Lori Handy, MD, MSCE, is an attending physician in the Division of Infectious Diseases. She works with patients and families to identify and treat infections. She aims to minimize any complications patients may experience from medications such as antibiotics, so they can quickly recover and go back to being kids.
The most rewarding part of Dr. Handy’s job is seeing her patients get better: “My favorite thing is to say to a patient, 'It was great to meet you, but we don't need to see you again!’”
Dr. Handy enjoys caring for kids because of their resilience and ability to recover quickly with the right treatment. She sees patients with any type of infection, which can cover the spectrum of pediatric care. In the field of infectious diseases, testing for infections is becoming more precise. This allows physicians like Dr. Handy to treat patients with certainty.
Dr. Handy is the Associate Director of the Vaccine Education Center. In this position, she works on developing educational content for families and other clinicians on topics including how to reduce childhood infections, the science behind vaccines, and how to best communicate to the public and families about vaccines.
MD - University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Pediatrics - Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Pediatrics - Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Pediatric Infectious Diseases - Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Pediatric Infectious Diseases – American Board of PediatricsPediatrics – American Board of Pediatrics
MSCE in Clinical Epidemiology - University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Pharmacoepidemiology Research Trainee - Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Attending Physician
Associate Director, Vaccine Education Center
Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Kitt EM, Yoon H, Comar CE, Smith KP, Harris RM, Esona MD, Gautam R, Mijatovic-Rustempasic S, Hopkins AL, Jaimes J and Handy L. : Genotypic investigation of a rotavirus cluster at a quaternary-care pediatric hospital. ICHE Jan 2023.
Hei H, Plara M, Paul E, Satchell L, Bezpalko O, Handy L.: Surveillance and attribution of ambulatory central line-associated bloodstream infections in a pediatric healthcare system. AJIC 22, Jun 2022.
Kitt E, Brennan L, Harrison C, Hei H, Paul E, Satchell L, Wilson KB, Smathers S, Handy L, Coffin S. : Dodging the bundle-Persistent healthcare-associated rhinovirus infection throughout the pandemic. AJIC May 2022.
Kitt EK, Davis DH, Kerman C, Sammons JS, Handy LK, Gallagher E, O'Callaghan K, Harris RM, Coffin SE, Bell LM. : The utility of paired upper and lower respiratory tract sampling for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing in patients with artificial airways. ICHE 1(3): doi: 10.1017, May 2021 Notes: epub.
Diaz MCG, Handy LK, Crutchfield JH Jr, Cadilla A, Hossain J, Werk LN: Impact of a Personalized Audit and Feedback Intervention on Antibiotic Prescribing Practices for Outpatient Pediatric Community-Acquired Pneumonia. Clin Pediatr 59(11): 988-994, Jun 2020.
Buttenheim AM, Joyce CM, Ibarra J, Agas J, Feemster K, Handy LK, Amin AB, Omer SB: Vaccine exemption requirements and parental vaccine attitudes: an online experiment. Vaccine 38(11): 2620-2625, Mar 2020.
Tribble AC, Lee BR, Flett KB, Handy LK, Gerber JS, Hersh AL, Kronman MP, Terrill CM, Sharland M, Newland JG, for the Sharing Antimicrobial Reports for Pediatric Stewardship (SHARPS) Collaborative.: Appropriateness of Antibiotic Prescribing in United States Children's Hospitals: A National Point Prevalence Survey. Clinical Infectious Diseases 71(8): e226-e234, Jan 2020.
Hamdy RF, Handy LK, Spyridakis E, Dona D, Bryan M, Collins JL, Gerber JS.: Comparative Effectiveness of Ceftriaxone plus Metronidazole versus Anti-Pseudomonal Antibiotics for Perforated Appendicitis in Children. Surgical Infections. epub., March 2019.
Diaz MCG, Werk LN, Crutchfield JH, Jr.: A Provider-Focused Intervention to Promote Optimal Care of Pediatric Patients With Suspected Elbow Fracture. Pediatric emergency care 2018.
Newland JG, Gerber JS, Kronman MP, Meredith G, Lee BR, Thurm C, Hersh AL, Sharps Collaborative: Sharing Antimicrobial Reports for Pediatric Stewardship (SHARPS): A Quality Improvement Collaborative. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc 2017.
Joerger T, Chan S, Swami SK, Handy LK.: Impact of an Antimicrobial Stewardship Policy to Restrict Palivizumab Use. Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society 2017.
Handy LK, Bryan M, Gerber JS, Zaoutis T, Feemster, KA: Variability in and Predictors of Antibiotic Prescribing for Community-Acquired Pneumonia. Pediatrics. 139(4): e20162331, 2017.
