Elizabeth Kern, MD, MS Make an Appointment Ask a Question Refer Patient Elizabeth Kern, MD, is a nephrologist at National Jewish Health. Dr. Kern serves as Chief of the Division of Medical, Behavioral and Community Health. Chief, Division of Medical, Behavioral & Community Health Professor of Medicine Diabetes Program Kidney Disease Program Clinical Patient Registries for Quality Improvement 5280 Top Doctors 2020 (1 year) Previously a 5280 Top Doctor (1 year) America’s Top Doctors 2015 — Castle Connolly, Medical, Ltd. Recognized in America’s Top Doctors — Castle Connolly, Inc. Best Doctors in America® 2019-2020 — Best Doctors, Inc. Recognized in Best Doctors in America® — Best Doctors, Inc. America’s Top Doctors 2020 — Castle Connolly Medical, Ltd. Email Profile Print Profile Overview Contact Info & Locations Patient Ratings & Comments Programs & Services Cancer Registry Diabetes Program Lung Cancer Screening CT Program Lung Cancer Screening Registry Lung Nodule Registry Program Section of Nephrology & Diabetology Specialties & Conditions Chronic Kidney Disease, Stages I-IV Kidney-Related Electrolyte Abnormalities and Hypertension Type 2 Diabetes Research Areas Electronic patient registries for early diagnosis of lung cancer Electronic patient registries for quality improvement Special Interests Dr. Kern's clinical training and practice focus upon the treatment of patients with diabetes, especially the patient with chronic kidney disease due to diabetes. She also treats patients with a variety of chronic kidney diseases, prior to the need for dialysis. Her research focuses upon the epidemiology of treated patient populations, and in the area of quality improvement of medical care. She has designed and implemented computerized patient registries that are useful in measuring and improving the quality of health care. She is principal investigator for the creation of a computerized system to report cancer cases to the state of Colorado Department of Public Health. Research Interests Medical Informatics, Quality Improvement, Health Outcomes, Epidemiology Clinical Interests Diabetic kidney disease Education Education 2005 University of Iowa Graduate School, MS, Epidemiology 1979 University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, MD Residency 1979 - 1982 University of Texas Southwestern Affiliated Programs, Internal Medicine Fellowship 2002 - 2005 National VA Quality Scholars, 1985 - 1987 University of Pennsylvania, Nephrology 1982 - 1985 University of Pennsylvania, Post-Doctoral Research, Diabetes Awards & Recognition 2016: Co-chair, National Jewish Health Institutional Review Board 2015: Reuben Cherniack Service Award Board Certification 1990, 2014: Nephrology 1982: Internal Medicine Professional Memberships American Diabetes Association American Society of Nephrology Academy for Healthcare Improvement Publications Carr L, Zelarney P, Meadows S, Kern J, Long B, Kern E. Development of a Cancer Care Summary Through the Electronic Health Record. Journal of Oncology Practice, e-published Jan 12, 2016 Watts B, Lawrence R, Drawz P, Carter C, Shumaker AH, Kern E. Development and Implementation of Team-Based Management Tools: Filling the Gap between Patient and Population Information Systems. Population Health Management. Vol 19; Issue 4: 232-9, e-published Oct 7, 2015 Drawz PE, Miller RT, Singh S, Watts B, Kern E. Impact of a chronic kidney disease registry and provider education on guideline adherence - a cluster randomized controlled trial. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 2012 Jul 5;12(1):62. Watts S, Lawrence R, Kern E. Diabetes Nurse Case Management Training Program: Enhancing Care Consistent with the Chronic Care and the Patient-Centered Medical Home Models, Clinical Diabetes, vol. 29 (1), 25-33, January 2011. Kern E, Genuth S, Erhard P, Sun W, Weiss M. Early urinary markers of diabetic kidney disease: a nested case-control study from the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT), Am J Kidney Dis. 55: (5), 824-834, May 2010. Academic Affiliations 2015-19: University of Colorado Denver, Graduate faculty, Special, Clinical Sciences Teaching & Professional Positions Clinical Preceptor, fourth year pharmacy students, University of Colorado and Regis University Doctoral thesis committee member Ask a Question through Patient Portal Sign in to your My National Jewish Health patient portal account to communicate with your care team, manage appointments, and more. Create an Account Contact Information Office: 877.225.5654 Locations National Jewish Health Main Campus 1400 Jackson St. Denver, CO 80206 Patient Ratings The Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our independent rating system, the Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey. 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