Overview
For September’s Sepsis Awareness Month, we held a special CODEX webinar that bridges critical pediatric sepsis and diagnosis research with effective community partnership approaches. Jeffrey Yaeger, MD, MPH, Matthew Present, MD, and community leader Sylvia Johnson, LCSW, will join us for a compelling panel discussion to share insights from their collaborative study that examined diagnostic delays and their impact on families of color through meaningful community engagement.
This dual-focus conversation explored essential sepsis knowledge—what every parent should know about recognition and when diagnostic delays disproportionately affect children—alongside practical lessons in community co-created research. Attendees learned how the research team successfully partnered with local African American and Latino Health Coalitions to:
- Build “medical trustworthiness” over “medical mistrust”
- Ensure cultural responsiveness
- Create more impactful findings
Our panelists discussed both the medical realities of sepsis disparities and their thoughtful collaboration model, offering actionable insights for recognizing sepsis symptoms, understanding systemic barriers to care, and building authentic community partnerships that drive equitable health outcomes.
Support for this research project was provided by AcademyHealth’s Pre-hospital Diagnostic Delay program and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of either organization.
Date
Tuesday, September 30, 2025Time
Organizers
Speakers
Jeffrey Yaeger, MD, MPH
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center
Matthew Present, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center
Sylvia Johnson, LCSW
President, Ivolve Me Wellness Centers
Primary Therapist, Rochester Rehabilitation Center
Anjana Sharma, MD
Learning Hub Faculty Lead, UCSF CODEX
Associate Professor, UCSF Department of Family and Community Medicine
Anjana brings a wealth of experience in patient safety, quality improvement, patient engagement, medical education, and health equity. As a primary care physician and researcher, she has spent numerous years studying patient safety in primary and ambulatory care, researched strategies to prevent diagnostic and medication errors, and developed interventions to improve patient engagement in medical care. She also teaches evidence-based medicine and patient involvement in practice improvement to the UCSF Family and Community Medicine Residency Program at ZSFG.
Learn more about Anjana here.