While a post-doctoral researcher in the Department of Medical Informatics at Columbia University, working with Dr. Vimla Patel in the Laboratory of Decision Making and Cognition, my main research interests involved the study of medical errors, decision-making in health cognition, and facilitating the acquisition of knowledge and expertise.

Research Projects:

Taxonomy of Medical Errors in Intensive Care Medicine

The healthcare environment is intense and highly dynamic, which can place great cognitive load on healthcare providers.  With limited cognitive resources, errors can occur.  By examining errors as they occur in critical care settings, we developed a taxonomy that associates each type of error with a specific cognitive mechanism.  Based on the taxonomy and cognitive theories regarding the associated mechanisms, cognitive intervention strategies for each type of error can be generated.  Our hope is that the interventions will result in the prevention or reduction of medical errors.

• Cognitive Analysis of Infusion Pump Usability
 
Infusion pumps are widely used throughout the medical domain, often with little to no training on how to operate them.  Our goal is to develop an intervention program to reduce the number of errors associated with the use of infusion pumps.  This can be accomplished through a number of means, including modifications to the environment in which infusion pumps are used (e.g., in a manner which would reduce the pressure and cognitive load imposed upon the provider by systemic influences), increasing the effectiveness of training, and enhancing the quality of interface between the user and device.  The intervention program will be based on data from and analyses of ethnographic observation and usability studies of pump usage.

• Cognitive Models of Decision Making in the Context of HIV
 
Despite studies showing that they have high knowledge of HIV and how it is transmitted, young adults still participate in risky sexual behaviors, putting them at risk for acquiring HIV or other STDs.  While exhibiting ‘safe’ decision-making when posed with hypothetical situations involving risk, young adult’s reasoning in real-life remains risky.  In order to investigate this apparent discrepancy in reasoning ability, we will develop cognitive models of the underlying factors that influence young adults’ reasoning about HIV in both real-life situations and more general, hypothetical situations.  By comparing these models, we hope to identify key factors that affect the reasoning strategies used across different types of situations.  By identifying these factors, future intervention programs may be more effective.

Curriculum Vitae

Personal

Contact Information

Tate Kubose, Ph.D.
622 W. 168th St. VC-5
New York, NY 10032
Fax: (212)305-3302
tate.kubose@dmi.columbia.edu