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Welcome to the Velopulos Lab
Catherine Velopulos, MD, MHS, FACS
Research Interests
The lab focuses on improving access to surgical subspecialty care, preventing violent injury and supporting recovery, and examining how social and environmental factors influence outcomes following surgery and injury, particularly in terms of complications and survival.
Active Research Projects
Emergent Surgery That Could Have Been Elective
This NIH-funded project aims to understand why having health care coverage or
eligibility does not always lead to timely access to elective surgical care. By
linking data from multiple sources and analyzing a large general surgery
population in a Medicaid expansion state, the study seeks to identify the key
factors that contribute to delays in care. Using Mixed Methods and Markov
modeling, the research will help predict which influences are most significant
and offer insights into how to improve timely surgical access.
Research and Evaluation of a Hospital-Based Violence
Intervention Program
Supported by the Department of Justice, this study evaluates the implementation
of the At-Risk Intervention and Mentoring (AIM) program. It tracks outcomes
such as post-discharge service connection, school enrollment, hospital and
justice system recidivism, employment, resource use, and long-term survival.
The research uses data from electronic health records, program assessments, and
law enforcement records. A cost-effectiveness analysis will also be conducted
to assess the financial impact of the program compared to standard care.
Partnership with a Community Organization to Deliver
Mental Health Services After Trauma
With funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA), this project partners with a local mental health provider to deliver
trauma-informed care. The study evaluates how well the mental health component
of the hospital-based violence intervention program is implemented, using the
RE-AIM framework. It explores patient perspectives on mental health
assessments, identifies the most informative tools for program planning, and
examines how best to integrate mental health navigation into care for
individuals affected by firearm injury.
Evaluation of a Multi-Site Pilot of a Trauma-Informed
Care Curriculum
As a pilot site for the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma’s new
curriculum, the team has led data collection and analysis. This includes an
ethnographic study of how the curriculum is adopted and applied by different
hospital staff members.
Implementation of a Community-Led Clinic to Address
Violent Injury and Survivorship
With support from the 麻豆传媒高清 Health Foundation, this project involves the
development of a community-based clinic designed to help individuals recover
from violent injury and reduce the risk of future harm. Outreach Workers
trained in qualitative research are leading efforts to identify the challenges
and supports that influence recovery and long-term well-being.