SUMMARY
Sarayna S. McGuire, M.D., M.S., is an emergency and emergency medical services physician-scientist focused on healthcare safety, violence prevention and longitudinal systems of care from the prehospital setting (emergency medical services) to the hospital setting. Through her research, Dr. McGuire integrates clinical medicine, operational design and data science to improve outcomes for both patients and healthcare staff across the continuum of emergency care.
Dr. McGuire's research centers on understanding and mitigating risk in high-acuity environments. She places particular emphasis on workplace violence, weapons in healthcare settings, and system-level communication between prehospital and hospital teams. Dr. McGuire develops and evaluates practical, scalable interventions to enhance situational awareness, reduce harm and support frontline clinicians. These interventions include real-time alerts, reporting systems and artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled tools.
Dr. McGuire also examines how prehospital care decisions and system processes influence downstream patient outcomes. Through collaborations with multidisciplinary teams and national organizations, she aims to translate research findings into operational improvements that strengthen healthcare systems and workforce resilience.
Focus areas
- Healthcare violence, safety and weapons mitigation. Dr. McGuire studies the epidemiology and longitudinal impact of violence across the healthcare continuum, from prehospital settings through emergency departments and inpatient care. Her work includes:
- Identification of risk factors and health drivers in healthcare violence.
- Evaluation of weapons detection and deterrence systems in clinical environments.
- Development of proactive strategies and interventions to improve staff safety and organizational response.
- Prehospital medicine (emergency medical services) and systems of care. Dr. McGuire focuses on improving integration between emergency medical services and hospital systems to enhance patient outcomes. Her work includes:
- Development of feedback and outcome follow-up systems for emergency medical services clinicians.
- Evaluation of how prehospital interventions influence downstream care.
- Implementation of system-level strategies that enhance communication, continuity and quality.
- Data science, automation and predictive safety systems. Dr. McGuire leverages advanced analytics, automation and AI to improve healthcare operations and safety. Her work includes:
- The use of large datasets and machine learning to identify patterns and predict risk.
- Development of scalable automation technology to reduce administrative burden.
- Translation of data into actionable insights for prevention and system redesign.
Significance to patient care
Dr. McGuire's research focuses on how to care for people before they get to the hospital. She helps emergency response teams and hospital staff share information clearly and work well together. She also looks at what makes people upset during emergency care, aiming to stop violent behavior and keep patients and healthcare workers safe.
Professional highlights
- Associate medical director of quality and research, Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service, 2024-present.
- Kern Health Care Delivery Scholar, Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, Mayo Clinic, 2024-2027.
- Mayo Clinic Scholar, Department of Emergency Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 2022-2023.