About

Rana Sagha Zadeh is an Associate Professor in the Department of Human-Centered Design at the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University. She holds a Master of Architecture and a Ph.D. in Architecture, Health Systems & Design from Texas A&M University. Dr. Zadeh is also a Field Member in Systems Engineering at the School of Engineering. Her work applies human-centered design, systems approaches, and team science to facilitate research and innovation in health and healthcare. She directs the Health Design Innovations Lab (HDIL) at Cornell, which bridges the fields of business, engineering, design, human behavior, and medicine to develop user-centered solutions aimed at improving health, safety, and quality of care. Her team has pioneered the concept of 'palliative design,' a multidisciplinary approach to enhancing quality of life and managing pain for individuals with chronic and advanced illnesses, influencing U.S. national building policies and codes. Dr. Zadeh leads programs such as PRIME™ Sleep and Circadian Rhythms and HOPES, focusing on evidence-based educational, technological, and policy-related interventions for vulnerable populations. She has served as an international consultant to organizations like the World Health Organization and has received multiple awards for her high-quality research and innovation in healthcare design. Additionally, she teaches courses on healthcare research and design, workplace design, and policy integration, emphasizing team science, ethnography, and evidence-based practices.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Cognitive psychology
• Psychology
• Medicine
• Artificial Intelligence
• Gerontology
• Process management
• Human–computer interaction
• Epistemology
• Business
• Engineering
• Applied psychology

Selected publications

• Connecting generations: An integrative review of intergenerational technology programs and older adults’ technology use

  Gerontology & Geriatrics Education · 2025-08-26 · 2 citations

  reviewSenior author

  = 16) were conducted in North America and East Asia, which tend to be early adoption centers for information technology. The studies employed diverse methods and sample sizes, with 50% employing mixed-methods combining quantitative and qualitative data. Thematic analysis revealed four focus areas for technology-based IGPs: education and lifelong learning, social engagement, health technology literacy, and creative arts and crafts. IGPs that integrated face-to-face interactions with technology showed the most favorable outcomes in improving technological skills, social engagement, and confidence. The existing literature has limitations, including a near-absence of follow-up studies to evaluate the sustainability of IGP impacts after the end of a program.

  PublisherDOI

• Online Education to Improve Palliative Care Professionals’ Knowledge of Sleep Management

  Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing · 2024-12-16

  article1st author

  Inadequate sleep is a common problem among those receiving palliative care services, yet there is limited knowledge regarding nonpharmacological sleep interventions among staff. An educational online program was developed to address this deficit. This study assessed the extent of knowledge acquired following the online educational sleep program and determined the feasibility of using this intervention with palliative care professionals. Thirty-one participants (54.8% licensed nurses) completed the educational program. Most worked in either inpatient residential (38.7%) or home-based (35.5%) settings and had considerable experience working in palliative care. The total average pretest score was 67.5% (SD, 6.5%; range, 56.3%-79.2%) compared with the total average posttest score of 93.1% (SD, 6.0; range, 78.7%-100%). There was a significant mean difference in the scores as documented by a paired-sample t test ( t30 = -21.9, P < .0001). The results did not differ between the disciplines and those working in each setting or by years of experience. The study had a 51.6% recruitment rate and an 88.6% retention rate. The significant increase in the palliative care professionals' knowledge following the educational program suggests it is a useful tool for nurses, aides, social workers, and managers to improve direct care.

