Carmen E. Gonzalez, M.D., MSQHS, FACP, FACMQ
Department of Emergency Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine
About Dr. Gonzalez
Brief Bio- Carmen E. Gonzalez, MD
Dr. Carmen E. Gonzalez is a Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine, and Chief Patient Safety Officer at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Her main research interest is in the science of quality improvement & patient safety. Quality improvement processes and the provision of the best evidence-based patient care in a safe environment while improving patient satisfaction are Dr. Gonzalez's passions in serving the MD Anderson community. She works to foster improvements in cancer patients' care and those with oncologic emergencies in the Acute Cancer Care Center. During COVID-19, she led the COVID-19 Safety Triage Center- a system developed to monitor safety concerns reported by frontline staff and unit managers to escalate and mitigate timely matters raised. Her research work and publications have been on pneumonia in cancer patients, sepsis, healthcare handoff, and end-of-life issues in patients with cancer, among others.
Dr. Gonzalez is certified in Quality Medicine from the American College of Medical Quality since 2013. In December 2017, she obtained a Master of Science in Healthcare Quality and Safety degree at Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her capstone explored addressing end-of-life (EOL) preferences in cancer patients at a comprehensive cancer emergency department. Dr. Gonzalez currently leads the Patient Safety Quality Officer Program. She co-leads various institutional safety/quality initiatives, including High-Reliability organizing, the Tiered Readiness Briefing, the Patient Safety Officer on-call, and the Patient Safety Incident Command.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Research Interests
My research interest has been in HIV, sepsis, pneumonia. I am currently working in quality research endeavors: to improve handoff between the ED and the hospitalist; providing high value of care at the end-of life.
I participated in the Internal Review Study Section (INTEREST), NIH, reviewer. The goal of INTEREST at MD Anderson is to leverage the expertise of our experienced faculty in writing fundable research proposals. I participated in the review of extramural grant proposals -Sepsis Collaborative, to improve, critique and offer experience in the grant review process.
Clinical Interests
My clinical interest is in the care of patients with oncologic emergencies. Those emergencies include but are not limited to: neutropenic fever, pneumonia, septic shock, hypercalcemia, brain edema, seizures, bleeding, treatment toxicities, within others. My passion is also to deliver a patient and family centered-care. I have over 18 years of experience caring for critically ill patients with oncologic emergencies. I am editor of the Oncologic Emergencies, MD Anderson Cancer Care Series, and authored the chapter of infectious diseases for the this book. In 2016 and in 2017, I was honored with the MDACC President's Faculty Excellence Award, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 1986 | University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine, San Juan, PRI, MD, Medicine |
| 1982 | University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, PRI, BS, General Sciences |
Postgraduate Training
| 1992-1994 | Clinical Fellowship, Nuclear Medicine, University of Michigan Hospitals, Ann Arbor, MI |
| 1986-1989 | Clinical Residency, Internal Medicine, Damas Hospital, Ponce |
Board Certifications
| 1994 | American Board of Nuclear Medicine |
| 1989 | American Board of Internal Medicine |
| 1987 | Board of Medical Examiner, Commonwealth of Puerto |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Associate Professor, Department of General Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2008 - 2017
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Divisional Quality Officer, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2016 - 2019
Committee Chair, DoIM Quality Council The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2013 - Present
Deputy Department Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2011 - 2015
Quality Officer, Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2010 - 2018
Section Chief, Section of Emergency Care, Department of General Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2009 - 2010
Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Acute & Critical Care Subcommittee, 2015 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2016 | MDACC President's Faculty Excellence Award in Clinical Quality, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2015 | 3rd Prize, Best Poster: HIV screening at a comprehensive cancer center, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2015 | 2016 Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO Merit Award, Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO and the 2016 ASCO Quality Care Symposium Program Committee |
| 2012 | 3rd Place Poster winner: Vaccination and Tobacco Screening Rates among adult cancer patients at a comprehensive cancer center, DoIM Research Retreat |
| 2009 | Multiyear Appointment Award, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Reyes CC, Anderson KO, Gonzalez CE, Ochs HC, Wattana M, Acharya G, Todd KH. Depression and Survival Outcomes After Emergency Department Cancer Pain Visits. BMJ Support Palliat Care 9(4):e36, 2019. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30171043.
- Gonzalez CE, Brito-Dellan N, Banala SR, Rubio D, Ait Aiss M, Rice TW, Chen K, Bodurka DC, Escalante CP. Handoff Tool Enabling Standardized Transitions Between the Emergency Department and the Hospitalist Inpatient Service at a Major Cancer Center. Am J Med Qual 33(6):629-636, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29779398.
- Rice T, Brock P, Gonzalez C, Merriman K, Shelal Z, Granwehr B. Screening for Human Immunodeficiency Virus in a Comprehensive Cancer Center: Initiating Practice Change through the Emergency Department. Acute Medicine 17(2):91-95, 2018. e-Pub 2018.
- Cruz Carreras MT, Gonzalez C, Chaftari P, Guha-Thakurta N, Shamsia A. Methotrexate induced leukoencephalopthy presenting as stroke in the emergency department. Clinical Case Reports, 2017. e-Pub 2017.
- Gonzalez CE, Cruz-Carreras MT, Thakurta NG, Ninotchka B, Chaftari PS. A Rare Case of Extramedullary Plasmacytoma of the Pleura Causing Spinal Cord Compression in a Patient with Multiple Myeloma. Medical Science Case Reports 4:19-24. e-Pub 2017.
- Cruz-Carreras MT, Chaftari P, Gonzalez C, Enojo R, Viets-Upchurch J. Emergency Department Intervention Program for Enhancing Choice at the End-of-Life. Palliat Care Med 7(2), 2017. e-Pub 2017.
- Elsayem AF, Merriman KW, Gonzalez CE, Yeung SC, Chaftari PS, Reyes-Gibby C, Todd KH. Presenting Symptoms in the Emergency Department as Predictors of Intensive Care Unit Admissions and Hospital Mortality in a Comprehensive Cancer Center. J Oncol Pract 12(5):e554-63, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27072570.
- Gonzalez CE, Johnson T, Rolston K, Walters R, Evans s, Kidin L, George S, DeJesus A, Haq S. Assessing Compliance with Established Pneumonia Core Measures at a Comprehensive Cancer Center. Journal of Healthcare Quality 37(4):232-44, 2015. PMID: 24629128.
- Wu W, Liu X, Chaftari P, Cruz Carreras MT, Gonzalez C, Viets-Upchurch J, Merriman K, Tu SM, Dalal S, Yeung SC. Association of Body Composition with Outcome of Docetaxel Chemotherapy in Metastatic Prostate Cancer: A Retrospective Review. PLoS One 10(3):e0122047, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25822612.
- Shapiro B, Gonzalez E, Weissman A, McHugh T, Markel SF. Malignant paraganglioma of the prostate: case report, depiction by meta-iodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy and review of the literature. J Med 41(1):36-41, 1997. PMID: 9195851.
Manuals, Teaching Aids, Other Teaching Publications
- Gonzalez, CE. When is an emergency an emergency? A patient's guide for use of MD Anderson Emergency Center Facility. Network Summer, A publication of the Anderson Network, 2007.
Abstracts
- Johnson T, Wattari S, Gonzalez CE, Rolston K. Vaccination Rates among Adult Cancer Patients at a Comprehensive Cancer Center. Clinical Microbiology and Infection 18(Supplement 3; R2798), 2012.