Professional Bio
Sunil Kripalani, MD, MSc, MHM, SFHM, FACP, is Professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Public Health, Section of Hospital Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He graduated from Rice University, received his MD from Baylor College of Medicine, and trained in internal medicine at Emory University, where he also completed a Hospital Medicine Fellowship and a Master of Science in Clinical Research.
Dr. Kripalani’s research focuses on improving transitions of care for hospital patients, with attention to health communication and medication safety. He has led large cohort studies to identify social and behavioral risk factors for poor post-discharge outcomes (R01HL109388, R21HL096581), clinical trials to test communication and care coordination interventions for reducing hospital readmission (R01HL089755, 1C1CMS330979-01), and has helped lead multi-center effectiveness-implementation trials to translate evidence into practice (R18HS019598, R18HS023757, 1C1CMS331006-01, R01HL157596).
Dr. Kripalani is principal investigator of the Vanderbilt Scholars in T4 Translational Research (V-STTaR) K12 career development program (K12HL137943) and serves as Implementation Science lead mentor for two other training programs (K12HS026395, T32HS026122). He is active in multi-center research collaboratives including the PCORI-funded STAR Clinical Research Network and as a co-founder of the Hospital Medicine ReEngineering Network (HOMERuN).
Dr. Kripalani previously founded and served as chief of the Section of Hospital Medicine at VUMC. He is a senior fellow in hospital medicine and serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Hospital Medicine. Dr. Kripalani directs the Center for Health Services Research and Center for Clinical Quality and Implementation Research, which support a broad portfolio of research and training programs that seek to improve health care delivery and health outcomes by optimizing quality, value, equity, and patient-centered care. In recognition of his leadership and innovation in the field of hospital medicine, Dr. Kripalani was elected a Master of Hospital Medicine by the Society of Hospital Medicine in 2025.
Relevant Links
Publications
Education
MD - Baylor University, 1997
Residency - Internal Medicine - Emory University, 2000
MS - Clinical Research - Emory University, 2001
Fellowship - Hospital Medicine - Emory University, 2001
Contact
Email
Kimryn.Rathmell@Vumc.Org
Address
777 Preston Research Building
2220 Pierce Ave
Nashville, TN 37232-6307