  PublisherDOI

• Environmental Approaches to Support Aging-Friendly Care

  2024-09-01

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• IMPROVING MEDICATION MANAGEMENT FOR HOME-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS WITH COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT: END-USER INPUT

  Innovation in Aging · 2022-11-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Abstract HOPES™ Program is a joint community-university partnership, intended to build capacity for improving medication adherence and reducing medication mistakes, misuse, and abuse for community-dwelling older adults with reduced cognitive functioning (CWCs) in New York State (NYS). The goal of this program is to contribute to the health and safety of older adults, empower them and their caregivers to reduce medication non-adherence consequences and risks, and enable older adults to continue living at home while managing their health conditions. This program applied a collective user-centered approach to connect resources, identify and address barriers, and reach the most vulnerable groups. One aspect of our user-centered approach included a medication management and safety training module video that was adapted from the Medication Use Safety Training for Seniors™ (MUST for Seniors™) and underwent alpha and beta testing. A qualitative analysis was also conducted on input from home-care providers, CWCs, and their designated caregivers about the current practices, challenges, and solutions related to medication management. Our preliminary findings demonstrated a need for research on reducing the steep estimated national costs of medication non-adherence. Thus, a sub-team has developed a methodology to build an economic perspective on the scope and magnitude of interventions to enhance medication management practices for CWCs. A NYS-specific survey was also developed in close collaboration with providers, university partners, and state-level advocacy organizations according to our preliminary findings to document the state and magnitude of medication non-adherence, discern risk factors and determinants of non-adherence, and explore solutions and barriers.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Lean Design of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Patient Room for Efficient and Safe Care Delivery

  HERD Health Environments Research & Design Journal · 2022-08-04 · 4 citations

  articleSenior author

  BACKGROUND: The pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is an environment where seriously ill children receive complex care, delivered mostly by specialty-trained nurses (registered nurses [RNs]) who must perform multiple high-level tasks. With stressors on healthcare systems at an all-time high, design that optimizes RN workflow has taken on a renewed imperative. OBJECTIVES: To employ a multimodal approach (1) to identify environmental factors in the PICU patient room that contribute to caregiver workflow inefficiencies, (2) to optimize safety by identifying high-touch surfaces that cause hospital-acquired infections, (3) to develop human-centered design recommendations. METHODS: This mixed-method case study was conducted in a 23-bed urban hospital PICU. The activities, movements, and workflows of 13 RNs were recorded using spatial movement mapping, behavioral mapping, and clinical activity mapping. Frequency of RN contact with surfaces was documented to assess relative infection transmission risk. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with RNs to elicit their views on care delivery and their physical work environment. RESULTS: Direct patient care occupied 50% of RNs' time. Of the direct patient care workflow activities recorded, 26% were to prepare for care around the bedside, while 27% were for random travel between clean and soiled areas. The surfaces most frequently touched were (1) patient bedrails, (2) intravenous pumps and poles, (3) tubing and medical equipment, and (4) vital sign monitors. CONCLUSION: Value-added tasks account for only about 20% of nurses' work. Combining technology and strategic interior design to streamline workflow and enhance infection prevention optimizes efficiency and empowers frontline providers to maximize their time at the bedside performing value-added tasks.

  PublisherDOI

• Development and palliative care staff reactions to a sleep regulation educational intervention

  BMC Palliative Care · 2022-01-21 · 7 citations

  articleOpen accessCorresponding

  BACKGROUND: In palliative care, sleep and circadian rhythm problems are common symptoms. Nonpharmacological interventions are available; however, health care providers are not aware of these or lack the knowledge to effectively implement in practice. This study reports the content and design development of the PRIME™ (Program for Improving & Managing Environments for Sleep) sleep online educational intervention as well as the evaluation of the intervention by practicing nurses with a focus on perceived acceptability and satisfaction. METHODS: Development of the education employed a multi-step process that assesses the current state of the science in this area (literature reviews), the needs of regional target recipients (hospice/palliative care staff), expert recommendations and views of a national pool of hospice/palliative workers. A cross-sectional, descriptive study with key staff informants evaluated the acceptability and usability of the modules using both scale-response items to rate the content and design of the modules and overall satisfaction and five open-response questions to suggest changes to the educational intervention. RESULTS: Among 31 palliative care professionals, most rated the content and design favorably. A total of 20 participants provided suggestions to improve the educational intervention. Their comments were categorized into six themes: Integration into Practice; Content, Exercises and Material Provided by Modules; User Interface and Design; and Adapt and Expand Modules for Public, Family and Caregivers. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that the PRIME™ educational intervention can be an effective tool to train direct-care palliative care professionals on interventions for use in their daily practice. We also demonstrated that the educational intervention is feasible to deliver online and that the online modules appealed to respondents, suggesting that future delivery of the educational intervention can use the same or similar modes of presentation.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Motivation and Healthy Aging: A Heuristic Model

