Jose Luis Calderon, MD

Jose Luis Calderon, MD, Adjunct Associate Professor, Division of General Internal Medicine & Health Services Research, Department of Medicine, the David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA. He obtained a Doctorate of Medicine from Harvard Medical School and post-graduate training in Family Medicine (SUNY Health Sciences Center) and Neurology (New York University/Bellevue Hospital Center). Dr. Calderon, completed fellowship programs in epidemiology (Johns Hopkins School of Public Health), health literacy (AAMC Health Services Research Institute), and social equity/health disparities (Meharry College of Medicine/Vanderbilt University). His methodological expertise is in using mixed-methods (survey and qualitative) to implement pragmatic comparative effectiveness research that addresses health disparities based on an ethno-medical (cross-cultural) platform. His health disparities research focus is multi-pronged: 1) using animation to improve chronic disease health literacy for vulnerable populations (aging, race/ethnic minorities) by using animation, 2) developing methods to improve health communication by simplifying health-related text, 3) design and development of disease-specific surveys with utility for vulnerable populations with limited literacy skills and 4) assessment and redesign of national surveys based on visual display and cognitive design principles. Dr. Calderon’s teaching expertise is in health literacy, health communication, mixed methods research and pharmaco-epidemiology. Dr. Calderon is currently co-Director for the UCLA Center for Maximizing Outcomes and Research on Effectiveness (C-MORE).

Cohort

2015-16

Projects

• “Mitigating Cognitive Demand for Completion of CAHPS® Surveys by Aging Latinos: CAHPS® Visual Display and Cognitive Design Revision.” Dr. Calderon’s RCMAR/CHIME- and UCLA CTSI-funded primary data-collection and analysis project seeks to qualitatively evaluate the perceptions of aging Latinos (>50 years) about: 1) the visual display and reading ease of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers & Systems (CAHPS®); 2) mail and phone survey methods; and 3) linguistic and cultural appropriateness of CAHPS-E, a simplified version of CAHPS®, by focused discussion groups. Information gained will be used to modify CAHPS-E. The efficacy of CAHPS-E in improving survey and item non-response rates compared to CAHPS-PCMH will then be assessed by randomized control trial. The working hypothesis is that CAHPS-E (intervention) will improve survey response rates and less item non-response compared to CAHPS-PCMH (control). Of relevance is that non-response to CAHPS by Latinos may mean that their health care experiences are not factored into decisions made by health plans, healthcare delivery systems and policy makers. This may affect the quality of care received by the largest and fastest growing race/ethnic population in the United States.