COIN Investigators & Staff
COIN Affiliate Investigator
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Comilla Sasson, MD, MHS
- Title: Associate Clinical Professor, Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado
- Contact: Comilla.Sasson@va.gov
- Location: Denver
- University of Colorado webpage
- See Dr. Sasson's Dimensions profile that includes: publications, grants, datasets, patents and clinical trials
- Dr. Sasson received her M.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Medicine and completed her Emergency Medicine Residency at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. She received a Master of Science in Health and Health Systems Research from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and a PhD in Health Systems Research in 2014 from the Colorado School of Public Health.
- She continues to work clinically in the Emergency Department and serves as a Denver/Seattle COIN Investigator at the Veterans Affair Hospital in Aurora, CO researching, developing and implementing ED-based quality improvement programs for safer opioid prescribing and treatment of opioid use disorder. She also serves as the Special Advisor to the VHA Medical Advisory Panel in Pharmacy Benefits Management. Dr. Sasson also serves the Vice President for Science Innovation for Emergency Cardiovascular Care at the American Heart Association. She maintains appointments in the Colorado School of Public Health and University of Colorado School of Medicine.
- She has authored 90 publications in peer-reviewed journals, including original work on geographic, racial/ethic and socioeconomic disparities in bystander CPR and survival from cardiac arrest. Her research interests include decreasing health disparities in cardiac arrest survival, utilizing research methods to systematically improve communities, and working with partners to improve the chain of survival, as well as improving access to care for substance use disorders in the Emergency Department.
Recent Publications
2024
Krychtiuk KA, Starks MA, Al-Khalidi HR, Mark DB, Monk L, Yow E, Kaltenbach L, Jollis JG, Al-Khatib SM, Bosworth HB, Ward K, Brady S, Tyson C, Vandeventer S, Baloch K, Oakes M, Blewer AL, Lewinski AA, Hansen CM, Sharpe E, Rea TD, Nelson RD, Sasson C, McNally B, Granger CB; RACE-CARS NC Counties. RAndomized Cluster Evaluation of Cardiac ARrest Systems (RACE-CARS) trial: Study Rationale and Design. Am Heart J. 2024 Jul 29:S0002-8703(24)00179-0. doi: 10.1016/j.ahj.2024.07.013. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 39084483.
Grasner JT, Bray JE, Nolan JP, Iwami T, Ong MEH, Finn J, McNally B, Nehme Z, Sasson C, Tijssen J, Lim SL, Tjelmeland I, Wnent J, Dicker B, Nishiyama C, Doherty Z, Welsford M, Perkins GD; International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation. Cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation outcome reports: 2024 update of the Utstein Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Registry template. Resuscitation. 2024 Jul 24:110288. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2024.110288. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 39045606
Bray JE, Grasner JT, Nolan JP, Iwami T, Ong MEH, Finn J, McNally B, Nehme Z, Sasson C, Tijssen J, Lim SL, Tjelmeland I, Wnent J, Dicker B, Nishiyama C, Doherty Z, Welsford M, Perkins GD; International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation. Cardiac Arrest and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Outcome Reports: 2024 Update of the Utstein Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Registry Template. Circulation. 2024 Jul 24. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001243. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 39045706
Basrai Z, Celedon M, Dieujuste N, Himstreet J, Hoffman J, Pfaff C, Hsiao J, Malstrom R, Smith J, Radeos M, Jorgenson T, Christopher M, Sasson C. Improving Healthcare Professionals' Access to Addiction Medicine Education Through VHA Addiction Scholars Program. West J Emerg Med. 2024 Jul;25(4):465-469. doi: 10.5811/westjem.17850. PMCID: PMC11254162.
PMID: 39028231
Bray J, Dainty K, Haywood K, Morrison LJ, Castren M, Sasson C. WISER: A Women's international group to Inspire, Support and Empower women in Resuscitation. Resusc Plus. 2024 Jun 26;19:100693. doi: 10.1016/j.resplu.2024.100693. PMCID: PMC11259956.
