Robert Spears, Ph.D., M.S.
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Dentistry
Dr. Spears teaches Head and Neck Anatomy, Oral Biology, Neuroscience, and serves as a facilitator for the clinical applications courses. His research focuses on how the nervous and immune systems interact during pain and inflammation, with particular emphasis on the TMJ. Nationally, he serves on the ADEA Annual Session Planning Committee and the Commission on Change and Innovation. He was the AADR National Student Research Group Faculty Advisor from 2001-2010 and currently chairs the Fellowships Committee. At the state level, Spears is a Texas Anatomical Board Representative and an accreditation site reviewer for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Presenting at the Nexus Summit:
Background: As healthcare becomes more technologically complex, clinicians are using electronic health records (EHR) to optimize communication among interprofessional teams, in addition to a repository for patient data. Despite near ubiquitous use of EHRs in clinical settings, few clinical students utilize this technology during their training. In this study, we integrated students from administrative and non-clinical disciplines into traditional clinical simulations, with complex patient safety errors embedded in EHR technology and measured the effect on communication and teamwork. Methods:…