Laura Plantinga

Laura Plantinga, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine. She is an epidemiologist and health services researcher with expertise in improving quality of care for underserved patients with chronic diseases, particularly those with lupus and kidney disease.

Dr. Plantinga received her BS in Zoology from the University of Maryland, College Park (1992), ScM in Biostatistics from Johns Hopkins University (2002), and PhD in Epidemiology from Emory University (2014). Her educational background has provided a strong foundation for her research in health services and epidemiology.

Dr. Plantinga's research focuses on multidisciplinary, patient-centered approaches to improving the quality of care among underserved patients with chronic diseases. Her work examines the prevalence and correlates of functional impairment among individuals with lupus and the experiences of the dialysis workforce and their relationship with patient care. She has made significant contributions to understanding health disparities in kidney disease and transplantation, with numerous publications on racial and ethnic disparities in access to kidney transplantation. Her research program addresses critical gaps in understanding how to improve care coordination and patient outcomes for vulnerable populations.

Her recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on functional outcomes in systemic lupus erythematosus, dialysis workforce issues, and health equity in kidney care. Dr. Plantinga has published extensively on topics including cognitive function in lupus patients, patient care technician roles in dialysis, and strategies to improve access to kidney transplantation for underserved populations. Her work bridges epidemiology, clinical care, and health policy to create more equitable healthcare systems.

Dr. Plantinga has successfully secured multiple NIH and AHRQ grants as Principal Investigator, including studies on the role of patient care technicians in dialysis, functional impairment in lupus, and secure web-based platforms for hospital-dialysis communication. She has mentored trainees and peers from medicine, public health, and nursing fields, fostering the next generation of researchers in health services and epidemiology.

She serves as a Senior Board Member for BMC Nephrology and on the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Kidney Diseases, contributing to the scholarly discourse in nephrology and health services research. Her work has significant implications for clinical practice and health policy, particularly in addressing health disparities and improving care coordination for patients with complex chronic conditions.