Erika Demars
Norristown,PA
Summary
Results-driven leader with a strong background in Transplant operations and organizational growth. Skilled in identifiying and optimizing process improvement opportuinites while driving team perfomance and enhancing the quality of patient care and outcomes. Dedicated and respected team member who is accomplished in buliding relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
Work History
Director – Clinical Operations Lung Transplant
Temple University Health
04.2024 - Current
- Developed a central referral process identifying the need for a dedicated Referral Specialist. With over 800 outpatient referrals as inpatient-to-inpatient transfers, there was no streamlined process. Collaborated with the Transfer Team, Providers, and assigned a dedicated Referral Specialist to capture all incoming referrals. This led to a more efficient process where all referrals are captured by running reports.
- Developed Departmental Protocols and worked with EPIC/Phoenix Team to integrate these into order sets within the EMR. This allows Nurse Coordinators to practice within their scope.
- Collaboration with the Phoenix Team to ensure that all tools within the EMR are being used and can be linked to TIEDI forms. This process allows for information to be pulled into TIEDI forms and exported to UNOS, decreasing the amount of time for manual entry while allowing for accurate information to be obtained.
- Process mapped the outpatient process from referral to post transplant care, and idenitified areas for improvement. This allowed for visualization of how the all phase model needs to be divided into pre and post transplant care and will allow for overall improvement in qualiity patient care while maintaining all regulatory aspects that are needed.
- Involved in an International Partnership with Clait, Israel, collaborating with International Specialists, Financial Consultants, Transfer Team, and other stakeholders to assure efficient pathway from referral to intake is established. Worked with Internal Providers and Clait representatives to outline transition of care back to Israel after transplant. Currently we have had two international transfers with one successful transplant.
- Involved in Outreach partnership with two other health systems - St. Luke's and Virtua. This allows for transition of care for the patient after they are stable so that we do not have to care for them lifelong.
- Developed pathways essential to diabetic management in the post-transplant phase. There was a gap in diabetic teaching in the immediate post-transplant phase in which patients were being discharged without appropriate medication and diabetic teaching, resulting in an increase of readmission rates. Worked with the Population Health to develop a Diabetes Educator Transplant Patient Charter to avoid readmission rates of DKA. Since the implementation we have not had a readmission due to DKA.
- Worked on pathway to identify those patients requiring Transplant Gastroenterology clearance due to restrictive disease early in the referral process. Past state had patients scheduled once providers deemed them a candidate, which lead to a delay in scheduling. New state identified these individuals at the onset of referral so that appointments are scheduled at the same time they see the Pulmonologist, decreasing the time from evaluation to presentation.
- Closely collaborate with Pulmonary team to assure that all UNOS protocols are followed and documented appropriately.
- Developed high-performing teams through constant mentorship, collaboration, and guidance as well as providing opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Led staff meetings to keep team informed of departmental changes and provide opportunities for nurses to share ideas and concerns.
Cardiothoracic Ambulatory Transplant Nurse Manager
Ohio State University
01.2023 - 04.2024
- Worked on the referral and evaluation process with the pre transplant coordinators. Identified how to streamline the process and implemented timeframes from referral to first visit, as well as time for testing to be completed to decrease the number of days in evaluation. Collaborated with other departments (Radiology and Pulmonary Testing) to assure that dedicated slots for our patient population where held on certain days. This allowed for our Medical Assistant to scheduled appropriate testing within two weeks of patient being deemed a candidate, where past state was scheduling out over 1-2 months.
- Worked with Phoenix, to integrate tasks, reports and process allowing all team members to complete work efficiently.
- Worked on clinical flow, to decrease the amount of time that patients were in clinic. Past state patients could wait greater than one hour to see provider as pulmonary testing was done during the same day. Patients also, were often lost in the rooming process. Worked with clinic manager and her staff, as well as Medical Director, pulmonary team and Nurse coordiantors to map out efficient flow so that the patients were registered, sent to pulmonary testing and roomed efficiently. This led to a decrease of wait time from pulmonary testing and seeing a provider.
- Ensures compliance with appropriate regulatory requirements specific to the unit (CMS, ODH, JCAHO)
Registered Nurse – Lead Advanced Heart Failure & Cardiac Transplant Coordinator
Henry Ford Hospital
05.2008 - 12.2022
- Redesign of Biopsy Scheduling Process: Improving Care Through Standardization. This project lead to a decline of office visit scheduling errors from 41% to 30%, and biopsy scheduling errors from 39% to 26% in six months. It also led to increase patient satisfaction as the patient was able to schedule their appointments to the dates and times that they wanted.