PMID: 39035407
Juul Grabmayr A, Folke F, Samsoee Kjoelbye J, Andelius L, Krammel M, Ettl F, Sulzgruber P, Krychtiuk KA, Sasson C, Stieglis R, van Schuppen H, Tan HL, van der Werf C, Torp-Pedersen C, Kjær Ersbøll A, Malta Hansen C. Incidence and Survival of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Public Housing Areas in 3 European Capitals. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2024 May 20:e010820. doi: 10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.123.010820. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 38766860
Blewer AL, Starks MA, Malta-Hansen C, Sasson C, Ong MEH, Al-Araji R, McNally BF, Viera AJ. Sex Differences in Receipt of Bystander Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Considering Neighborhood Racial and Ethnic Composition. J Am Heart Assoc. 2024 Feb 27:e031113. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.123.031113. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 38410966
Merchant RM, Becker LB, Brooks SC, Chan PS, Del Rios M, McBride ME, Neumar RW, Previdi JK, Uzendu A, Sasson C; American Heart Association. The American Heart Association Emergency Cardiovascular Care 2030 Impact Goals and Call to Action to Improve Cardiac Arrest Outcomes: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2024 Jan 22. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001196. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 38250800
2023
Nallamothu BK, Greif R, Anderson T, Atiq H, Bittencourt Couto T, Considine J, De Caen AR, Djärv T, Doll A, Douma MJ, Edelson DP, Xu F, Finn JC, Firestone G, Girotra S, Lauridsen KG, Kah-Lai Leong C, Lim SH, Morley PT, Morrison LJ, Moskowitz A, Mullasari Sankardas A, Mustafa Mohamed MT, Myburgh MC, Nadkarni VM, Neumar RW, Nolan JP, Odakha JA, Olasveengen TM, Orosz J, Perkins GD, Previdi JK, Vaillancourt C, Montgomery WH, Sasson C, Chan PS; International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation. Ten Steps Toward Improving In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Quality of Care and Outcomes. Resuscitation. 2023 Nov 10:109996. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2023.109996. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 37942937
Learn more about this publication at Dimensions
Nallamothu BK, Greif R, Anderson T, Atiq H, Couto TB, Considine J, De Caen AR, Djärv T, Doll A, Douma MJ, Edelson DP, Xu F, Finn JC, Firestone G, Girotra S, Lauridsen KG, Leong CK, Lim SH, Morley PT, Morrison LJ, Moskowitz A, Mullasari Sankardas A, Mohamed MTM, Myburgh MC, Nadkarni VM, Neumar RW, Nolan JP, Athieno Odakha J, Olasveengen TM, Orosz J, Perkins GD, Previdi JK, Vaillancourt C, Montgomery WH, Sasson C, Chan PS; International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation. Ten Steps Toward Improving In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Quality of Care and Outcomes. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2023 Nov 10:e010491. doi: 10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.123.010491. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 37947100
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Chan PS, McNally B, Al-Araji R, Kennedy K, Kennedy M, Del Rios M, Sperling J, Sasson C, Breathett K, Dukes KC, Girotra S; CARES Surveillance Group. Survey of resuscitation practices at emergency medical service agencies in the U.S. Resusc Plus. 2023 Oct 11;16:100483. doi: 10.1016/j.resplu.2023.100483. PMCID: PMC10580039.
PMID: 37854286
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Uzendu AI, Spertus JA, Nallamothu BK, Girotra S, Jones PG, McNally BF, Del Rios M, Sasson C, Breathett K, Sperling J, Dukes KC, Chan PS. Cardiac Arrest Survival at Emergency Medical Service Agencies in Catchment Areas With Primarily Black and Hispanic Populations. JAMA Intern Med. 2023 Sep 5:e234303. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2023.4303. Epub ahead of print. PMCID: PMC10481323.