  The Journals of Gerontology Series B · 2021 · 22 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding
  • Computer Science
  • Psychology
  • Artificial Intelligence

  Abstract Building on the seminal definition of “healthy aging” by the World Health Organization (WHO, 2015; 2020), we present a model of motivation and healthy aging that is aimed at identifying the central psychological constructs and processes for understanding what older persons value, and how they can attain and maintain these valued aspects of their lives. This model places goals at its center, and then proceeds from motivational processes of goal setting, pursuit, and disengagement, to contextual factors (cultural, social, technological, physical, organizational, and life-history related aspects) that provide opportunities and constraints to the healthy aging of individuals. We briefly introduce each of these constructs and processes, thereby setting the scene for the articles included in this supplement that each address one or more of the facets of the heuristic model of motivation and healthy aging.

  PublisherDOI

• Motivation and Healthy Aging at Work

  The Journals of Gerontology Series B · 2021 · 16 citations

  • Psychology
  • Cognitive psychology
  • Gerontology

  The aims of this paper were to review theoretical and empirical research on motivation and healthy aging at work and to outline directions for future research and practical applications in this area. To achieve these goals, we first consider the World Health Organization's (WHO) definition of healthy aging in the context of paid employment and life-span development in the work domain. Second, we describe contemporary theoretical models and cumulative empirical findings on age, motivation, and health and well-being at work, and we critically discuss to what extent they are consistent with the WHO's definition of healthy aging. Finally, we propose several directions for future research in the work context that are aligned with the WHO's definition of healthy aging, and we describe a number of interventions related to the design of work environments and individual strategies to promote the motivation for healthy aging at work.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Leveraging Daily Social Experiences to Motivate Healthy Aging

  The Journals of Gerontology Series B · 2021 · 16 citations

  • Computer Science
  • Psychology
  • Computer Science

  Models of healthy aging highlight the motivating influence of social connections. Social experiences constantly shape our thoughts and behaviors throughout daily life, and these daily processes slowly and consistently influence our health and well-being. In this article, we discuss research that has moved from cross-sectional laboratory designs emphasizing individual behaviors to more naturalistic within-person paradigms linking daily social experiences to emotional, cognitive, and physical well-being. We mention research gaps that need to be filled to advance our knowledge of the powerful forces of the social environment for motivating healthy aging. We also offer future directions to move this research forward. We conclude with an outlook on how to leverage these powerful forces in novel intervention approaches that are sensitive to the constantly changing nature of the person and the environment.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Environmental Approaches to Support Aging-Friendly Care

  2020-03-01 · 1 citations

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Nancy Jiang

  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center

  39 shared

• Arthur H. Owora

  Regenstrief Institute

  37 shared

• Yen K. Pham

  University of New Mexico

  36 shared

• Elizabeth Capezuti

  City University of New York

  26 shared

• Ana C. Krieger

  Weill Cornell Medicine

  9 shared

• Paul Eshelman

  Cornell University

  7 shared

• Naomi B. Bishop

  Cornell University

  6 shared

• Aleksa Basara

  Cornell University

  5 shared

Education

• Ph.D., Not specified in the provided HTML

  Not specified in the provided HTML

• Other, Not specified in the provided HTML

  Not specified in the provided HTML

Awards & honors

• Center for Health Design’s 2012-13 New Investigator Award
• 2013 Architectural Research Centers Consortium’s King Medal
• Innovation Incubator Award from the Clinical and Translation…
• Novel Technology Award from the Clinical and Translational S…