• OSF researchers developed an AI tool that creates a 3D model of the aorta and generates hundreds of precise measurements in seconds.
• More accurate and consistent measurements could help doctors detect aneurysm growth earlier and determine the safest time for surgery.
• The technology could eventually support automated diagnosis and improve care for patients with conditions such as Marfan syndrome and Turner syndrome.

A team at OSF HealthCare is developing an artificial intelligence-powered tool designed to improve how physicians measure and monitor the aorta, a breakthrough that could help doctors detect dangerous aneurysms earlier and make more informed decisions about when surgery is needed.

The project, led by pediatric cardiologist Mathew Bramlet, MD, at OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois, combines expertise from OSF HealthCare, Jump Simulation and Education Center, the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria and University of Illinois engineering researchers. The technology creates a highly detailed three-dimensional "digital twin" of a patient's anatomy from MRI or CT scans, allowing software to automatically analyze the aorta in seconds instead of requiring lengthy manual measurements.

The aortic arch project, funded through a Jump ARCHES grant, is aimed at improving longitudinal surveillance and the diagnosis and the tracking of aortic aneurysms, so they don’t tear or rupture. The aorta is the main and largest artery in the human body, carrying oxygen-rich blood from the left ventricle of the heart to the rest of the body. An aneurysm is a large bulge in that artery.

Accurate measurements are critical

Dr. Bramlet says measurements that document any expansion of the aneurysm need to be obtained with clear imaging with an expert eye that is generating reproducible measurements. Since high-risk surgery can hinge on one measurement, the accuracy of that measurement at one point in time, or over years as the growth of the aneurysm is monitored, becomes critically important. Among the complications doctors trying to prevent is an aortic dissection which recently killed Senator Lindsey Graham of North Carolina.

Currently, physicians often compare scans taken over many years to determine whether an aneurysm has grown enough to justify preventative surgery — a decision that carries significant risks if performed too early or too late. Manually measuring the aorta can take about 30 minutes and depends heavily on specialist expertise like that of Dr. Bramlet.

The new software automates that process, which Dr. Bramlet explains can generate up to 300 measurements in about 30 seconds while improving consistency.

“If we can capture this aorta and generate those same measurements with fancy new math and machine learning programs, we can distribute the expertise that I have accumulated over years and years and years, essentially into a program that would allow this type of analysis to be distributed at a larger scale.”

The automated approach also could allow researchers to analyze thousands of patient scans, helping develop more personalized treatment guidelines for conditions such as Marfan syndrome and Turner syndrome.

Aorta library will be created

The project is also creating a library of 3D digital models of healthy and diseased aortas that could eventually support automated diagnosis.

"The model library that we will have, where we can compare a diseased aorta to a normal aorta and look for the differences, it's a much easier automated process to get toward automated diagnosis, automated analysis and this is really the mindset of the entire lab,” says Dr. Bramlet.

Dr. Bramlet directs the Advanced Imaging and Modeling Lab at OSF Jump Simulation.

Beyond aortic disease, the underlying technology is designed to create digital models of multiple organs, opening the door to broader AI-assisted imaging analysis across medicine.

For Dr. Bramlet, it is exciting to see how this will be able to help provide better guidance for diagnosis and surgery determinations. The team is continuing to validate the technology through research while working toward clinical deployment – something Dr. Bramlet says is unique to OSF HealthCare.

“To have a hospital institution assign operational resources towards a clinical tool but I believe it is the commitment to serve people and to actually see the fruits of that labor being deployed within this institution really makes it a special place.”

In research conducted, this tool showed that automated 3D measurements closely match those done by clinicians, paving the way for a shift from traditional 2D imaging to more advanced 3D analysis.

Dr. Mathew Bramlet is also an associate professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria.

Video clips with Dr. Mathew Bramlet

B-roll-Aortic aneurysm detection

At Jump Simulation they discovered new ways to bring science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics into their classrooms. The visit was designed to connect teachers with real-world learning experiences and classroom-ready resources. Participants divided into groups for specialized activities including the Wing It: An Inside Look at Muscles & Bones workshop and the Tour with Heart Pours Experience.

During the Heart Pours Experience, educators explored multiple floors of the Jump Simulation & Education Center dedicated to simulation, innovation, and health care education. Organizers, including Katie Smith, coordinator of OSF Innovation Labs, say the experience highlights how interdisciplinary collaboration drives solutions to complex health care challenges.

Smith pointed out the goal of OSF STEAM programming is to create a pipeline for future health care workers. That can happen, Smith said, when teachers and their students have what she calls “ah-ha” moments as they realize what they thought was too complex is really not.

“Things like doing belly surgery laparoscopically but instead of on a belly, you use a cantaloupe. Or doing a shark dissection or making a robot hand that can actually work. Those types of things that we do here really, really inspire children but also inspire adults along the way too.”

Free resources through OSF STEAM website

The summit also highlighted many free resources available to educators at steam.osfhealthcare.org, not only for middle and high school-age children, but for younger children as well.

“We have books that are PDF form you can print out. We have YouTube videos. We have [smart phone or tablet] applications that are free and we have all the dissection materials and things like that there too. Teachers can use them. People can use them at their homes if they want to do something fun for the summer with their child,” Smith suggested.

Teachers also participated in a unique hands-on activity by creating their own heart model with guidance from engineering professionals. Chicago public middle school teacher Misty Richmond said the day helped educators like her connect with technologies and innovations first-hand to see how they could apply to classroom lessons.

“They [OSF simulation specialists] were sharing stories about how they use some of these 3D models to help them [surgeons] practice for a surgery they’re going to do and so being able to have a student be able to experience something like that it’s like, ‘Wait, we have a 3D printer at school. We can made a heart. And I’m like ‘Yes, they can send us the molds!' So, then we could make those kinds of things at our own school. And so just being able to make those connections for myself and then being able to extend those opportunities to students.”