PMID: 37669067
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Marijon E, Narayanan K, Smith K, Barra S, Basso C, Blom MT, Crotti L, D'Avila A, Deo R, Dumas F, Dzudie A, Farrugia A, Greeley K, Hindricks G, Hua W, Ingles J, Iwami T, Junttila J, Koster RW, Le Polain De Waroux JB, Olasveengen TM, Ong MEH, Papadakis M, Sasson C, Shin SD, Tse HF, Tseng Z, Van Der Werf C, Folke F, Albert CM, Winkel BG. The Lancet Commission to reduce the global burden of sudden cardiac death: a call for multidisciplinary action. Lancet. 2023 Aug 24:S0140-6736(23)00875-9. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(23)00875-9. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 37647926
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Schroeder DC, Semeraro F, Greif R, Bray J, Morley P, Parr M, Kondo Nakagawa N, Iwami T, Finke SR, Malta Hansen C, Lockey A, Del Rios M, Bhanji F, Sasson C, Schexnayder SM, Scquizzato T, Wetsch WA, Böttiger BW; International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation. KIDS SAVE LIVES: Basic Life Support Education for Schoolchildren: A Narrative Review and Scientific Statement From the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation. Circulation. 2023 May 17. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001128. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 37194575
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Schroeder DC, Semeraro F, Greif R, Bray J, Morley P, Parr M, Kondo Nakagawa N, Iwami T, Finke SR, Malta Hansen C, Lockey A, Del Rios M, Bhanji F, Sasson C, Schexnayder SM, Scquizzato T, Wetsch WA, Böttiger BW; International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation. KIDS SAVE LIVES: Basic Life Support Education for Schoolchildren: A Narrative Review and Scientific Statement From the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation. Resuscitation. 2023 May 15:109772. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2023.109772. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 37190748
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Sasson C, Dieujuste N, Klocko R, Basrai Z, Celedon M, Hsiao J, Himstreet J, Hoffman J, Pfaff C, Malmstrom R, Smith J, Holstein A, Johnson-Koenke R. Barriers and facilitators to implementing Medication for Opioid Use Disorder and naloxone distribution in VA emergency departments. Acad Emerg Med. 2023 Feb 9. doi: 10.1111/acem.14683. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 36757683
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2022
Zanwar PP, Sasson C, Heyn PC, Pinto SM, Magasi S, Hirsch MA, Negm A. The COVID-19 Vaccine: Why should I get the Vaccines and the Boosters? Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2022 Dec 10:S0003-9993(22)01759-2. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2022.10.016. Epub ahead of print. PMCID: PMC9734065.
PMID: 36513123.
Sasson C, Haukoos J. Defibrillation after Cardiac Arrest - Is It Time to Change Practice? N Engl J Med. 2022 Nov 6. doi: 10.1056/NEJMe2213562. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 36342174.
Garcia RA, Spertus JA, Girotra S, Nallamothu BK, Kennedy KF, McNally BF, Breathett K, Del Rios M, Sasson C, Chan PS. Racial and Ethnic Differences in Bystander CPR for Witnessed Cardiac Arrest. N Engl J Med. 2022 Oct 27;387(17):1569-1578. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2200798.
PMID: 36300973.
Morgan RW, Atkins DL, Hsu A, Kamath-Rayne BD, Aziz K, Berg RA, Bhanji F, Chan M, Cheng A, Chiotos K, de Caen A, Duff JP, Fuchs S, Joyner BL Jr, Kleinman M, Lasa JJ, Lee HC, Lehotzky RE, Levy A, McBride ME, Meckler G, Nadkarni V, Raymond T, Roberts K, Schexnayder SM, Sutton RM, Terry M, Walsh B, Zelop CM, Sasson C, Topjian A. Guidance for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation of Children With Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19. Pediatrics. 2022 Jul 12. doi: 10.1542/peds.2021-056043. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 35818123.
