About

Human Variability is about sharing and applying the fundamental proposition that all human interactions, as embodied persons, with self, others and environments – built and natural – are characterized by continuous dynamic variability.   The qualities and capabilities humans have to survive, reproduce and thrive in that context of continuous change can be understood for our purposes here with the framework of the Processual Interdependent Phenotype.  This site seeks to share and expand understanding of Human Variability and to generate pragmatic projects to improve clinical care processes and healthcare services. Please note, this site does not provide and should not be taken or used as, medical information, advice or suggestions by persons as patients.

AUTHOR

Dr. James Palmer designs, consults on, conducts applied research projects with combinations of human dynamic analytics (e.g. fractals, math entropy) to improve clinical care and outcomes.   These analytics are based in complexity & related dynamic science views of human physiology & psychology. Dr. Palmer has run Caldwell Palmer for sixteen years as his professional practice.

Projects and Consulting

Academic and Healthcare Background: Doctoral Research Degree in Complex Responsive Processes, a complexity sciences theory of human psychology as highly integrated (mind-body), radically social & interdependent. DMan, Doctor of Management, University of Hertfordshire, UK.

Project: PI on HRV dynamics (Heart Rate Variability) as remotely monitored prognostic biomarker with other COPD exacerbation markers.  Three research stages: Stage I done 2013-2014 with foundation funding as pilot human data, tech validation, phone app, tested analytics.

Other representative Project designs in academic medicine:

  • Asthma Control & Management: Co-PI. Designed Increasing narrative understanding by both primary care patient & provider of illness engagement and their interaction quality to decrease stress/anxiety and immune/inflammatory responses (PCR tested) with epigenetic implications.
  • Current Social Project: HRV & Infection/Sepsis Consortium — Design & conduct of workshop to occur in Washington DC, fall 2017 to generate regional consortium of healthcare/research units. The group will do projects using HRV as diagnostic & prognostic of infection &/or sepsis.
  • Coming Fall 2017: Launch Narrative Concordance – updated approach to better understand & improve Patient Adherence with narrative learning and emergent behaviors to help all involved.
  • Consulting: 2007-2008, Improving Canadian hospital patient safety: Taught doctors and nurses my approaches to patient – provider, care team interactions in Canadian National scope effort.
  • Applied Theory Research: Dr. Palmer has developed a new transdisciplinary human ontology — the Processual Interdependent Phenotype (PIP) — as a simplifying & unifying construct & framework for applied research projects. Introductory paper presented, 2014, at Georgetown Medical Center, 1st International Complexity and Systems in Healthcare Conference.

Academic Background and Healthcare experience

  • Four years Assistant Professor and Clinical Faculty, Univ. Colo. School of Medicine.
  • Sixteen years of experience in healthcare improvement and clinical care research.
  • MA, Economics (& added Finance, School of Business), Univ. of Chicago, and BA Economics, with top of class Honors, TCU.