Historic ACMI Biography
Dr. Westra received her Bachelors in Nursing from the College of St. Theresa, in Minnesota, a Masters in Community Health Nursing from the University of Colorado, and a PhD, in nursing with an emphasis on Gerontology and Chronic Illness from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee She joined the faculty of the University of Minnesota and was at the time of election to the College an associate professor in the School of Medicine and the Academic Health Center Institute for Health Informatics. Since 1991, Westra has been a leader in terminology development. During her doctoral program, Westra was a research assistant for Dr. Harriet Werley and made substantial contributions to the first data abstraction manual for the Nursing Minimum Data Set. During her tenure as Chair of the American Nurses Associationís Committee on Nursing Practice Information Infrastructure, the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators was established. This national database is now a critical component for measuring and benchmarking patient safety as part of Magnet Status recognition in hospitals. Dr. Westraís research in predictive modeling/analytics utilizing secondary data is an additional area of noteworthy contribution. Her work has resulted in models that have been successfully and continually applied to improve care coordination, quality, and safety primarily for older adults with multiple chronic health problems. Quality and safety studies conducted by Dr. Westra using secondary data from EHRs include medication management, incontinence, pressure ulcers and wounds, and factors that contribute to rehospitalization. The Home Care Client Satisfaction Instrument, developed and validated by Dr. Westra, is widely used in the US and abroad. Dr. Westra is known for her cross-disciplinary collaborative work and her leadership and mentoring abilities. She has mentored over 40 graduate students, serving as chair or primary advisory for their thesis, dissertation or Doctor in Nursing Practice (DNP) project. She developed a highly successful interprofessional health informatics AMIA 10 x 10 course. Her election to the College is recognition of a multifaceted body of work and professional achievement.
Affiliations
The American College of Medical Informatics
ACMI is a college of elected Fellows from the U.S. and abroad who have made significant and sustained contributions to the field of medical informatics. It is the central body for a community of scholars and practitioners who are committed to advancing the informatics field.
Year Elected
2011