Perry C, Liberto J, Milliken C, Burden J, Hagedorn H, Atkinson T, McKay JR, Mooney L, Sall J, Sasson C, Saxon A, Spevak C, Gordon AJ; VA/DoD Guideline Development Group*. The Management of Substance Use Disorders: Synopsis of the 2021 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guideline. Ann Intern Med. 2022 Mar 22. doi: 10.7326/M21-4011. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 35313113.
Atkins DL, Sasson C, Hsu A, Aziz K, Becker LB, Berg RA, Bhanji F, Bradley SM, Brooks SC, Chan M, Chan PS, Cheng A, Clemency B, de Caen A, Duff JP, Edelson DP, Flores GE, Fuchs S, Girotra S, Hinkson C, Joyner BL, Kamath-Rayne BD, Kleinman M, Kudenchuk PJ, Lasa JJ, Lavonas EJ, Lee HC, Lehotzky RE, Levy A, McBride ME, Meckler G, Merchant RM, Moitra V, Nadkarni V, Panchal AR, Peberdy MA, Raymond T, Roberts K, Sayre MR, Schexnayder SM, Sutton RM, Terry M, Topjian A, Walsh B, Wang DS, Zelop CM, Morgan RW; Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee and Get With the Guidelines-Resuscitation, Adult and Pediatric Task Forces of the American Heart Association in Collaboration With the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association for Respiratory Care, American Society of Anesthesiologists, and the Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists. 2022 Interim Guidance to Healthcare Providers for Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support in Adults, Children, and Neonates with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19: From the Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee and Get With the Guidelines®-Resuscitation Adult and Pediatric Task Forces of the American Heart Association in Collaboration with the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association for Respiratory Care, The Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists, and American Society of Anesthesiologists. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2022 Jan 24. doi: 10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.122.008900. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 35072519.
2021
Moskovitz JB, Khambhati K, Sasson C, D'Amore J, Jones MP, Sperling J. Impact of a Novel Emergency Department Forward Treatment Area During the New York City COVID-19 Surge. West J Emerg Med. 2021 Jul 14;22(4):871-877. doi: 10.5811/westjem.2021.3.50653. PMCID: PMC8328161.
PMID: 35354000.
Haukoos J, Douglas IS, Sasson C. Vasopressin and Steroids as Adjunctive Treatment for In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest. JAMA. 2021 Sep 29. doi: 10.1001/jama.2021.15460. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 34587235.
Dieujuste N, Johnson-Koenke R, Celedon M, Basrai Z, Christopher M, Smith J, Sasson C. (2021). Provider Perceptions of Opioid Safety Measures in VHA Emergency Departments and Urgent Care Centers. Fed Pract. 2021 September;38(9):412-419. DOI:10.12788/fp.0179.
Moeller S, Hansen CM, Kragholm K, Dupre ME, Sasson C, Pearson DA, Tyson C, Jollis JG, Monk L, Starks MA, McNally B, Thomas KL, Becker L, Torp-Pedersen C, Granger CB. Race Differences in Interventions and Survival After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in North Carolina, 2010 to 2014. J Am Heart Assoc. 2021 Aug 25:e019082. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.120.019082. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 34431375.
Vogel JA, Burnham RI, McVaney K, Havranek EP, Edwards D, Hulac S, Sasson C. The importance of neighborhood in 9-1-1 ambulance contacts: A geospatial analysis of medical and trauma emergencies in Denver. Prehosp Emerg Care. 2021 Jan 5:1-15. doi: 10.1080/10903127.2020.1868634. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 33400608.
2020
Jeong JM, Radeos MS, Shee B, Kindschuh M, Hernandez C, Sasson C, Braciale TJ, Freeze M, Kindschuh W. COVID-19 Seroconversion in Emergency Professionals at an Urban Academic Emergency Department in New York City. Ann Emerg Med. 2020 Dec;76(6):815-816. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2020.06.038. Epub 2020 Jun 22. PMCID: PMC7306730. PMID: 33222793
