Sean R. Legler, M.D.

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SUMMARY

The research interests of Sean R. Legler, M.D., focus on how software and novel technology can be leveraged to enhance clinical decision-making to improve the quality, experience and safety of care delivered. Additionally, he and his colleagues investigate the psychological aspects of care, such as how incorporating meaning, values and gratitude into a patient's care can deepen patient engagement and improve quality of life. Dr. Legler has worked with research teams improving care for patients recovering from heart attacks, patients with type 2 diabetes and patients being treated for COVID-19.

Focus areas

• Advanced clinical decision support. Dr. Legler has experience in electronic medical records and is focused on creating intuitively designed medical records systems. Within this field, he is working with colleagues to integrate machine learning and AI capabilities into the electronic medical record to augment clinicians' ability to deliver world-class health care.
• Telehealth technology. An additional focus is using telehealth technology to deliver care to patients to wherever may be most comfortable, convenient or safe for them.
• Lifestyle change platforms. Dr. Legler and his colleagues also conduct research and interventions to help foster healthy, realistic psychological perspectives on life and illness. This work has included using adaptive recommendation engines with mobile technologies that can adapt to a patient's unique needs and preferences over time. The goal of this work is to enable patients to live more meaningful, healthy lifestyles in line with their values as they recover from illness.

Significance to patient care

Clinical errors and electronic medical record inefficiency impose a major burden on patients and our health care system. By making it easier for health care providers to do the right thing and harder to do the wrong thing for a patient, Dr. Legler and his colleagues believe that intelligently designed technology can ensure that every patient gets the best possible care. Moreover, by focusing on the psychological experiences of illness in addition to the technological, Dr. Legler and his colleagues hope they can improve health care outcomes by honoring the unique values of each patient and what they care most about.