The tour of the Innovation Labs and simulation spaces also had Richmond’s creative ideas flowing.

“An experience like today especially really opens your eyes to possibilities. And so, while we’re doing a lot of hands-on activities, I think it also makes you think about your own experiences in learning and how you can think about bringing experiences like this to your students so that they get to have the same excitement that you’re having.”

Workshops spark strategies for future lessons

Following the morning sessions, educators reconvened for a series of collaborative learning opportunities, including a Microscope Makers Space workshop focused on innovation and design thinking. The session provided participants with practical strategies and activities that can be implemented directly in the classroom.

Additional sessions introduced teachers to augmented reality technology and demonstrated how AR can be used to enhance student engagement and visualization of scientific concepts. Participants also received an overview of STEAM resources, digital materials, field trip opportunities, and educational partnerships available through OSF HealthCare.

The day ended with a question-and-answer panel and planning session, allowing educators to discuss curriculum integration, explore program options, and identify future opportunities for student engagement. Streator High School forensic and physical science teacher Nate Nugent has lessons he’ll share with other teachers.

“Being able to take these activities back to the school and even share them with my co-workers like, ‘Hey you should do this in your anatomy classes, and this is a place you should definitely check out.’ This was really eye opening.”

Organizers hope the summit will strengthen connections between schools and community partners while expanding access to innovative, medical pipeline-building STEAM experiences for students throughout the state.

Video clips with Katie Smith

Video clips with Misty Richmond and Nate Nugent

B-roll-Science Educators Summit

A new generation of 3D Virtual Reality (VR) imaging technology at OSF HealthCare is giving surgeons a clearer view of cancer than ever before – and in some cases, completely changing surgical plans. For OSF HealthCare thoracic surgeon Richard Anderson, MD, that level of insight recently made the difference between removing part of a patient’s chest wall and preserving it entirely.

Dr. Anderson, chair and Norman Estes Professor of Surgery at University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria, says the leap from standard imaging to 3D modeling is transformative for surgeons.

A better view

“So the real difference between a 2D and 3D is, just imagine looking at something on a piece of paper with two different pictures, looking at it from side to side, as opposed to having a model in your hand and being able to take that model and move it all around in all different directions, upside down, inside out, even open up things within the model and look at it. It’s really the difference between 2D and 3D.” Dr. Anderson adds, “It’s really quite impressive.”

The technology allows his team to isolate tumors, peel away layers of anatomy, and examine the intricate relationships among bones, vessels, and muscle before they ever enter the operating room. That clarity is especially crucial in complex thoracic oncology, where anatomy is delicate, variable and easily injured.

For Dr. Anderson and others who use 3D imaging, it increases the surgeon’s confidence.

“In the more complex oncology cases, it can make a big difference. It can help the surgeon really identify what structures they have to worry about during the operation, what structures they might have to sacrifice, before they actually do the operation and gives them a little bit more level of confidence going into the operation than probably they would have before.”

A tumor in a rare location

That level of detail proved critical in a recent complex thoracic oncology case. Thoracic surgery presents unique challenges because of the delicate and complex anatomy of the chest.

“The arteries aren't made the same, and so they're easier to tear. They're much more delicate. Lung tissue is sometimes like tissue paper, too. It’s easy to injure and tear. You have got to be very careful when you do the dissections in thoracic surgery. That's what makes it so challenging.”

Dr. Anderson treated Jake Wilson, a 69-year-old retired farmer and former prison guard from Central Illinois. Wilson’s case was challenging. He was diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer and in August of 2025 began a series of chemotherapy and radiation to shrink the aggressively growing tumor.

Still, as surgery approached, Dr. Anderson was challenged with removing a nearly six‑centimeter tumor (about the size of a small egg) situated high in the chest, closely hugging the first three ribs. Standard 2D scans suggested the cancer had invaded the bone – a scenario that would typically require removing three ribs to ensure the cancerous tumor was completely removed.

Seeing is believing

But when Wilson became the first adult patient with lung cancer to have his case analyzed using advanced 3D modeling and virtual reality, the picture changed dramatically. The technology revealed that his ribs were not invaded at all. The tumor, though large and aggressive, was confined to muscle.

Sister M. Pieta Keller, Connor Davey, and Reid Jockisch, innovation engineers at Jump Simulation worked to segment the tumor for 3D viewing in virtual reality. Sister M. Pieta recently showed Wilson the 3D rendering. It was something he’ll never forget as she displayed his chest wall anatomy in vivid color and manipulated the images to reveal why Dr. Anderson could spare all three ribs.

“That was one of my biggest fears was losing my ribs,” Wilson explained. “Just the concept of that,” he said as his voice trailed off. Sister M. Pieta explained, “And your recovery and your pain would have been a lot higher,” to which Wilson responded, “I’m sure.” Sister M. Pieta added, “So this was quite the gift.”

After years of lung scans due to his history of smoking, seeing the vivid digital model after his successful surgery made the size and seriousness of the tumor undeniably real. Having only retired from farming six months earlier, Wilson admitted that going into the surgery, he was really scared.

“That put the fear of God into me, needless to say, because I’m an active person. I’m a farmer. I thought, ‘I could see being debilitated for the rest of my life.’”

A recovery that surprised everyone

The new imaging technology altered not only the surgical approach, but Wilson’s experience afterward. Instead of the severe pain typically expected after chest wall removal, his discomfort was minimal; it was largely limited to the area where an intercostal muscle was removed.

Wilson required only mild pain medication and never needed supplemental oxygen after losing half of his lung, something his care team described as highly unusual.

