Susan Lee, MD

Dr. Susan M.Lee recently completed a trial investigating a smoking cessation program implemented preoperatively, through which she gained an understanding of the challenges of implementing a multidisciplinary program and techniques to overcome these challenges.  She has since successfully established strong ties with community agencies, such as the Smokers' Helpline, and collaborated with other researchers, culminating in a peer-reviewed publication and implementation of the program clinically.
Her pilot work at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center has investigated the feasibility and acceptability of e-cigarettes versus nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation in the perioperative period (The END Perioperative Smoking Pilot Study).  A qualitative component of the study explored attitudes and behaviors surrounding e-cigarettes for smoking cessation and the perioperative period as a motivation for smoking cessation.
Dr. Lee has also had experience studying surgical populations on an epidemiologic level, specifically the patterns and mortality rates associated with medication management in the perioperative period.