Introduction - Faculty

Introduction - Faculty

by Rika Gotico -
Number of replies: 2

Hello everyone,

I am thrilled to serve as the faculty for the Clinical Documentation Improvement course. My goal is to help you navigate the vital intersection of clinical accuracy, data integrity, and patient care. I am excited to share my knowledge and expertise while learning from the diverse perspectives you all bring to this cohort.

I currently serve as the Associate Director of Applications at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where I oversee the Inpatient and Emergency Department EHR applications. I graduated from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, and later earned my Master of Science in Health Informatics from the University of Illinois at Chicago. I am also a board certified nursing informatics nurse. My professional background is in nursing, having served as an outpatient nurse in primary health and academic settings with experience in both adult and pediatric populations.

I transitioned into the clinical informatics and IT space in 2014, and since then, I have developed extensive experience supporting health organizations spanning from inpatient and perioperative services to outpatient areas. Having been at the bedside and now behind the systems that power it, I am passionate about how clinical documentation serves as the backbone of healthcare data.

Outside of my professional life, I stay busy with a few personal passions. I am currently training for the 2027 NYC marathon—it is a long road ahead, but I am enjoying the process of preparing for it. I am also an avid fan of video games and enjoy keeping up with my favorite TV shows. Most importantly, I love spending quality time with my husband and my son. I look forward to a productive and insightful term with all of you.

 Welcome to the course!

In reply to Rika Gotico

Re: Introduction - Faculty

by Olumide Adeniyi -
Hello Rika Gotico,
i am equally thrilled to connect and learn from you. Looking forward eagerly to the days ahead.
In reply to Rika Gotico

Re: Introduction - Faculty

by Nzenwa Magnus Nnaemeka -
Welcome Rika.

Thank you for sharing your journey from bedside nurse to leading EHR applications at MSKCC. That is not a small shift, and it shows how deeply you understand both the pain of bad documentation and the power of good design.

From my experience as an oncology social worker, I see every day what happens when clinical documentation is incomplete – delayed care (even in MDT discussions), duplicated tests, and frustrated teams. You called documentation the backbone of healthcare data, and you are right. When the backbone is weak, everything suffers.

I am looking forward to learning how to think more like an informatics clinician and researcher and less like someone who just fills in the gaps after the fact. Also, good luck with the marathon training. That and informatics both require patience and endurance.

Thank you.