Even more astonishing, follow‑up imaging showed his remaining lung tissue had expanded far faster than expected. His post‑surgical biopsies revealed a remarkable result: the tumor was completely non‑viable (dead) at the time of removal.

A message about screening

Today, Wilson is cancer‑free and sharing his story. He credits many people along the way, including his primary care doctor, who five years ago, when Wilson was still smoking, encouraged him to get an annual CT screening to detect lung cancer.

“I thought, ‘I’m the one that’s stupid enough to do this to myself I ought to at least be smart enough to use a little preventive maintenance.’” He added, “And thank God I did because I might already be gone.”

But above all, Wilson returns to the strength of his faith which he credits with leading him to Dr. Anderson and his care team at OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute in Peoria and OSF Cancer Center in Bloomington. He is sharing his story to show the power of prayer and faith, and to instill hope.

“I know for a fact that the most important thing a person can have in these ordeals is hope because without hope you give up. And this is one time you can’t afford to give up because if you give up, you’re done,” Wilson declared.

For Dr. Anderson, the case represents the promise of 3D technology not just to guide surgeons, but to change outcomes. He calls that, “A good day at work.” And for Wilson, it represents something even bigger: a second chance he intends to use to encourage others to seek preventive screenings, face fear with hope and share gratitude for every day.

Video clips with Dr. Richard Anderson

Video clips with oncology patient Jake Wilson

B-roll of 3D imaging and Dr. Anderson

A new hands-on tool is helping young patients feel more prepared – and less afraid – before undergoing an MRI.

MRIs can be especially intimidating for children, who must lie still in a tight space surrounded by loud, unfamiliar sounds. Until now, child life specialists, like Allison West, at OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois in Peoria relied on educational materials to prepare patients. But West says many young children are hands-on learners.

“They need to be able to see, touch and manipulate. We had prep books and pictures and sounds that we would play for them, but we were missing something concrete,” says Child Life Specialist Allison West. “So, this was a huge need that Savannah was able to deliver for us.”

West is referencing former Tremont, Illinois, high school student Savannah Jost of Mapleton, whose interest in health care grew after her own serious cancer diagnosis.

Inspired by a cancer journey

In January of 2022, Jost was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. She went through eight rounds of chemo and 17 radiation treatments before doctors at OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois declared her cancer free in December of 2022.

Jost then joined OSF HealthCare through a high school co-op program, where she helped design a simulated MRI with engineers from Jump Trading Simulation & Education Center. The idea was to help children role-play the experience using stuffed animals or dolls.

Sister M. Pieta Keller, F.S.G.M., an engineer with OSF Innovation Studio, part of the OSF Innovation ecosystem, explains there is a toy MRI available on the market, but it was prohibitively expensive. Instead, she and other engineers speculated that they could create something to simulate the medical imaging experience for kids, using their favorite toy as child life suggested.

“That could kind of show the child what happens and could we do it with a stuffed animal or doll or something that’s theirs – their object that’s special to them that could go through this, and they could see that everything was just fine and what would happen in that experience.”

Creating the MRI model for kids meant balancing realism with durability for young users Sister M. Pieta explains while discussing the creative process.

Design challenges

“As Savannah came to me with plans and ideas of what she wanted to do, we kind of went back through it. We let her do a first prototype of what she was thinking but then I was like we actually need to rebuild it and rebuild the inside so that it can withstand a small child climbing on top of it because,” Sister Pieta points out, “It is big enough to be a little gymnasium as well, so we wanted it to have that strength and robustness.”

West says children often have to have multiple imaging tests throughout their treatment and most of them have to be sedated. But the goal is to avoid having to put young children under anesthesia repeatedly.

“We think with additional education and preparation, that they (kids) would be able to do it successfully without that sedation,” West shares. “So, then we start prepping them. That’s where this beautiful machine comes in because we can use this to make them comfortable, to reduce that fear and really to prepare them for what to expect and kind of set them up for more success.”

The design and build process introduced Jost to the process of innovation. The biggest lesson she learned from engineers at Jump – you will most likely fail before you’re successful.

Lifelong lessons from engineers at Jump Simulation

“When I came in, they just answered all of my questions. They would help me, but they also let me try and fail and they would be like, ‘How would you do this?’ and I would go and do it and most likely fail and then they let me ask them and pick their brains about it. I just loved working with them.”

One of the biggest goals was to make the mini-MRI simulator as realistic as possible. From her own experience, Jost wanted to make sure there was no sugarcoating the experience. Combined with audio from a real MRI that can be played from a tablet, Jost thinks the team hit the mark.

The project represents more than just a design success. Jost stresses that it’s a way for her to pay it forward.

“It’s knowing that I get to give back to the community that helped me, that saved my life when I was 14 years old … just knowing that little kids here are using it and that I have the same cancer journey as some of them – It makes my 14-year-old self proud.” Jost is now a student at Bradley University, an OSF academic partner under its Innovation Academic Incubator. She eventually hopes to become a radiation oncologist.

Meanwhile, West says the simulated MRI has been used with a few patients and will be used with more in the future to help reduce fear, improve understanding and prepare children for real imaging exams – one stuffed animal at a time.

Savannah Jost

Sister Pieta 

Allison West

B-roll-Toy MRI

Jake Wilson, simulation specialist at Jump Simulation, serving both OSF HealthCare and the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria (UICOMP), has received the OSF HealthCare 2025 Simulationist of the Year award.

The award recognizes Wilson’s outstanding contributions to advancing medical education, improving clinical operations, and enhancing patient care. Wilson is described by his nominator as having “unwavering commitment to improving simulation-based training, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and sharing for the next generation of clinicians.”

Wilson has been instrumental in transforming the simulation experience for medical students and faculty. By leading the transition to the Gaumard simulator platform, he ensured reliable, high-fidelity technology that allows for standardized and repeatable training. This shift has reduced equipment downtime and interruptions, creating smoother educational sessions that help students focus on decision-making and clinical reasoning.

