Councilor
Ariana Klein, MD
Let me begin by thanking the council for the consideration of my application and provide a brief introduction of myself. I am a proud Houstonian, a first-generation physician, and a "UT Lifer" who has had the privilege of completing all of my medical training at UTHealth. Half Costa Rican and fluent in Spanish, I bring a diverse cultural perspective to my work, along with a deep commitment to serving our community. As a mother of two young boys under the age of three, I understand the importance of balancing family, career, and advocacy, and I strive to be a role model for the next generation of healthcare professionals. Over the past 12 years at UTHealth, I have had the honor of serving in a variety of leadership roles, including chief resident, Associate Program Director, Medical Director of two of our Med-Peds Continuity Clinic sites and now Program Director. My experiences as an educator and clinician have fueled my passion for improving care for underserved populations, particularly in the realm of transitions of care for young adults with complex conditions. I am excited to continue this work and contribute to the Alliance, bringing my background in community-centered care, medical education, and quality improvement to further our shared goals.
Since joining UTHealth as faculty in 2020, I have been dedicated to advancing community-centered care and improving systems of practice, particularly for underserved
populations and complex young adults transitioning from pediatric to adult care. My clinical experiences, including telemedicine work with the underserved Hispanic population in Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic and my leadership at the Healthcare for the Homeless-Houston Reed Family Clinic, have shown me the profound impact of equitable, accessible care. This commitment to addressing healthcare disparities has shaped my clinical, scholarly, and teaching activities.
A major area of focus in my career has been improving the systems surrounding transitions of care, especially for patients with complex, lifelong conditions. As one of only two Med-Peds primary care providers at UTHealth, I manage adult patients with complex childhood diseases and syndromes that often require specialized, continuous care. This clinical responsibility has driven my vision for a more structured and supportive transition process for young adults with complex medical needs. To that end, I have partnered with specialists in adult practice across departments, including cardiology, rheumatology, endocrinology, urology, surgery, ophthalmology and more, to adopt transition processes that support these patients as they move from pediatric to adult care.
Incorporating tools from GOT Transition, we have started a university-wide educational curriculum focused on transitions of care, which includes Maintenance of Certification (MOC) credit and QI components. I have spearheaded the implementation of a Transition Readiness Questionnaire within the electronic medical record to help providers assess patients’ readiness for adult care and identify key areas to address during their visits. I am deeply invested in ensuring that this process becomes an integral part of patient care at UTHealth and beyond, ensuring that young adults are supported during these critical transitions.
I am proud of my diverse experiences in clinical, scholarly, and teaching roles, which have equipped me to represent the range of perspectives within the Alliance. As a female, Latina faculty member in a field that continues to be underrepresented by women and minorities, I understand the importance of inclusivity in medical education and patient care. I have strived to lead by example, fostering collaboration across specialties and institutions, and ensuring that our diverse patient populations are met with compassionate, high-quality care. My commitment to enhancing systems of care for underserved communities has also been shaped by my personal identity, bringing a unique perspective to the work I do in both my clinical and educational roles.
I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to the council, leveraging my background in community-focused Med-Peds care, resident education, and quality improvement to further the goals of the Alliance. My personal and professional experiences uniquely position me to advocate for inclusive, high-quality care that reflects the diverse needs of our communities.