In May, healthcare professionals, educators, learners, researchers, and community partners from across Arizona and the Southwest gathered in Tucson for the 2026 Southwestern Primary Care Research & Innovation Summit and 10th Annual El Rio Health Poster Fair.
Over two days, participants explored new ideas, shared practical solutions, and reflected on the challenges and opportunities facing primary care and community health. From quality improvement initiatives and community-engaged research to innovative models of care and workforce development efforts, the Summit highlighted the remarkable work taking place across our region.
This year’s educational program focused on restoring purpose and meaning in healthcare, examining the causes and consequences of workforce distress while exploring practical strategies to support individuals, teams, and organizations. Attendees consistently cited the quality of the speakers, meaningful opportunities for discussion and networking, and the program’s ability to reconnect participants with the values and purpose that brought them to this work.
Celebrating Excellence
2026 El Rio Health Poster Fair Award Winners
Award-winning projects reflected the breadth of innovation, research, and community partnership showcased throughout the Poster Fair.
The Poster Fair, now in its tenth year, featured nearly 50 research, quality improvement, and innovation projects presented by students, residents, faculty, clinicians, and community partners. The projects addressed a wide range of topics including behavioral health, chronic disease management, workforce development, health equity, community engagement, and healthcare transformation.
Explore all posters in the 2026 Digital Poster Hall
Visit the 2026 Poster Fair Photo Gallery
The four projects below were recognized for their outstanding contributions and impact.
Best Overall Carlos M. Flores, MD
Create Tomorrow Award
Presented to Clinical Partnership for Implementing Blood-Based Biomarkers to Improve Early Diagnosis and Access to Disease-Modifying Treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease, a quality improvement initiative that integrated blood-based biomarker testing into primary care and established an expedited referral pathway for patients with suspected Alzheimer’s disease. By translating an emerging diagnostic innovation into routine clinical practice and improving access to specialty evaluation and treatment, the project demonstrated a promising model for the future of Alzheimer’s care.
Lead Author: Jennifer Traslavina Jimenez, BS
Institutions: El Rio Health and Banner Alzheimer’s Institute
Community Impact Award
Presented to Improving Liver Disease Screening and Awareness Through a Multi-Channel Education Campaign in Southern Arizona, a community-focused research initiative that combined bilingual public education, media outreach, and free liver disease screening to increase awareness of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) across Southern Arizona. Reaching millions of individuals through culturally and linguistically tailored messaging and connecting community members to preventive care, the project demonstrated the power of community-engaged outreach to improve access, early detection, and health equity.
Lead Author: Edgar A. Villavicencio, MPH
Institutions: University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and El Rio Health
Innovation Award
Presented to Hypertension Control Efforts in Uninsured Patients Treated by a Mobile Health Clinic in Southern Arizona, a research study evaluating the effectiveness of a mobile healthcare model in delivering longitudinal primary care to uninsured patients. The findings demonstrated how bringing healthcare directly into communities can help overcome traditional barriers to care while achieving outcomes comparable to national standards, offering a promising model for reaching underserved populations.
Lead Author: Sabrina Ferrari, MS3
Institution: University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson
Relevance Award
Presented to Piloting Pediatric Enrollment in the All of Us Research Program, a research study exploring how children and families can be effectively engaged in large-scale biomedical research. By addressing barriers to pediatric participation and sharing lessons learned from a national pilot effort, the project contributes important knowledge to the future of precision medicine and the development of more inclusive research practices.
Lead Author: Linda Salgin, PhD, MPH
Institution: San Ysidro Health
Thank You!
The success of the Summit and Poster Fair reflects the generosity, curiosity, and commitment of everyone who contributed their time, expertise, and ideas. Thank you to our presenters, judges, speakers, planning committee members, volunteers, and attendees for helping create a meaningful opportunity to learn from one another and celebrate the work being done to improve the health of our communities.
We look forward to continuing the conversation and building on this momentum in the years ahead.
