Skip Navigation

Research Faculty
Department of Family Medicine

 

 

 

Prior Positions and Experience

2001 - 2005
Scientist, Department of Medicine, University of Florida (Gainesville, FL)

1995 - 1999
Scientist, Shriners Hospital for Children (Tampa, FL)

1991 - 1995
Postdoctoral Fellow, New York University (New York, NY)

Education

PhD: 1991, University of Birmingham (Birmingham, United Kingdom)
BSc: 1985, University of Birmingham (Birmingham, United Kingdom)

Research Interest: Primary Care Research

Dr. Tapp's main research interest is to study healthcare delivery to underserved populations in Charlotte, NC. As one of the research team members of MAPPR, The Mecklenburg Area Partnership for Primary Care Research, she develop research projects with a group of primary care practices devoted principally to the primary care of patients, but also with a mission to investigate questions related to community-based practice and how to improve the quality of primary care by enhancing the translation of research findings back into practice. The primary goal of this network is to address disparities in healthcare access by developing and implementing interventions that increase the efficacy of healthcare delivery for underserved populations. The methods we use involve an emerging model of research is known as Community based participatory research (CBPR), and involves using key stake holders, including medical professionals, community members and patients as research partners. In one study, we compared the effectiveness of five different systems that provide primary care services for the uninsured Hispanic population in Charlotte. All service providers are members of MAPPR, and include hospital-based clinics, free clinics, low-overhead clinics, and the emergency department. We determined the effectiveness of each system based on travel distance, costs, and patient satisfaction. Travel distance was measured using geospatial modeling. The cost of services at each location was determined using direct cost and patient charge data. Patient satisfaction was measured using a standardized, validated patient survey. Participatory techniques allowed providers from each system to provide input about the research process. Focus groups with the providers were used to gather information about their experiences providing care for uninsured Hispanic patients and also to involve the clinic representatives as research partners and use their expertise to ensure that recommendations that flow from the study were relevant, applicable and feasible for the clinics/centers. These focus groups provided an opportunity to share the results obtained and to work with the participating clinics to determine how those results can best be organized, disseminated and applied, ensuring that the research undertaken is directly applicable and informed by all stakeholders.

Recent Publications

Dulin MF, Ludden TM, Tapp H, Smith HA, de Hernandez BU, Blackwell J, Furuseth OJ. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) demonstrating primary care needs for a transitioning hispanic community. J Am Board Fam Med. 2010 Jan-Feb;23(1):109-20. [PMID: 20051550]

Dulin MF, Ludden TM, Tapp H, Blackwell J, de Hernandez BU, Smith HA, Furuseth OJ. Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to understand a community's primary care needs. J Am Board Fam Med. 2010 Jan-Feb;23(1):13-21. [PMID: 20051538]

Tapp H, Deepe R, Ingram JA, Kuremsky M, Hanley EN Jr., Gruber HE. Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells from the sand rat:  transforming growth factor beta and 3D co-culture with human disc cells stimulate proteoglycan and collagen type I rich extracellular matrix. Arthritis Res Ther. 2008; 10(4):R89. [PMID: 2575603]

Tapp H, Hanley EN Jr, Patt JC, Gruber HE. Adipose-derived stem cells: characterization and current application in orthopedic tissue repair. Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2009 Jan;234(1):1-9. [PMID: 19109553]

Tapp H, Deepe R, Ingram J, Yarmola E, Hanley E Jr, Gruber H. Exogenous thymosin beta(4) prevents apoptosis in human intervertebral annulus cells in vitro. Biotech Histochem. 2009 Jul; 25:1-8. [PMID: 20055734]

Tapp H, Al-Naggar IM, Yarmola EG, Harrison A, Shaw G, Edison AS, Bubb MR.  MARCKS is a natively unfolded protein with an inaccessible actin-binding site: Evidence for long-range intramolecular interactions. J Biol Chem. 2005; 280 9946-56. [PMID: 15640140]

Close