Camilla B. Pimentel

Camilla B. Pimentel, M.P.H., Ph.D., serves as a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health at the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell. She concurrently holds a Research Health Scientist position at the Bedford VA Healthcare System with dual appointments at the HSR&D Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research and the New England Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), focusing on veteran-centered long-term care solutions.

Her academic foundation includes:

• Advanced Fellowship in Geriatrics (2017-2019), New England GRECC, Bedford, MA
• Postdoctoral Fellowship in Implementation Science (2015-2017), UMass Chan Medical School
• Ph.D. in Clinical and Population Health Research (2015), UMass Chan Medical School
• M.P.H. in Sociomedical Sciences-Aging (2008), Columbia University
• A.B. in Community Health (2006), Brown University

Dr. Pimentel's research strategically targets vulnerable elderly populations through implementation science frameworks that transform nursing home care. Her work rigorously examines medication safety, pain management, and health equity in long-term care settings, utilizing mixed-methods approaches to develop VA-specific quality improvement protocols. Current projects address critical gaps in telehealth access for rural veterans and culturally competent care for Asian American/Pacific Islander veterans.

Analysis of her publication history (2013-2022) reveals three dominant trajectories: (1) Implementation science applications using frameworks like CFIR-ERIC in VA nursing homes; (2) Telehealth innovations expanding geriatric care access; and (3) Health equity initiatives addressing medication disparities. Her later work increasingly integrates mentorship models and intersectional approaches to health disparities.

Key recognitions include:

• VA HSR&D Career Development Award (2021-2026)
• American Geriatrics Society Scientist-in-Training Award (2015)
• Alice S. Hersh Scholarship from AcademyHealth (2013)
• NIH Presidential Management Fellowship (2008-2010)

Her active research portfolio features VA-funded projects including Disaggregation of Asian American and Pacific Islander Veteran Health Data (2022) and Positive Deviance Methods for Pain Management (2021-2026), demonstrating sustained focus on data-driven quality improvement. She mentors through the VA's HSR&D and GRECC networks, emphasizing mentee-focused development.

Dr. Pimentel operates at the intersection of the HSR&D Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research and the New England GRECC, leading interdisciplinary teams that develop evidence-based protocols for veteran long-term care, with particular emphasis on frontline staff implementation strategies and telehealth integration.