Katie Raffel, MD

Professional Titles

• Associate Professor of Medicine

Recognitions

• Fellow in Hospital Medicine, Society of Hospital Medicine (2021)
• Excellence in Teaching Award, UCSF Academy of Medical Educators (2018)

Research Interests

My research focuses on understanding how diagnostic errors occur in hospitalized adults and how health systems can learn from high-risk clinical events to improve care. I was a core member of the UPSIDE study, an AHRQ-funded, multi-site effort that helped establish the prevalence and causes of diagnostic error in acute care settings, particularly during moments of clinical deterioration. This work led to the creation of the Achieving Diagnostic Excellence through Prevention and Teamwork (ADEPT) collaborative, a 14-hospital network dedicated to improving how diagnostic accuracy is measured, studied, and strengthened in everyday hospital practice. Beyond advancing the science of diagnostic improvement, the collaborative emphasizes building human and organizational capacity for diagnostic safety. In partnership with the Institute for Healthcare Quality, Safety, and Efficiency (IHQSE), this commitment resulted in the launch of the Diagnostic Excellence Capacity Building Program—the first program of its kind designed to develop leaders and teams capable of sustaining diagnostic improvement within their institutions.

Publications

• Auerbach A, Raffel K, Rasooly IR, Schnipper J. Diagnostic excellence: turning to diagnostic performance improvement. Diagnosis (Berl). 2025 Nov 1;12(4):520-528. PubMed PMID: 40966587
• Enix C, Keniston A, Jenkins A, Westcott C, Furfari K, Daya S, Schnipper JL, Auerbach A, Raffel KE. Defusing disruption: A rapid qualitative analysis examining hospitalist experiences navigating behavioral escalation events. J Hosp Med. 2025 Sep;20(9):963-970. PubMed PMID: 40611454
• Weerahandi H, Burden M, Kopp Z, Callister C, Burke J, Dayton K, Keniston A, Ledford R, Raffel KE, Schnipper J, Auerbach A. Clinician perspectives on electronic health record behavioral alerts and hospital workplace violence prevention: A mixed methods study at 20 organizations. J Hosp Med. 2025 Aug;20(8):837-846. PubMed PMID: 39980199
• Kaiksow FA, Brendel M, Hubbard CC, Lee T, Chia D, Brooks K, Ruhnke GW, Raffel KE, Goyal A, Kantor MA, Helminski AS, Alday A, Astik GJ, Barish P, Schnipper JL, Auerbach AD. Measuring the association between diagnostic errors and neighborhood disadvantage. J Hosp Med. 2025 Jul;20(7):727-730. PubMed PMID: 39668396
• Burden M, Gundareddy VP, Kauffman R, Keach JW, McBeth L, Raffel KE, Rice JD, Washburn C, Kisuule F, Keniston A. Assessing the impact of workload and clinician experience on patient throughput: A multicenter study. J Hosp Med. 2025 May;20(5):471-478. PubMed PMID: 39588662
• Zapata J, Raffel K. Leadership & professional development: Strategies to disagree productively: Persuasive DISNT. J Hosp Med. 2025 Mar;20(3):271-272. PubMed PMID: 39526548
• Steidtmann D, Raffel KE, Green J, MacPhee E, Nagle-Yang S, Schwenk S, Cooke D, Santisteban AC, Dempsey AG. Using Technology to Support Measurement-Based Care: Design and Implementation of the Measurement-Assisted Care Program. Psychiatr Serv. 2025 Feb 1;76(2):126-132. PubMed PMID: 39439278
• Raffel KE, Gershanik EF, Ranji SR. Diagnostic disparities and strategies for enhancing diagnostic equity in hospital medicine. J Hosp Med. 2025 Jan;20(1):71-74. PubMed PMID: 38654433
• Brooks KC, Raffel KE, Chia D, Karwa A, Hubbard CC, Auerbach AD, Ranji SR. Stigmatizing Language, Patient Demographics, and Errors in the Diagnostic Process. JAMA Intern Med. 2024 Jun 1;184(6):704-706. PubMed PMID: 38619826
• Prasad PA, Esmaili AM, Oreper S, Beagle AJ, Hubbard C, Raffel KE, Abe-Jones Y, Fang MC, Liu KD, Matthay MA, Kangelaris KN. Timing of antibiotic treatment identifies distinct clinical presentations among patients presenting with suspected septic shock. J Am Coll Emerg Physicians Open. 2024 Apr;5(2):e13149. PubMed PMID: 38596320
• Auerbach AD, Lee TM, Hubbard CC, Ranji SR, Raffel K, Valdes G, Boscardin J, Dalal AK, Harris A, Flynn E, Schnipper JL. Diagnostic Errors in Hospitalized Adults Who Died or Were Transferred to Intensive Care. JAMA Intern Med. 2024 Feb 1;184(2):164-173. PubMed PMID: 38190122