“Jake’s dedication to innovation and excellence in simulation has had a direct impact on both education and patient care, says Chris Larkner, manager of Jump Trading Simulation & Education Center. ”He embodies professionalism, curiosity and collaboration, making him a true leader in the field of medical education.” 

“There were several great nominees and some very good talent there so I’m very honored to have been picked among the six nominees,” Wilson said in accepting the award. What does he love about his job as a simulationist? “Seeing in person the impact we’re making with education and how simulation helps everyone, from new nurses to well-seasoned physicians and helping them further their education.”

In his role coordinating third-and fourth-year medical student immersion experiences in Jump labs, Wilson streamlined workflows for both learners and faculty. His meticulous preparation and organization allow sessions to run efficiently, with faculty able to focus on teaching while students practice critical skills in an uninterrupted, high-quality learning environment. His integration of platforms such as Monday.com has further improved scheduling, accountability and internal workflows, increasing efficiency across the simulation team.

Wilson’s leadership extends nationally, as demonstrated by his key role in the successful execution of the 2025 SimOps conference, where his work was recognized by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH). Within Jump Simulation, faculty frequently request his support by name, reflecting the trust and respect he has earned among peers, colleagues and leadership.

Jake Wilson

B-roll-Simulationist of the Year

As we begin a new year at OSF HealthCare, we’re reflecting on 2024 and the major strides in digital transformation to make access to care and health information seamless for our patients. At OSF, we continue to collaborate with our academic and business partners to leverage collective expertise and to responsibly use the power of artificial intelligence, always taking care to use guiding principles of what is fair, appropriate, valid, effective and safe (FAVES).

The efforts are highlighted here in our Top 10 Digital Health and Innovation stories of 2024 in no particular order.

1. OSF Unveils new 55+ primary care service in south suburban Chicago: Called OSF Complete Care 55+, this is a unique collaboration between OSF HealthCare Little Company of Mary Medical Center and OSF OnCall, the digital arm of the health care Ministry. When launched in early 2025, this primary care program will incorporate in-person visits, plus a mix of virtual care, digital health monitoring tools and 24/7 access to a care team focusing on those with chronic conditions.

2. Building an AI prepared workforce: OSF HealthCare leaders took just six weeks to develop mandatory training about generative AI for all 24,000 OSF Mission Partners (employees) because tools were already publicly available. Melissa Knuth, Vice President of Planning, outlines that to rise to the challenge, she worked with OSF Innovation to use mixed media to keep the content interesting and tapped generative AI tools to assist with the content creation.

3. OSF Digital Hospital patients in Rockford area say it’s the best medicine: OSF OnCall expands its digital hospital program to Rockford and receives rave reviews from some of its first patients. In addition, a well-known farm broadcaster shares her story about receiving acute-level care from the comfort of her own home and urges others who are eligible to consider the option.

4. OSF Innovation sets the table for solution to prevent cancelled surgeries: Two OSF HealthCare nurses turned to the OSF Innovation Studio team to help improve their Device Table software that serves as a database for implanted medical devices – offering information needed for surgical teams to reference for safety in surgery planning. We also reported on the creation of a spin-off company, OpenSurg, which will license and promote widespread sales of Device Table and related support features.

5. OSF HealthCare experts: ‘Establish guiding principles when developing digital care strategy’: OSF OnCall was a spotlight vendor and presenter at this year’s American Telemedicine Association’s annual Nexus conference in Phoenix, Arizona. OSF OnCall Senior Vice President Jennifer Junis advised during her presentation that health systems use guiding principles when developing their approach to digital health and to involve clinicians and patients when piloting new programs and digital tools. OSF HealthCare has also become a founding member of an ATA Digital Center of Excellence.

6. Mapping the future for early diagnosis of rare diseases: A Jump ARCHES grant-funded project with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is using generative AI and knowledge graphs that map symptoms to detect rare diseases. Adam Cross, MD, who leads the OSF Children's Innovation Lab in Peoria, Illinois, wants to create a point-of-care tool for primary care providers to help patients get an early diagnosis of a rare disease.

7. Health economist: Connectivity and trust can expand telehealth: OSF OnCall hosted its first-ever digital health symposium which drew nearly 150 clinicians and vendors. Keynote speaker health economist and advisor Jane Sarasohn-Kahn stressed evidence-based digital technologies can improve health outcomes, but health systems need to build trust and expand community partnerships to increase engagements.

8. Fast-Tracking Hope: Rapid Intake at the OSF Cancer Institute: OSF HealthCare began 2024 with the opening of its new comprehensive Cancer Institute, offering advanced radiation therapy such as brachytherapy and proton beam therapy.  It also launched a new rapid intake system, developed by OSF OnCall and OSF Innovation to offer a single point of contact through OSF-HOPE (844- 673-4467) so cancer patients can be immediately connected to treatment and support services.

9. Piloting a smarter colonoscopy: OSF HealthCare St. Joseph Medical Center piloted artificial intelligence-backed colonoscopies, using a company called GI Genius, to improve detection of precancerous polyps. During the pilot, the adenoma detection rate (ADR) averages increased among all patients involved to as high as 12%, while individual physician ADR increased as high as 32.8%. The technology is now being implemented across the OSF Ministry.

10. Testing the path to better concussion diagnosis: An OSF Innovation lab-designed FlightPath app is now being tested by athletes at Illinois State, Bradley and Illinois Wesleyan Universities. The app only takes about two minutes to collect more than a million data points as a person tries to catch a hummingbird within a 3D space on a screen. The clinical trial could last two years. 

