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CROSS 
Cincinnati Research in Outcomes and Safety in Surgery

CROSS is a nationally recognized research enterprise dedicated to shaping surgical practice and informing public policy through innovative health services research. Established in 2012 and directed by Dr. Robert M. Van Haren, CROSS is a self-sustaining, funded organization that serves as both a research hub and an educational platform for developing the next generation of surgeon-scientists.

Our mission is to advance surgical care through rigorous investigation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and strong faculty mentorship. We have a diverse group of investigators from multiple disciplines in surgery such as cardiothoracic, transplantation, colorectal, and surgical oncology. 

Research Areas of Focus

More recently, the work has been focused on clinical care and redesign of patient-centered care after major surgery.  Our group has developed a tele-medical home program for post-liver transplantation patients and published the first pilot program demonstrating its utility and feasibility initiating a randomized controlled trial to assess the clinical effectiveness of telehealth versus standard of care which was the first of its kind in surgery and transplantation.

CROSS brings together clinicians, data scientists, and health services researchers to study and improve the delivery of surgical care. Our work spans three interrelated domains:

Access to Care

We investigate barriers that limit timely and equitable access to surgical services, including geographic, socioeconomic, and systemic factors. Our studies aim to inform strategies that expand access for underserved populations and reduce delays in surgical treatment.

Surgical Outcomes

By analyzing real-world clinical data, we evaluate variations in surgical outcomes across institutions, populations, and care models. Our goal is to identify modifiable factors that can improve recovery, reduce complications, and enhance the quality of surgical care nationwide.

Organ Allocation and Preservation

We study how allocation policies, logistics, and advanced preservation influence organ availability, transplant efficiency and outcomes. Our aim is to expand access while maintaining patient safety and improving cost-effectiveness.

The CROSS group has published over 100 manuscripts and presented at numerous national and international meetings since it was created: https://linktr.ee/CROSS_UC.

Contact Us

If you are interested in joining our team, please email your CV to vanharrm@ucmail.uc.edu to schedule a meeting. 

Current Faculty

  • Robert Van Haren, MD, MsPH -- Director
    Thoracic Surgery
  • Christine Haugen, MD, PhD
    Solid Organ Transplantation
  • Carla Justiniano, MD
    Colorectal Surgery
  • R. Cutler Quillin, MD
    Solid Organ Transplantation
  • Ian Paquette, MD
    Colorectal Surgery
  • Gregory Wilson, MD
    Surgical Oncology
  • Alicia Heelan, MD
    Surgical Oncology
  • Sameer Patel, MD
    Surgical Oncology
  • Cristiano Spaddacio, MD, PhD
    Cardiac Surgery

Current Research Fellows

  • Sofia W. Viana, MD
  • Muhammad Umar Nasir, MD
  • Muhammad Bilal Moeen-Ud-Din, MD

Research Scientist

  • Catherine E. Kelty, PhD, MS

Trainees and Current Position

  • 2012-2014 | R. Cutler Quillin, MD,
    Associate Professor of Surgery, University of Cincinnati
  • 2013-2015 | Jeffrey Sutton, MD,
    Assistant Professor of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina
  • 2013-2015 | Gregory Wilson, MD,
    Associate Professor of Surgery, University of Cincinnati
  • 2014-2016 | Audrey Ertel, MD, MS,
    Staff Surgeon, St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center
  • 2015-2017 | Richard S. Hoehn, MD,
    Assistant Professor of Surgery, Case Western Reserve University
  • 2016-2018 | Vikrom K. Dhar, MD, MS,
    Assistant Professor of Surgery, Lenox Hill Hospital
  • 2018-2020 | Tiffany E. Lee, MD, MS,
    MIS Bariatric Surgery, Private Practice
  • 2018-2022 | Mackenzie Morris, MD,
    Assistant Professor of Surgery, Emory Health Sciences
  • 2018-2022 | Al-Faraaz Kassam, MD,
    Assistant Professor of Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital
  • 2020-2022 | Aaron Delman, MD, MS,
    Transplant Fellow, Washington University, St. Louis
  • 2020-2022 | Kevin Turner, MD,
    Fellow, Surgical Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center
  • 2022-2024 | Jenna Whitrock, MD, MS,
    Resident, Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati
  • 2022-2024 | Adam Price, MD,
    Resident, Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati
  • 2023-2025 | Catherine Pratt, MD,
    Resident, Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati
  • 2024-2025 | Allison Moore, MD,
    Resident, Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati
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Department of
Surgery

University of Cincinnati
College of Medicine
231 Albert Sabin Way
Cincinnati, OH 45267-0558

Mail Location: 0558
Phone: 513-558-4748