aug 01; 6(8):bvac089. PMID: 35775013.

PubMed
Published on 9/18/2021

Zocchi MS, Robinson SA, Ash AS, Vimalananda VG, Wolfe HL, Hogan TP, Connolly SL, Stewart MT, Am L, Netherton D, Shimada SL. Patient portal engagement and diabetes management among new portal users in the Veterans Health Administration. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2021 09 18; 28(10):2176-2183. PMID: 34339500.

PubMed
View full list of 54 publications.

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

View full list of 3 media mentions.

View all profiles