Gabe Koch (pronounced Cook), DO, a native of Tremont, Illinois, is a first-year Emergency Medicine resident at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria who says he’s not sure why he felt drawn to a career in medicine. He wasn’t particularly drawn to TV medical dramas and his only family connection is an uncle and two aunts who are nurses. But he thought it would be cool to take a class to become an emergency medical technician.

As a volunteer EMT in his hometown, Koch was exhilarated and felt a strong calling to emergency medicine. He then became an emergency department technician at OSF Saint Francis. After he initially failed to get into medical school, Koch decided he should enroll in an OSF STEAM course, Pre-Med Immersion.

OSF Pre-Med Immersion Experience is a two-week clinical program for college students who are interested in medical school. The program is offered by Jump Simulation which is part of OSF Innovation and is a collaboration with the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria (UICOMP). Students are exposed to a variety of roles in the clinical environment. Koch says the OSF STEAM course gave him invaluable experience and confidence in skills such as suturing, drawing blood and reading an electrocardiogram.

“I feel like the STEAM program really gave us bits and pieces to kind of start putting the broader picture together. And that was beneficial, because I think it gives you just a bit of a leg up. Even something as simple as reading an EKG – you're going to get exposure to EKGs in the STEAM course, that maybe your classmates in medical school weren't exposed to.”

Koch says medical school is very competitive. He was among thousands of applicants for one of 110 seats at Western University of Health Sciences COMP-Northwest in Lebanon, Oregon. He was accepted after taking the Pre-Med Immersion course. Koch thinks the experience showed his commitment and perhaps gave him an advantage over other applicants.

“So, I wanted that experience and also wanted to show medical schools on my application, you know, ‘Look, I'm taking initiative. I'm doing something extra here, because I am committed and really driven to succeed and get into medical school.’”

“These are my people”

The OSF STEAM course was a good start to creating a comfort level with the idea of working in a medical setting. Koch was exposed to the sights, sounds and smells that are unique to being in that atmosphere. It validated his career choice.

“These are my people. Health care is where I belong. The physicians and the other staff and the people that we got exposed to and got to meet. I think it was just a validation that, yes, this is what I want to do, and these are the people I want to call my colleagues.”

He was also inspired by the physicians who seemed so passionate about what they do every day.

“There's a lot of things in the news about burnout, physician burnout, and it's inspiring to see there are still people who love what they do and have been doing it for years, and that it’s not all doom and gloom. You can have a great career.”

During his experience, Koch was exposed to surgery, the Anatomy Lab at Jump Simulation, and he heard from a neurosurgery resident who shared some hard truths.

“It wasn't all rainbows and lollipops. And we saw real life examples of that by that resident coming and speaking to us and saying, ‘You know, very bluntly, like, it's hard. Residency is hard, medicine is hard. And so, you really have to be committed.’ So that was, that was something that really stood out.”

Koch appreciated the honesty, and it spurred him to want to push ahead with schooling to become a physician specializing in emergency medicine. But he says even if that wasn’t the case, the experience is worthwhile for anyone exploring the idea of a medical career.

“You know, if I hate the STEAM course, then I'm going to change my biology major, and I'm not going to apply to medical school, right? If I love it, or if I'm equivocal about it, I'm going to investigate further. If I love it. I'm going to keep going full steam ahead to try to get into medical school.”

OSF STEAM has been recognized by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare as an “Exemplar” for simulation programs world-wide. Participation was just the beginning for Koch who, after six months of his residency, already knows he’s landed where he belongs. And that is the idea behind the OSF STEAM Pre-Med Immersion Experience — to expose pre-med students to the OSF, UICOMP facilities and instructors with an eye on recruiting them to study and then live and work as medical providers in central Illinois.

Koch hopes to do that and to eventually give back by serving in the future as one of those passionate providers encouraging young people with an interest, that medicine can be a very rewarding career.

First-year medical resident Gabe Koch

B-roll of OSF STEAM Pre-Med Immersion

More than 1.5 million rural Illinois residents face significant health care access barriers due to a lack of resources and limited infrastructure. OSF HealthCare serves many rural communities in Illinois and Michigan and leaders are looking at telehealth and digital health tools and platforms to bridge those gaps.

Part of the strategy involves collaborating with academic partners such as Illinois State University in Normal. A team made up of faculty at ISU and clinicians from OSF is working on a project to educate the future workforce on using a telehealth platform that can allow real-time assessments, consultations, diagnosis and creation of care plans, along with providing health education for people with chronic conditions in rural, medically underserved communities with aging populations.

The project called STARTED – Simulation to Address Rural Telehealth Education Development is funded by a joint OSF-ISU Connected Communities grant as part of an ongoing collaboration.

Associate Dean for Academics, Susie Watkins, PhD, RN, Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State says the platform will allow nurses to hold pop up clinics in homeless shelters or other community sites.

“This would help us provide some care in a community like that where they don't otherwise have access to health care, and that could potentially avoid them having to use the emergency room for things like ear infections and strep throat,” Watkins says. 

The platform also has attachments that can be used for physical exams performed by a nurse. Data and video from the exam could then be sent back to a provider at a distant hospital or clinic to review and offer a diagnosis and treatment recommendations, including prescriptions or referrals to a specialist.

Watkins holds up attachments as she explains, “It has an attachable otoscope that would record a full ear exam to determine if the ears are inflamed, and then also has an oral tongue depressor feature that one could examine the back of the throat for potential tonsillitis. 

There are other devices that can connect to the platform to provide assessments on heartbeat, lung sounds, blood pressure and other tests such as blood glucose levels that can be sent to the off-site provider via the platform.

The Director of Interprofessional Education at Jump Simulation, Ann Willemsen-Dunlap, CRNA, PhD, is co-lead on the collaboration for the first year of training 120 Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and 24 Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) graduate students. She’s supporting the development of web-based learning modules that use patient scenarios, video vignettes and telehealth simulations using standardized participants.