- Superuser in the integration of EPIC and Phoenix, replacing Careplus and OTTR. Worked with the Phoenix team to identify those tests, results that are needed to be exported into EMR. Also worked on various smart phrase , templates and tools for efficient documentation, and ordering.
- Process of integrating Palliative Care for all patients undergoing Evaluation for Advanced Therapy/Transplant.
- Devised dual organ listing protocols, working with providers and coordinators across all organ groups to outline efficient intra-operative and post operative transplant care.
- Education to patients, family members, and support persons on heart failure, LVAD and transplant care
- Assess the need for, order and obtain testing as needed
- Complete prior authorizations and disability forms
- Preceptor to new hires
- LEAN leader in process improvements
- Monitor and provide active input on employee performance
- Complete employee performance improvement plans (PIP)
- Coordinate and schedule office assignments
Registered Nurse – Cardiothoracic Surgical Intensive Care
Henry Ford Hospital
03.2004 - 05.2008
- Pharmacological and non-pharmacological management and treatment of various disorders and diseases
- Pre- and post-operative care of patients ranging from Trauma to CTS surgery
- Worked with multiple IV medications and titrations of medications
- Worked with hemodynamic monitoring, and patients with IABP and LVAD’s
- Worked as Charge Nurse
- Preceptor for new hires
Registered Nurse – Cardiac Cath Lab
Henry Ford Hospital
09.2001 - 03.2004
- Worked in the pre and post cardiac catheterization area
- Prepared patients for procedure and managed them post procedure
- Assisted in the lab with Staff Physicians, handling equipment and monitoring patient
- Provided conscious sedation
- On call for AMI’s
Registered Nurse – Emergency Room
Henry Ford Hospital
10.2000 - 09.2001
- Triaged patient based on acuity level
- Prioritize and carry through nursing assessments, interventions, labs and results
- Discharged and admitted patients
- Acted in code situations
Registered Nurse – CICU
Henry Ford Hospital
05.1999 - 10.2000
- Cared for patients experiencing Heart Failure, and MI’s and undergoing procedures
- Helped and assisted with bedside hemodynamic monitoring
- Cared for patients supported with IABP and LVAD
- Titrated IV medications
- Acted as Charge Nurse, and delegated nursing assignments/duties
- Preceptor for new hires
Education
Master of Science - Nursing Administration And Management
University of Aspen
Denver, CO10-2022
Bachelor of Science - Nusring
University of Detroit Mercy
Detroit MI12-2010
Diploma - Nursing
St. Clair College
Windsor, ON, Canada06-1998
Skills
- Relationship building
- Strategic planning
- Verbal and written communication
- Decision-making
- Collaboration across multi disciplinary teams
- Self Directed
- National Speaker/Educator
- Creativity and innovation
- Employee development
- Proficient in LEAN methodology
Accomplishments
OPTN Board Member - 2023 to present
NATCO Faculty of CCTC 2016-present
CCTC Certified 2010- present
UNOS Board Member 2023-2024
NATCO - President 2022-2023
NATCO Board Member 2017-2022
Great Lakes Chapter of ITNS Education Director and President 2014-2019
NATCO - CCTC Review Course Committee Member 2014-2016
Timeline
Director – Clinical Operations Lung Transplant
Temple University Health
04.2024 - Current
Cardiothoracic Ambulatory Transplant Nurse Manager
Ohio State University
01.2023 - 04.2024
Registered Nurse – Lead Advanced Heart Failure & Cardiac Transplant Coordinator
Henry Ford Hospital
05.2008 - 12.2022
Registered Nurse – Cardiothoracic Surgical Intensive Care
Henry Ford Hospital
03.2004 - 05.2008
Registered Nurse – Cardiac Cath Lab
Henry Ford Hospital
09.2001 - 03.2004
Registered Nurse – Emergency Room
Henry Ford Hospital
10.2000 - 09.2001
Registered Nurse – CICU
Henry Ford Hospital
05.1999 - 10.2000
Master of Science - Nursing Administration And Management
University of Aspen
Bachelor of Science - Nusring
University of Detroit Mercy
Diploma - Nursing
St. Clair College
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