Priscilla Pemu is a medical doctor who specializes in the care of adults with complex medical problems, focusing on the in-patient.

Why you should listen

Priscilla Pemu trains medical students and new medical doctors in the specialty of Internal Medicine. In her research, which is informed by her daily experiences with patient care, she investigates the best ways to improve the long-term health of her patients who live with chronic illnesses.

As part of a team at Morehouse School of Medicine, she developed a system and method for chronic illness care that empowers patients to change their health behaviors through improved knowledge, support for goal setting and accountability in sustaining behavior change. Her work brings attention to the impact of behavior on health and wellbeing among people living with chronic illnesses like diabetes and the Doctors who care for them. Her work also focuses on Culturally Congruent Coaching: a high-tech, high-touch approach to support behavior change that has produced great results among diverse patient groups.

Pemu is a professor of clinical medicine, medical director of the Clinical Research Center and vice chair for research in the Department of Medicine. Her research is funded with grants from the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association.

Pemu continues to explore and implement key patient-centered concepts that are relevant to improving health outcomes and transforming health care. She speaks to audiences ranging from managers and funders of health care to affected patient groups, health coaches and other scientists.

Priscilla Pemu’s TED talk