James D. Ralston, MD, MPH

Biography

James Ralston MD, MPH, is an internal medicine physician and senior investigator in health services and health informatics. His research mission is improving the health and care of patients living with common ongoing illnesses. His current areas of emphasis include understanding and honoring the priorities of patients living with multiple chronic conditions.

Dr. Ralston’s research focuses on developing and evaluating communication technologies that foster continuous care and a closer connection between patients and primary care teams. His commitment to finding effective ways to redesign care spans all stages of research, from project development to complete translation of results into clinical practice.

Examples of Dr. Ralston’s research projects include:

The Valuing Important Things in Active Lives (VITAL) study to improve care for people with multiple chronic conditions including diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis. VITAL uses participatory design methods with patients and providers to design and evaluate interactive care plans.
The Seeing Priorities study to build and test a single, trusted tool for individuals with multiple chronic conditions that illuminates connections between personal values and chronic illness management. The tool helps visualize, track, and share what matters most for self-management and care.
Understanding and addressing differences in patient use of online health care services that could lead to care disparities.
Testing online care management of blood sugar control using an electronic health record shared with patients with type 2 diabetes. Control improved in patients receiving online care management in addition to usual care.
Validating and evaluating a clinical tool to identify patients with type 2 diabetes at risk of severe low blood sugar. This national collaboration uses Kaiser Permanente and Veterans Administration electronic health record data and machine learning methods.
Testing innovative engagement methods such as photos taken by study participants to document their values to ensure that patient priorities guide self-management plans and clinical care.
Working with primary care teams and clinics in rural and underserved areas to improve the care of their patients with chronic conditions.

Dr. Ralston is also a University of Washington affiliate professor in health services and biomedical informatics, where he serves on the committees of PhD and master’s degree students.

Research interests and experience

Health Informatics

eHealth; hypertension; diabetes
Chronic Illness Management

Health informatics; hypertension; diabetes; health behaviors; multiple chronic conditions
Behavior Change

Self-management support
Health Services & Economics

Health care disparities

Recent publications

Berry AB, Lim CY, Liang CA, Hartzler AL, Hirsch T, Ferguson DM, Bermet ZA, Ralston JD Supporting collaborative reflection on personal values and health 2021 Oct;5(CSCW2):1-39. doi: 10.1145/3476040. Epub 2021-10-18. PubMed

Tuzzio L, Berry AL, Gleason K, Barrow J, Bayliss EA, Gray MF, Delate T, Bermet Z, Uratsu CS, Grant RW, Ralston JD Aligning care with the personal values of patients with complex care needs 2021 Oct;56 Suppl 1:1037-1044. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13862. Epub 2021-08-06. PubMed

Henrikson NB, Blasi P, Figueroa Gray M, Tiffany BT, Scrol A, Ralston JD, Fullerton SM, Lim CY, Ewing J, Leppig KA Patient and Family Preferences on Health System-Led Direct Contact for Cascade Screening 2021 Jun 10;11(6). doi: 10.3390/jpm11060538. Epub 2021-06-10. PubMed

Henrikson NB, Scrol A, Leppig KA, Ralston JD, Larson EB, Jarvik GP Preferences of biobank participants for receiving actionable genomic test results: results of a recontacting study 2021 Jun;23(6):1163-1166. doi: 10.1038/s41436-021-01111-2. Epub 2021-02-18. PubMed

Khan SS, Hoell C, Castillo LM, Connolly JJ, Crosslin DR, Chung WK, Gordon AS, Harr M, Jarvik GP, Kullo I, Larson EB, Leppig KA, Manolio T, Pacheco JA, Ralston JD, Puckelwartz MJ, Smith ME, Wells Q, McNally EM, Rasmussen-Torvik LJ Practice Patterns After Return of Rare Variants Associated With Cardiomyopathy in the Electronic Medical Records and Genomics Network 2021 May;14(5):e008155. doi: 10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.120.008155. Epub 2021-05-06. PubMed

Makhnoon S, Bowen DJ, Shirts BH, Fullerton SM, Larson EB, Ralston JD, Leppig KA, Crosslin DR, Veenstra D, Jarvik GP The FamilyTalk randomized controlled trial: patient-reported outcomes in clinical genetic sequencing for colorectal cancer 2021 May;32(5):483-492. doi: 10.1007/s10552-021-01398-1. Epub 2021-02-16. PubMed

Schuttner L, Coleman K, Ralston J, Parchman M The role of organizational learning and resilience for change in building quality improvement capacity in primary care 2021 Apr;46(2):E1-E7. doi: 10.1097/HMR.0000000000000281. PubMed

Bowen DJ, Makhnoon S, Shirts BH, Fullerton SM, Larson E, Ralston JD, Leppig K, Crosslin DR, Veenstra D, Jarvik GP What improves the likelihood of people receiving genetic test results communicating to their families about genetic risk? 2021 Apr;104(4):726-731. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2021.01.001. Epub 2021-01-07. PubMed

Makhnoon S, Bowen DJ, Shirts BH, Fullerton SM, Meischke HW, Larson EB, Ralston JD, Leppig K, Crosslin DR, Veenstra D, Jarvik GP Relationship between genetic knowledge and familial communication of CRC risk and intent to communicate CRCP genetic information: insights from FamilyTalk eMERGE III 2021 Mar 16;11(2):563-572. doi: 10.1093/tbm/ibaa054. PubMed

Ramirez M, Duran MC, Pabiniak CJ, Hansen KE, Kelley A, Ralston JD, McCurry SM, Teri L, Penfold RB Family Caregiver Needs and Preferences for Virtual Training to Manage Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia: Interview Study 2021 Feb 10;4(1):e24965. doi: 10.2196/24965. Epub 2021-02-10. PubMed