Rapid Response Symposium
We’ll see you in 2025!
Dedicated to sharing, educating, networking, and advancing rapid response systems and teams in the UPMC Health System.
Questions? Email wiserhelp@upmc.edu!
About the Symposium
Created in collaboration between WISER and UPMC, this internal event helps promote best practices to support rapid response teams across the entire health system. Open only to UPMC employees, this event is a great opportunity to network, brainstorm, and learn how other facilities manage acute events.
Clinical, administrative, and professional leaders in the field will host engaging discussions and interactive presentations exploring hot topics within the sphere of rapid response. These topics will include constructing code teams, managing families during codes, stroke identification, and much more!
“I think one of the best parts of this event is the ability to meet other people that are doing similiar things to you but potentially in a different way… [The Rapid Response Symposium] allows you to brainstorm new ways that you can be doing the things that you’re in charge of or participating in differently in ways you’ve never thought of.” – Christina Thorngren, MD
“If there is even an inkling of Rapid Response in your job title, you should definitely consider [the Rapid Response Symposium]. If there is even the slightest thing you can get an idea from, develop a process, or just to share ideas and look at best practices across UPMC, there is no better option to do it.” – Katie Beam
2023 Gallery
Planning Committee
SYMPOSIUM CHAIR
Tom Dongilli
AT, CHSOS-A, FSSH Director of In-patient Crisis Response System Evaluation UPMC
Thomas Dongilli AT, CHSOS-A, FSSH has worked in the healthcare education industry for over 30 years. Tom is the Director of Operations at the Peter M. Winter Institute for Simulation, Education and Research (WISER). In addition, Tom is the Director of the In-patient Crisis Response System Evaluation Program for UPMC. Prior to this role, Tom was the Chief Anesthesia Technologist for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC).
Tom’s area of clinical interest is in the field on patient safety and identifying latent threats to hospitals and health systems. This work has led to the creation of the In-patient Crisis Response System Evaluation Program and the First 5 Minutes – What to do Until the Code Team Arrives training programs. Both programs focus on the assessment of medical emergencies and how to improve there outcomes. He also contributes expert knowledge and experience in the practical design, implementation, operation and monitoring of simulation-based programs in complex healthcare systems.
SYMPOSIUM CHAIR
Kristen Killian
DNP, BS, RN, ENLS
Advanced Clinical Education Specialist
Kristen Killian is an advanced clinical education specialist at UPMC St. Margaret and is the co-director of the on-site WISER satellite simulation center. She specializes in developing simulation-based learning for professional staff development including creating new course content and flipping didactic learning to simulation-based learning. Kristen has been with UPMC since 2012 and has been with St. Margaret since September 2019.
SYMPOSIUM CHAIR
Carol Scholle
MSN, RN, NEA-BC
Clinical Director of Transplant, Inpatient Surgery and Respiratory Care
Carol Curio Scholle, MSN, RN, NEA-BC is currently the Clinical Director of Transplant, Inpatient Surgery and Respiratory Care Departments at UPMC Presbyterian. Carol, a registered Nurse for 31 years and a Critical Care Nurse by background, has had a passion for in-hospital emergency response since serving as a code responder for many years early in her career. Carol has been a member of the UPMC Presbyterian Medical Emergency Response Improvement Team (MERIT) since its inception and has been co-chair of the committee for more than a decade. She has been instrumental in developing the framework for the “First 5 Minutes” program, which prepares staff for what to do while they are waiting for the Rapid Response Team to arrive, as well as the development of the dedicated Rapid Response Team Nursing Unit at UPMC Presby. Carol has spoken locally and nationally regarding the topic of Rapid Response and is a member of the International Society for Rapid Response.
SYMPOSIUM CHAIR
Dr. Bhagat Kondaveeti
MD
Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, UPMC Mercy Rapid Response Team/Resuscitation committee Co-chair, APD of Mercy IM residency program
Dr. Kondaveeti is a Clinical Assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine, and an academic hospitalist at UPMC Mercy. He is the medicine lead for Patient Safety Peer Review Committee, Mass Casuality Incident /Disaster preparedness and Co-chair of the Rapid Response Team/Resuscitation committee.
He is also the physician lead for UPMC Mercy-WISER satellite center and oversees mock codes, debriefing post condition and crisis team training.
This symposium is for internal UPMC only.
Accreditation and Credit Designation Statement:
In support of improving patient care, the University of Pittsburgh is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
We would like to extend our gratitude to the Passavant Hospital Foundation for their continued support with the WISER/UPMC Rapid Response Symposium.
Their support allows us the opportunity to host this symposium and increase quality patient care across our health system.
Thank you.