Trained actors will be used

Standardized participants are specially trained actors who portray patients from rural communities with various health challenges. The actors also provide an assessment with standardized metrics that measure competency in various areas including wellness screening, disease specific illness-related triage, disease self-management support using motivational interviewing and person-centered goal planning techniques. Willemsen-Dunlap says the standardized participants also give verbal feedback once the simulation is over.

“They’re going to be talking with their learners about how the interaction made them, as patients, feel from a first-person perspective.” 

Willemsen-Dunlap says eventually community health workers, as trusted advisors, can be trained to go into homes within medically underserved communities to help patients get comfortable with the portable technology that allow for in-home exams, rather than requiring patients to travel long distances for care.

“I think that having a community health worker present in the home to facilitate the interaction and nurses who are skilled and comfortable working in the digital environment, as well as providers who had similar training is going to be the key to success,” Willemsen-Dunlap stresses. 

Other funding sources are being sought from governmental or non-governmental organizations to support additional work to implement a rural health mobile clinic that uses this training and technology to deliver exams and health-related care within underserved communities.

In areas of so-called connectivity deserts, where the internet is not available or is unreliable, OSF OnCall, the health system’s digital care arm, could use an OSF OnCall Connect On the Go van for exams using the enhanced virtual platform and on-site connectivity.

Watkins says one-third of older adults in rural communities have two or more chronic diseases so its important patients continue to stay on track in managing them.  

“This technology would allow nurses to connect with patients on an ongoing basis between provider visits and do that condition specific assessment and also the self-care assessment and make sure that the patient is staying on target with their goals and all of the treatment recommendations made by their provider at the previous visit.” 

In the future, training could also involve behavioral health or dietary students who could be brought in on a telehealth visit to receive training on how to address additional concerns that are influencing a patient’s overall health and wellbeing.

Video clips with Susie Watkins

Video clips with Ann Willemsen-Dunlap

B-roll of robust telehealth platform

Sixteen research projects are sharing more than $1.6 million in funding through the Jump ARCHES research and development program. Projects funded focused on novel automation in health data and patient experience, precision medicine, digital tools to enhance patient engagement in health, wellness and treatment, plus improved treatment and diagnosis of neurologic disorders. The latest request for proposals also encouraged supporting underserved populations.

The Jump ARCHES program is a collaboration between OSF HealthCare, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), and the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria (UICOMP). The funding supports research involving clinicians, engineers and social scientists to rapidly develop technologies, devices, and treatment approaches that improve outcomes and reduce costs.

Spring 2023 Project Awards

STREAM-ED: Simulation to Refine, Enhance and Adapt Management of Emergency
William Bond, MD, OSF HealthCare
Hyojung Kang, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

This study aims to develop practical models combining machine learning, discrete event simulation, and optimization techniques to improve emergency department (ED) resource utilization and address ED overcrowding, which is exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and staffing shortages.

Prototype: Intelligent Regulatory Change Management System
Scott Lowry, MHA, CHC, CCEP, OSF HealthCare
ChengXiang Zhai, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

This study proposes an Intelligent Regulatory Change Management (IRCM) System that uses natural language processing and artificial intelligence to track and evaluate public policy actions governing OSF HealthCare. This will enable compliance professionals to identify critical changes and determine appropriate courses of action, reducing manual review and improving quality, safety, privacy risk management and efficiency.

Machine Learning of Standardized DICOM Metadata from Imaging Datasets
Matthew Bramlet, MD, OSF HealthCare
Brad Sutton, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

This project aims to develop a machine learning-based algorithm that can categorize image parameters directly from signal intensity variations of 2D medical images to enable efficient pipelines for medical image segmentation. The proposed algorithm is expected to estimate patient and image-acquisition information by utilizing machine learning methods in situations where the DICOM header fields are incomplete or unreliable, ultimately allowing for automated characterization of unknown 3D DICOM imaging datasets.

Machine-Guided Staging of Neuroblastic Tumors of Patient Specific 3D Models
Daniel Robertson, MD, OSF HealthCare
Brad Sutton, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois is using segmentation services to create 3D models of neuroblastic tumors for pre-surgical planning. The hospital aims to transition from 2D imaging to 3D modeling to increase the reproducibility of staging analysis, establish a new standard for segmented models of neuroblastic tumors and develop machine-guided tools that can improve upon and automate current recommended image-defined risk factors staging.

Toward Machine-Learned Aortic Arch Measured Diameters
Matthew Bramlet, MD, OSF HealthCare
Brad Sutton, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The original project aims to automate the segmentation and clinical measurement of aortic arch diameters from MRI imaging. The researchers leading this project have successfully completed several steps, including de-identification and curation of datasets, manual segmentation and the development of a novel method for automatically analyzing each aortic arch with promising results, indicating correlation between the automated and clinically derived measurements.

A Field Experiment to Evaluate the Efficacy of Convenient Health Kiosks
Ann Willemsen-Dunlap, CRNA, PhD, OSF HealthCare
Ujjal Mukherjee, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

This proposal outlines a field experiment to evaluate the efficacy of health kiosks supported by community health workers (CHWs) in delivering first line preventive health screenings to rural and underserved communities. The project is intended to lead to large-scale development and deployment of health kiosks with the goal of positively impacting social determinants of health and long-term health status of those served.

Contextualizing Nursing Needs for Development of Retention-Support App
Sheryl Emmerling, PhD, Rn, NEA-BC, OSF HealthCare
Ann-Perry Witmer, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The goal of this project is to address the high turnover rate of new nurses by providing a digital app that offers personalized nursing support. The Contextual Engineering (CE) paradigm will be used to assess the needs and values of first-year nurses, including those who have left their positions, to inform the development of the app in the first phase of the project, with the goal of stabilizing the nursing staff, improving the quality of service and reducing operating costs.