• Mistry N, Knoeckel J, McBeth L, Johnson A, Bredenberg E, Raffel K, Cunningham J, Sarcone E, Misky G, Stella SA. Prevalence of homelessness among hospitalized patients: A point-in-time survey. J Hosp Med. 2024 Jan;19(1):45-50. PubMed PMID: 38058085
• Dalal AK, Schnipper JL, Raffel K, Ranji S, Lee T, Auerbach A. Identifying and classifying diagnostic errors in acute care across hospitals: Early lessons from the Utility of Predictive Systems in Diagnostic Errors (UPSIDE) study. J Hosp Med. 2024 Feb;19(2):140-145. PubMed PMID: 37211760
• Raffel KE, Gershanik EF, Ranji SR. Diagnostic disparities and strategies for enhancing diagnostic equity in hospital medicine. J Hosp Med. 2024 Apr 23. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 38654433
• Brooks KC, Raffel KE, Chia D, Karwa A, Hubbard CC, Auerbach AD, Ranji SR. Stigmatizing Language, Patient Demographics, and Errors in the Diagnostic Process. JAMA Intern Med. 2024 Jun 1;184(6):704-706. PubMed PMID: 38619826
• Prasad PA, Esmaili AM, Oreper S, Beagle AJ, Hubbard C, Raffel KE, Abe-Jones Y, Fang MC, Liu KD, Matthay MA, Kangelaris KN. Timing of antibiotic treatment identifies distinct clinical presentations among patients presenting with suspected septic shock. J Am Coll Emerg Physicians Open. 2024 Apr;5(2):e13149. PubMed PMID: 38596320
• Auerbach AD, Lee TM, Hubbard CC, Ranji SR, Raffel K, Valdes G, Boscardin J, Dalal AK, Harris A, Flynn E, Schnipper JL. Diagnostic Errors in Hospitalized Adults Who Died or Were Transferred to Intensive Care. JAMA Intern Med. 2024 Feb 1;184(2):164-173. PubMed PMID: 38190122
• Mistry N, Knoeckel J, McBeth L, Johnson A, Bredenberg E, Raffel K, Cunningham J, Sarcone E, Misky G, Stella SA. Prevalence of homelessness among hospitalized patients: A point-in-time survey. J Hosp Med. 2024 Jan;19(1):45-50. PubMed PMID: 38058085
• Dalal AK, Schnipper JL, Raffel K, Ranji S, Lee T, Auerbach A. Identifying and classifying diagnostic errors in acute care across hospitals: Early lessons from the Utility of Predictive Systems in Diagnostic Errors (UPSIDE) study. J Hosp Med. 2024 Feb;19(2):140-145. PubMed PMID: 37211760
• Auerbach AD, Astik GJ, O'Leary KJ, Barish PN, Kantor MA, Raffel KR, Ranji SR, Mueller SK, Burney SN, Galinsky J, Gershanik EF, Goyal A, Chitneni PR, Rastegar S, Esmaili AM, Fenton C, Virapongse A, Ngov LK, Burden M, Keniston A, Patel H, Gupta AB, Rohde J, Marr R, Greysen SR, Fang M, Shah P, Mao F, Kaiksow F, Sterken D, Choi JJ, Contractor J, Karwa A, Chia D, Lee T, Hubbard CC, Maselli J, Dalal AK, Schnipper JL. Prevalence and Causes of Diagnostic Errors in Hospitalized Patients Under Investigation for COVID-19. J Gen Intern Med. 2023 Jun;38(8):1902-1910. PubMed PMID: 36952085
• Burden M, Keniston A, Gundareddy VP, Kauffman R, Keach JW, McBeth L, Raffel KE, Rice JD, Washburn C, Kisuule F. Discharge in the a.m.: A randomized controlled trial of physician rounding styles to improve hospital throughput and length of stay. J Hosp Med. 2023 Apr;18(4):302-315. PubMed PMID: 36797598
• Schnipper JL, Raffel KE, Keniston A, Burden M, Glasheen J, Ranji S, Hubbard C, Barish P, Kantor M, Adler-Milstein J, John Boscardin W, Harrison JD, Dalal AK, Lee T, Auerbach A. Achieving diagnostic excellence through prevention and teamwork (ADEPT) study protocol: A multicenter, prospective quality and safety program to improve diagnostic processes in medical inpatients. J Hosp Med. 2023 Dec;18(12):1072-1081. PubMed PMID: 37888951
• Schnipper JL, Raffel KE, Keniston A, Burden M, Glasheen J, Ranji S, Hubbard C, Barish P, Kantor M, Adler-Milstein J, John Boscardin W, Harrison JD, Dalal AK, Lee T, Auerbach A. Achieving diagnostic excellence through prevention and teamwork (ADEPT) study protocol: A multicenter, prospective quality and safety program to improve diagnostic processes in medical inpatients. J Hosp Med. 2023 Dec;18(12):1072-1081. PubMed PMID: 37888951
• Dalal AK, Schnipper JL, Raffel K, Ranji S, Lee T, Auerbach A. Identifying and classifying diagnostic errors in acute care across hospitals: Early lessons from the Utility of Predictive Systems in Diagnostic Errors (UPSIDE) study. J Hosp Med. 2023 May 21. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 37211760
