Caring Wisely FY26 Project Contest

UCSF Health and the UCSF Center for Healthcare Value (CHV) sponsors awards of up to $50,000 for one year to faculty and staff for collaborative projects that can be implemented to reduce waste and lower health care costs while maintaining or improving health at UCSF Health, which consists of UCSF Medical Center, Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco, Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, and the UCSF faculty practice group and ambulatory clinics.

 

 

We invite the submission of any proposal that improves healthcare value at UCSF Health. UCSF Health is also particularly interested in proposals that address value improvement opportunities in one of the below areas. All submissions must have a plan to evaluate and improve health equity:

  • Improve Hospital Throughput and Reduce Excess Inpatient Bed Days
  • Improve Outpatient, Inpatient, or Perioperative Clinical Access
  • Reduce Hospital Acquired Conditions and Infections
  • Reduce Unnecessary Testing

Read important information about this forum

  • January 21-February 28: Project Contest First Round

    Proposal Submission Deadline

    Proposal submissions due by 5pm | Friday, February 28, 2025

    • Projects with a projected direct cost savings of greater than $250,000 are more likely to be selected (click on the "Read important information about this forum" link on the home page to see more criteria for winning).
    • The Center for Healthcare Value will offer “Office Hours” to answer questions and provide guidance on cost analysis. To schedule a 25 minute Zoom meeting, please email rasmyah.hammoudeh@ucsf.edu

    During this time, project teams should:

    • Build your core team and extended stakeholders interested in this problem.
    • Browse proposals and comment to improve others' proposal.
    • Review comments and provide additional information if necessary.
  • March 10-14: Second Round Finalists Announced
    • Second Round Finalists announced on Friday, March 14, 2025
    • Proposal submissions are reviewed.
    • Selected finalists will be invited to proceed to the Optimization Phase.
  • March 14 - March 28: Second Round Finalists Optimization Phase

    Final updates to second round proposals must be complete before 5pm | Friday, March 28, 2025

    During this time, project teams should:

    • Optimize your proposal
      • Stay on top of OpenProposal comments, answer questions, and ask new ones!
    • Continue to build your core team and extended stakeholders interested in this problem
    • Obtain sign-off from the Executive Sponsor(s)
  • April 7- May 2: Executive Committee Review of Second Round Submissions
    • Finalist proposals are reviewed.
  • May 5: FY26 Caring WiselyTM $50K Project Awards Announced

    Winners will be announced on Monday, May 5, 2025

Open Submission

Proposals (18 total)

Displaying 11 - 18

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Reducing Inpatient Admissions for Vasa Previa

Submitted by Chiara Corbetta-Rastelli on February 28, 2025 - 5:01pm Last revised by Rasmyah Hammoudeh on March 11, 2025 - 2:02pm.
Proposal Status: 
Review Complete

PROJECT LEAD(S):

-Chiara Corbetta-Rastelli, MD

-Kate Swanson, MD

EXECUTIVE SPONSOR(S):

-Juan Gonzalez, MD, MS, PhD, Division Chief, UCSF Maternal Fetal Medicine

-Melissa Rosenstein, MD, Medical Director for Quality and Patient Safety for UCSF OB

ABSTRACT:

Salary Support for a Dedicated Mental Health Navigator for Medical/Surgical Beds Across UCSF

Submitted by Bo Hu on February 28, 2025 - 4:53pm Last revised by Rasmyah Hammoudeh on March 11, 2025 - 2:03pm.
Proposal Status: 
Review Complete

PROPOSAL TITLE: Salary Support for a Dedicated Mental Health Navigator for Medical/Surgical Beds Across UCSF

Expanding Access to Sleep Studies via Disposable WatchPATs for UCSF Sleep Clinic

Submitted by Katherine Malcolm on February 28, 2025 - 4:48pm Last revised by Rasmyah Hammoudeh on March 11, 2025 - 2:03pm.
Proposal Status: 
Review Complete

Approximately 30% of UCSF Sleep Clinic patients reside outside a 5-10 mile radius, and many face transportation barriers that prevent them from accessing in-lab sleep studies or pick up at-home devices and drop them back off the next day. Additionally, patients with advanced illnesses often lack the necessary support to attend in-person studies or appointments to pick up studies. Currently, UCSF Sleep Clinic does not have a system to mail home sleep apnea testing devices.

Enhancing Neonatal Care Through Lactation Support and Oral Milk Drops

Submitted by Rebecca Carter on February 28, 2025 - 2:27pm Last revised by Rasmyah Hammoudeh on March 11, 2025 - 2:04pm.
Proposal Status: 
Review Complete

PROJECT LEADS: Rebecca Carter, MD, Vidya Pai, MD, Clare Pearson, RN, CNL

EXECUTIVE SPONSORS: James Anderson, MD, Director of Neonatology, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, Leslie Lusk, MD, Medical Director, ECMO Co-Medical Director, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland 

Improving Health and Tech Literacy by Optimizing MyChart Usage through a Student Patient Navigator Program

Submitted by Helen Lau on February 28, 2025 - 11:43am Last revised by Rasmyah Hammoudeh on March 11, 2025 - 2:05pm.
Proposal Status: 
Review Complete

PROPOSAL TITLE: Improving Health and Tech Literacy by Optimizing MyChart usage through a Student Patient Navigator Program 

WatchMe: Utilizing Digital Tools to Improve Patient Education, Satisfaction, and Attendance in the Echo Stress Laboratory

Submitted by Aimee Camano on February 25, 2025 - 3:53pm Last revised by Rasmyah Hammoudeh on March 11, 2025 - 2:00pm.
Proposal Status: 
Review Complete

 

WatchMe: Utilizing Digital Tools to Improve Patient Education, Satisfaction and Attendance in the Echo Stress Laboratory

 

PROJECT LEAD(S):

Aimee Camano MSN FNP-C

William Bradley DNP

 

EXECUTIVE SPONSOR(S):

Isaac Kwan - Cardiac Sonographer, Supervisor

Dr. Kirsten Fleischmann -  Associate Chief of Cardiology, Ambulatory Operations

Monet Strachan - Technical and Quality Director, Adult Echocardiography

Enhancing Clinical Access to Pediatric Celiac Disease Care at UCSF Health using a Human-Centered Design Framework

Submitted by Telly Cheung on January 24, 2025 - 9:03am Last revised by Rasmyah Hammoudeh on March 11, 2025 - 1:59pm.
Proposal Status: 
Review Complete

PROPOSAL TITLE: Enhancing Clinical Access to Pediatric Celiac Disease Care at UCSF Health using a Human-Centered Design Framework

PROJECT LEAD(S): Telly Cheung, MD; Mala Setty, MD; Patrika Tsai, MD, MPH

EXECUTIVE SPONSOR(S): Sue Rhee, MD; Amy Lu, MD

ABSTRACT 

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