Community Health Café: Engaging Digital Innovation and Community-Based Resources to Enhance Health Equities in Underserved Communities
Scott Barrows, MA, OSF HealthCare
Joe Bradley, PhD, MA, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The purpose of the community health café is to provide digital access to health and health care resources, including links for assistance with the social determinants of health, health education and connections to public health in underserved communities. The eventual goal is a Medicaid telemedicine option with OSF OnCall. This proposal aims to address critical needs of underserved residents in vulnerable communities and is crucial for their health.

AI-Powered Brain Tumor Segmentation
Matthew Bramlet, MD, OSF HealthCare
Zhi-Pei Liang, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

This project aims to enhance the detection and monitoring of brain diseases. Phase 1 of the project focuses on accurate delineation and segmentation of brain tumors using a combination of structural and molecular multimodal brain imaging data and deep learning. The proposed work includes developing brain atlases for AI-powered brain image analysis, computational tools for automated tumor detection and segmentation and evaluating potential clinical applications.

Optimizing Pharmacologic Management of Behaviors in Patients with Autism
Adam Cross, MD, FAAP, OSF HealthCare
Ravishankar Iyer, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

This proposal aims to provide physicians with a machine learning model that assists in selecting appropriate medication and dosage strategies for patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). By incorporating patient history, genetic information and clinician notes, the model will dynamically adapt the treatment protocol as the patient progresses, ensuring optimal choices for improved behavioral symptoms with a high degree of confidence.

Predicting Medication Non-Adherence in Type 2 Diabetes
Mary Stapel, MD, OSF HealthCare
Hyojung Kang, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Medication adherence is crucial for managing diabetes, but disparities exist, particularly among racial/ethnic minorities and those with lower socioeconomic status. This proposal aims to use data-driven models to identify high-risk individuals and areas for non-adherence to diabetes medication, develop and validate prediction models and implement and evaluate them in clinical practice.

Knowledge Graph Construction with Large Language Models to Predict DKA Occurrence and Severity
Adam Cross, MD, FAAP, OSF HealthCare
Jimeng Sun, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) hospitalizes over 50,000 American children annually, with underprivileged and underserved children at higher risk. This proposal aims to develop a predictive model using patient-specific knowledge graphs generated from clinical data extracted through name entity recognition and language modeling. Clinicians can use the model to identify high-risk diabetic patients and prevent DKA.

OSF HealthCare has invested significant resources into developing advanced practice provider (APP) fellowships that have grown from five primary care fellows in 2016, to as many as 30 fellows among seven primary care and specialty areas. The advanced practice fellows include advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants who support inpatient and outpatient areas, including adult, pediatric and neonatal care, covering almost all of the ICU services at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center. There are fellows with advanced training in primary, urgent and pediatric care, as well as neurology.

The 7-year-old, robust, cutting-edge APP Fellowship program at OSF HealthCare is among the most mature of all health systems in the country. At a recent national conference, OSF leaders gave five presentations on various aspects of an expanding fellowship initiative, more than any of the large health systems represented, including Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic and Providence Health.

Vice President of Advanced Practice, Lisa Pierce, DNP, APRN, told health system leaders that the OSF HealthCare investment has paid off. The specialized training ranges from teaching new providers procedural skills to delivering life-changing diagnoses to patients. Pierce explained the ability to simulate real-life experiences instills confidence and competence, so patients are better served.

“Our patients are getting better care, because our fellows are trained in this really critical learning environment that helps them hone their skills.”

APP fellowships also help retain providers, which is a challenge facing every health system . Pierce says because providers see a health system that has invested in their development, they often stay in practice with OSF HealthCare at the end of their year-long fellowship experience. Since the program was launched, the turnover rate among fellows is between 0-2%.

Using simulation & education for enhanced training

What makes the OSF APP fellowship program a unique experience also lies in the use of simulation and the ability of engineers at Jump Trading Simulation & Education Center to support educators' needs for new training modules for fellows to learn specific procedures.

Pierce explained, “We've seen things at conferences, training models that we don't yet have here, and our engineers can build them. Our educators have even approached our engineers saying , ‘This procedure is really critical for this particular service line. Can you build us a model to practice this in simulation lab?’”

OSF HealthCare is also tapping its health care consulting services arm, Pointcore Construction, to support developing virtual reality (VR) environments that resemble OSF HealthCare spaces, such as OSF OnCall Urgent Care clinics. The VR trainings use life-like avatars that interact with learners to simulate a variety of experiences.

“Our fellows are able to practice doing a neurological exam on a patient and tell the patient to, you know, raise their eyebrows, and this avatar will respond to it. So it's a great way for our fellows to practice some of their skills before they encounter them in real life.”

APP fellowships focus on professional growth, offering fellows mentorship, regular feedback and skills assessment to build on the knowledge they learned in graduate school. At the end, they are more prepared to transition into full-time practice. OSF HealthCare is also leveraging federal grant money to extend primary care support to high-need communities with vulnerable populations, using resources such as OSF Care-A-Vans to support street medicine teams or on-site clinics.

Pierce thinks those experiences build a culture of compassion that supports the OSF Mission of serving with the greatest care and love.

“It really helps the fellows better understand not only how they can build trust with patients who often don't trust health care providers, but also how they can assist them in ways that they have never really thought of before, just because of the unique challenges of that specific population.”

Specifically, Pierce says fellows are exposed to how social needs, such as transportation, housing or food insecurity, can drive overall health and wellness.

The APP fellowship curriculum stresses the importance of excellent communication with patients and colleagues. For example, as OSF HealthCare emphasizes the need for patients to have advanced care plans in place before a health emergency, training simulates those conversations using specially trained actors who provide feedback during debriefings. Other confidence-building exercises also result in developing decision-making and other soft skills that often result in fellows advancing quickly to leadership positions within their area, region, or even at the system wide level.