• Auerbach AD, Astik GJ, O'Leary KJ, Barish PN, Kantor MA, Raffel KR, Ranji SR, Mueller SK, Burney SN, Galinsky J, Gershanik EF, Goyal A, Chitneni PR, Rastegar S, Esmaili AM, Fenton C, Virapongse A, Ngov LK, Burden M, Keniston A, Patel H, Gupta AB, Rohde J, Marr R, Greysen SR, Fang M, Shah P, Mao F, Kaiksow F, Sterken D, Choi JJ, Contractor J, Karwa A, Chia D, Lee T, Hubbard CC, Maselli J, Dalal AK, Schnipper JL. Prevalence and Causes of Diagnostic Errors in Hospitalized Patients Under Investigation for COVID-19. J Gen Intern Med. 2023 Jun;38(8):1902-1910. PubMed PMID: 36952085
• Burden M, Keniston A, Gundareddy VP, Kauffman R, Keach JW, McBeth L, Raffel KE, Rice JD, Washburn C, Kisuule F. Discharge in the a.m.: A randomized controlled trial of physician rounding styles to improve hospital throughput and length of stay. J Hosp Med. 2023 Apr;18(4):302-315. PubMed PMID: 36797598
• Berger AC, Simchoni N, Auerbach A, Brode WM, Kuperman E, Raffel K, Kubey A. Implementation of Clinical Practice Guidelines for Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19 in Academic Medical Centers. JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Apr 1;5(4):e225657. PubMed PMID: 35377428
• Sun F, Lipinsky DeGette R, Cummings EC, Deng LX, Hauser KA, Kopp Z, Penner JC, Scott BS, Raffel KE, Kantor MA. Capturing what matters: A retrospective observational study of advance care planning documentation at an academic medical center during the COVID-19 pandemic. Palliat Med. 2022 Feb;36(2):342-347. PubMed PMID: 34920691
• Berger AC, Simchoni N, Auerbach A, Brode WM, Kuperman E, Raffel K, Kubey A. Implementation of Clinical Practice Guidelines for Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19 in Academic Medical Centers. JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Apr 1;5(4):e225657. PubMed PMID: 35377428
• Sun F, Lipinsky DeGette R, Cummings EC, Deng LX, Hauser KA, Kopp Z, Penner JC, Scott BS, Raffel KE, Kantor MA. Capturing what matters: A retrospective observational study of advance care planning documentation at an academic medical center during the COVID-19 pandemic. Palliat Med. 2022 Feb;36(2):342-347. PubMed PMID: 34920691
• Kantor MA, Scott BS, Abe-Jones Y, Raffel KE, Thombley R, Mourad M. Ask About What Matters: An Intervention to Improve Accessible Advance Care Planning Documentation. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2021 Nov;62(5):893-901. PubMed PMID: 34000334
• Salazar JW, Sharpe B, Raffel K. Sunset Rounds: a Framework for Post-death Care in the Hospital. J Gen Intern Med. 2021 Mar;36(3):792-794. PubMed PMID: 33006080
• Sun F, Lipinsky DeGette R, Cummings EC, Deng LX, Hauser KA, Kopp Z, Penner JC, Scott BS, Raffel KE, Kantor MA. Capturing what matters: A retrospective observational study of advance care planning documentation at an academic medical center during the COVID-19 pandemic. Palliat Med. 2021 Dec 17;:2692163211065928. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 34920691
• Kantor MA, Scott BS, Abe-Jones Y, Raffel KE, Thombley R, Mourad M. Ask About What Matters: An Intervention to Improve Accessible Advance Care Planning Documentation. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2021 Nov;62(5):893-901. PubMed PMID: 34000334
• Lim H, Raffel KE, Harrison JD, Kohlwes RJ, Dhaliwal G, Narayana S. Decisions in the Dark: An Educational Intervention to Promote Reflection and Feedback on Night Float Rotations. J Gen Intern Med. 2020 Nov;35(11):3363-3367. PubMed PMID: 32875511
• Raffel KE, Kantor MA, Barish P, Esmaili A, Lim H, Xue F, Ranji SR. Prevalence and characterisation of diagnostic error among 7-day all-cause hospital medicine readmissions: a retrospective cohort study. BMJ Qual Saf. 2020 Dec;29(12):971-979. PubMed PMID: 32753409
• Raffel KE, Gupta N, Vercammen-Grandjean C, Hohman J, Ranji S, Pierluissi E, Mourad M. A Discharge Time-Out: A Case Study on Physician-Nurse Discharge Communication and the Challenge of Sustainability in Resident-Led Quality Improvement. Am J Med Qual. 2019 Jul Aug;34(4):381-388. PubMed PMID: 30345785

Practice Locations

UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital (UCH)
12605 E. 16th Ave
Aurora, CO 80045
720-848-0000

Specialty Information

Specialties

• Internal Medicine, Board Certification
• Learning Health System Coaching Program, UCSF, Other (2019)
• Diversity Equity Inclusion Training, UCSF, Other (2019)
• Foundations in Healthcare Leadership, Certificate (2022)
• Bias Reduction in Internal Medicine Training, Other (2022)