Kristen Miller is a healthcare delivery researcher with nearly two decades of experience working with MedStar Health. Her work focuses on improving how care is delivered across all phases of the patient journey, from preparation before appointments to follow-up after visits. Unlike traditional bench science, her research emphasizes real-world tools and systems designed to help providers and patients make safer, more informed decisions.
She emphasizes the importance of tools tailored to various stages of care: pre-encounter preparation, in-visit communication, and post-visit follow-up. Her team is working on simple, accessible aids, such as cue cards and checklists, to help patients describe symptoms more effectively. She also highlighted the widespread issue of diagnostic errors, noting that one in 20 people will experience one in primary care annually, and that all patients are likely to face at least one in their lifetime.
Kristen Miller is a fantastic presenter. She has appeared live at numerous conferences, including PULSE’s Pulse's Family-Centered Patient Advocacy Training New York this past March.
Resources Mentioned in the Podcast:
Timestamps of Important Moments in the Podcast:
00:51 Kristen explains her focus on healthcare delivery research
03:27 Description of clinical decision support tools for providers
06:14 The evolution of risk tools from provider to patient use
08:28 Kristen discusses medical gaslighting and patient dismissal
12:55 Diagnostic errors in primary care and patient lifetime risk
14:56 “Be the Expert on You” tool and symptom description training
17:32 Adapting patient tools to different needs and health literacy
21:31 Empowerment during the encounter, not just preparation
25:14 Discussion on types of AI tools and patient trust
31:53 Diagnostic safety as a core focus of medical care
35:03 Misdiagnosis of cardiovascular disease in women
38:47 Challenges of provider pattern recognition and AI comparison
39:56 PatientPartneredDCE.org and ways for advocates to participate
41:40 From patient education to full diagnostic empowerment
