July 2015, Division of BMT

As the Manager of Clinical Data for the Adult Blood Marrow and Transplantation (BMT) program, Linda Elder oversees the program’s data collection, and manages a team of four staff members who work to ensure that all patient data is adequately reported to a federal registry. “The clinical data Linda collects directly impacts patient care,” explained Kelly Smith, assistant manager of BMT. “Her excellence makes life easier for doctors to find the patient data they need to improve their treatment of patients. Due to her diligence and hard work, Stanford BMT is considered a national model in terms of data integrity.”

Elder joined the BMT Division 10 years ago, after managing data for Incyte, a genomic database company. She enjoys the autonomy of her position as well as the collaborative nature of BMT. “I get to work with a great team to design systems to deliver accurate and complete clinical data,” she said. “That’s my thing.”

Elder’s colleagues admire her strong work ethic, attention to detail, and her enthusiasm. “I am always impressed by how she encourages her staff to think critically and forge fearlessly for answers to unanswered queries,” wrote Laura Johnston, associate professor of medicine (BMT), in a letter nominating Elder for the award. “Linda leads by example with a strong work ethic and attention to detail, and is always there to assist staff with data queries.”

Ami Bhatt, assistant professor of medicine (hematology), agreed, adding: “Linda is a true delight to work with. She is meticulous and thorough, which ensures that the information that we collect about how our patients respond to many experimental therapies is correct. I am very new to Stanford, and Linda kindly and generously spent her free time helping me learn how to use the BMT data management system. She was patient and accommodating.”

Elder’s colleagues also rely on her expertise and guidance. “Faculty come to Linda when they are thinking about starting a new clinical trial, and they rely on her expertise to guide their data requirements and, at times, their clinical decision making” said Kelly Smith. “When Linda leads a meeting, it is the rare time when ALL faculty stop and listen.”