Center for Acceleration and Implementation Science
Accelerating Change Through Strategic Implementation
The Center for Acceleration and Implementation Science (CAIS) exists to empower teams to implement, scale, and learn from innovations and evidence designed to improve health and healthcare delivery. CAIS is home to a diverse set of expertise dedicated to the activation of teams, simulation of processes and events, and adoption of evidence-based practices, digital tools, and innovations across the health system.
Organized Around Implementation
Guided by implementation science, we bring dedicated focus to ensuring innovations are effectively adopted, implemented, and scaled across the health system.
Activation and Insights
We empower clinical and operational teams to drive implementation by cultivating readiness for change. This is accomplished by through didactic training, applied learning opportunities, and wayfinding programs focused on capability building.
Simulation
The Simulation Center combines simulation methods, systems thinking, human-centered design, and innovative technology to build skills, test processes, mitigate latent safety threats, and drive innovation prior to implementation in real-world settings.
Implementation and Assessment
Rooted in scientific frameworks, our implementation team is dedicated to optimizing and measuring the adoption and sustainment of innovations. This approach quantifies how and why implementations succeed or fail in order to continuously improve adoption and implementation efforts.
Leadership Team
Heather Himelhoch, PhD, MPH
Executive Director, Implementation Strategies
Heather Himelhoch, PhD, MPH, leads the Center for Acceleration & Implementation Science (CAIS), bringing over 15 years of healthcare leadership experience and a background in health services research. She is committed to leveraging improvement and implementation sciences to drive transformative solutions to real-world challenges and is dedicated to empowering teams to lead innovation.
Neal Hluska
Simulation Innovation & Resuscitation Manager
Neal Hluska leads the Digital Innovation Lab and Innovation programming across the Simulation Center, leveraging technologies including augmented reality, 3-D printing, and AI to create immersive learning and training opportunities.
Jincy Oommen, PMP
Program Manager, Implementation Strategies
Jincy Oommen, PMP, leads the Implementation Strategies team, bringing over a decade of expertise in driving change management across clinical and non-clinical settings. She specializes in executing large-scale digital transformation initiatives that enhance both patient and provider outcomes.
Whitney Westphal, MS, MA
Program Manager, Activation & Insights
Whitney Westphal, MS, MA, leads the Activation & Insights team, leveraging over a decade of experience in business intelligence and data storytelling to strategically connect data, interventions, and solutions. She applies these skills to the design and oversight of the Acceleration Academy, governance of data wayfinding, and capability building among our clinical and operational teams.