Video clips with Lisa Pierce, vice president Advanced Practice, OSF HealthCare

B-roll of simulation with Advanced Practice Provider Fellow

OSF HealthCare is holding its Annual Research Symposium (ARS). The ARS recognizes and celebrates the efforts taking place at OSF HealthCare, highlighting trends in the clinical and academic research fields.

This is an event for those interested in and/or involved in these types of research. Of the abstracts submitted, four are selected for Platform (oral) Presentation the day of the event. Judges are present and prizes are awarded for best posters and platform presentations.  The afternoon session consists of traditional conference sessions on various research-related topics.

Stephanie Madrigal, Director of Research Administration has helped lead the event since 2004.

“The event began as a OSF Saint Francis Medical Center & UICOMP event. “Resident Research Day” focused on the research efforts within our residency programs at OSF SFMC.  We began getting inquiries regarding being part of the event from other departments & specialties over the years. We expanded our event to support the growth and interest in research at Saint Francis Medical Center. Two of the departments I remember approaching us first were: nursing and pharmacy,” Madrigal says.

Fast forward to 2015 – OSF Healthcare began investing in Ministry research infrastructure and we strategically expanded the symposium to a ministry event, inviting participation from all OSF facilities and those communities we serve.

Our current event consists of a Call for Abstracts going out annually late winter/early spring. From the abstracts received, most are selected for poster presentation. Of the abstracts submitted, 4 are selected for Platform (oral) Presentation the day of the event. Judges are present the day of the event and prizes are awarded for best posters and platform presentations. The afternoon session consists of traditional conference sessions on various research-related topics.

Media is invited to check out the posters, presentations, and research.

When: Wednesday, May 10^th

Time: 7:30 AM-3:30 PM  

Where: Jump Trading Simulation & Education Center

1306 N Berkeley Ave, Peoria

On the campus of OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center. Parking is available in the lot in front of the building

All the details about ARS can be found at https://osfhealthcare.org/arsymposium.

Nikki Delinski, DNP, RN, director of Educational Operations for OSF Jump Trading Simulation & Education Center in Peoria, Illinois, is among Training magazine’s 2022 Top 25 Emerging Training Leaders in the nation. Delinski was further recognized as ranking among the Top 5 Emerging Training Leaders based on her nomination submitted by a colleague.

Training magazine, a leader in professional development and training news, is a magazine and online website advocating for training and workforce development as a business tool. It annually recognizes training professionals who inspire and engage their organizations with exceptional leadership skills, business acumen and innovation. The winners have been in the industry for two to 10 years and demonstrate stellar leadership skills, business savvy and training instincts.

Delinski started as a critical care nurse scholar, product education specialist, then served as director of Clinical Professional Development for OSF HealthCare. She’s been in her current role since February of 2020, and has direct oversight of the 13-member Educational Operations team, and the 40+-member Standardized Participant Program of specially trained actors for simulations. The teams engage in project development, scheduling, delivery and evaluation, and support all on-site simulation-based events as well as the “in situ” (on site) events across the health care system.

In addition to leading Jump’s educational operations, Delinski also represents the simulation center on multiple task forces and workgroups in the advancement of education and training for the OSF HealthCare Ministry. Her nominator, Lisa T. Barker, MD, points out, “The pandemic limited in-person training and Delinski responded by revitalizing the ‘in situ’ program and leveraged teleconferencing platforms to deploy virtual communication training opportunities across the system, keeping all participants safe.”

Dr. Barker applauds how Delinski collaborated with system leaders and educators to champion the use of Jump’s simulation resources and technologies to maximize impact.

Delinski also streamlined the process for submitting proposed educational simulations to be more supportive of clinical educators and to be more responsive to the training needs of the organization. During Fiscal Year 2021, there was a 128% increase in project intake over the prior year that’s credited to process change. Fiscal Year 2022 is on track to increase an additional 37%.

Throughout her career Delinski has been a champion for innovative solutions to problems facing the health care industry and the communities served by OSF HealthCare. The Peoria, Illinois-based integrated health system operated by The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis employs nearly 24,000 Mission Partners in 150 locations, including 15 hospitals throughout Illinois and Michigan.

“I am so honored to receive this recognition among peers who represent well-respected organizations such as Verizon and AAA Motor Club,” says Delinski. “I feel blessed to contribute to advancing the education and training of care teams, support staff and community responders who are among the many who turn to OSF HealthCare for facilities, curriculum and immersive experiences that contribute to their knowledge and development in the medical community and other organizations.”

While honored to be recognized as a Top 25 Emerging Training Leader, Delinski also gives credit to the teams around her and the partnerships formed with other organizations that have allowed her to grow opportunities for OSF Mission Partners (employees) and other medical providers, schools, businesses and non-profits.

“Achieving this is really a reflection of those around me who embrace our culture of innovation. They are excited to explore new ways of presenting information and I credit all the partners that have been willing to trust us with their training and professional development and contributed to where we are today,” adds Delinski.

Lorri Freifeld, editor/publisher of Training magazine, says, “Despite continued turbulent times, the 2022 Emerging Training Leaders steered their organizations to optimal employee performance and business success.  Their ability to navigate under pressure, adapt and respond to change and inspire their learners, direct reports and colleagues is impressive.

“We salute these leaders who put their hearts and souls into training and charting new courses for learning and development,” she adds.

The award winners will be profiled in the March 2023 issue of Training magazine and online at trainingmag.com. They also will be honored at an awards ceremony on February 13, 2023, at Disney World’s Coronado Springs Resort during the Training 2023 Conference & Expo in Orlando, Florida.