Founder

Dr. Garbutt’s medical training began at Bristol University in England where she completed Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees from Bristol University in Bristol, England. Her training continued in Toronto, Canada, where she completed a family residence program at Wellesley Hospital as well as a residency in Community Medicine at the University of Toronto. Dr. Garbutt completed a General Medical Sciences Fellowship at Washington University in 1998.

Dr. Garbutt’s interests in research to improve the quality of care in the ambulatory setting led her to create WU PAARC in 2002. Under her leadership, through research, QI, and advocacy, WU PAARC’s partnership with primary care providers informed how best to address problems commonly facing primary care pediatricians. The list of research topics is long and includes asthma, obesity, MRSA, croup, firearm safety, judicious use of antibiotics, e-cigarettes, retail clinic use, sugar-sweetened beverages, and HPV vaccine use.

QI projects targeting underuse of HPV vaccine and follow-up care for adolescents with depression made a difference. HPV vaccination by age 13 increased past 80%. Follow-up depression care increased dramatically, patient outcomes improved, and providers reported increased confidence to diagnose and manage depression. Early in the pandemic, WU PAARC led a project to quickly gather and share local data about children with COVID-19-like symptoms to inform decision-making about care and testing for SARS-CoV-2. This work drove local advocacy efforts by the Collaborative and resulted in sustained in-person school for some districts and aided in future in-person openings for other school districts.

Dr. Garbutt retired from Washington University in St. Louis in June, 2022. WU PAARC is forever grateful for her twenty-plus years of vision, leadership, and service. Thank you Jane!