Chang C, Feemster KA, Coffin S, Handy LK.: Treatment-Related Complications in Children Hospitalized With Disseminated Lyme Disease. Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society 6(3): e152-e154, 2017.
Handy LK, Maroudi S, Powell M, Nfila B, Moser C, Japa I, Monyatsi N, Tzortzi E, Kouzeli I, Luberti A, Theodoridou M, Offit P, Steenhoff A, Shea JA, Feemster KA.: The impact of access to immunization information on vaccine acceptance in three countries. PLoS One 12(8): e0180759, Aug 3 2017.
Litvintseva AP, Kestenbaum L, Vilgalys R, Mitchell TG: Comparative analysis of environmental and clinical populations of Cryptococcus neoformans. J Clin Microbiol 43: 556-64, 2015.
Shah SS, Ebberson J, Kestenbaum LA, Hodinka RL, Zorc JJ: Age-specific reference values for cerebrospinal fluid protein concentration in neonates and young infants. J Hosp Med. 6: 22-7, 2010.
Kestenbaum LA, Ebberson J, Zorc JJ, Hodinka RL, Shah SS: Defining cerebrospinal fluid white blood cell count reference values in neonates and young infants. Pediatrics 125: 257-64, 2010.
White AM, Kraus CL, Flom J, Kestenbaum L, Mitchell J, Shah, K and Swartzwelder HS: College students lack knowledge of standard drink volumes: implications for definitions of risky drinking based on survey data. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 29: 631-8, 2005.
"Healthcare-Associated Infections." Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, 6th Edition. Elsevier 2023.
"Infectious Diseases." The Philadelphia Guide: Inpatient Pediatrics, 3rd Edition. McGraw Hill 2022.
CMC Rodrigues, LK Handy, BF Haynes, SA Plotkin: "Vaccine Innovation and Development." Maxcy-Rosenau-Last Public Health and Preventive Medicine: Sixteenth Edition. McGraw Hill. ML Boulton and RB Wallace (eds.). 16, 2021.
Handy, LK: Viruses. Nelson Pediatrics Board Review Certification and Recertification. Dean T and Bell LM. (eds.). Elsevier, 2019.
Chiotos K, Handy LK, Sulieman, S, Gerber J: "Infectious Diseases." The Philadelphia Guide: Inpatient Pediatrics, 2nd Edition. McGraw Hill Ed. Samir S. Shah, Marina Catallozzi, Lisa Zaoutis and Gary Frank. (eds.). 2016.
Belfer S, Gati S, Grimes L, Philipson B, Handy L.: Thanks for nothing, Mom! Presented at the Pediatric Hospital Medicine Conference, Lake Buena Vista FL, July 28-31. 2022.
Yoon H, Kitt E, Smith KP, Comar C, Harris R, Hopkins A, Jaimes J, Mijatovic Rustempasic S, Gautam R, Esona MD, Handy LK.: Genotypic investigation of a rotavirus cluster at a pediatric hospital in 2022. Presented at IDWeek 2022 Annual Conference, Washington DC, October 19-23. (Poster Presentation). Oct 2022.
Fatemi Y, Plaras M, LeGoff L, Handy LK, Smathers S, Sammons JS, Coffin S, Kitt E. : Fostering the Future: Improving Infection Prevention and Control Education in Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship. Presented at IDWeek 2022 Annual Conference, Washington DC, October 19-23. (Oral Presentation). Oct 2022.
Hoegg C, Paul E, Smathers S, Handy L. : Don't Jump to Conclusions: A Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection Pseudo-Outbreak Investigation. Presented at the APIC 2020 Annual Conference, Indianapolis IN, June 13-15. (Platform Presentation). June 2022.
Osborne J, Nelson K, Privette G, Yoon H, Rodriguez M, Keough K, Singaravelu A, and Handy L.​: Impact of a customized Patient Pre-Visit Screening tool during COVID-19 pandemic. Presented at Annual Quality & Patient Safety Day, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia PA, May 17 (Poster presentation). May 2022.
Fatemi Y, Plaras M, LeGoff L, Handy LK, Smathers S, Sammons J, Coffin SE, Kitt E. : Preparing for the Future: Improving Infection Prevention and Control Education in Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship Training. Presented at CHOP 5th Annual Interprofessional Education Symposium: Healthcare Professionals Teaching and Learning Together, Philadelphia, PA, January 19. (Poster Presentation). Jan 2022.
Handy LK. "IDWeek 2022: Highlights for Hospitalists," Virtua Educational Morning, Virtual Presentation. Nov 2022.
Handy LK. "Immunizations Workshop: Vaccine Hesitancy," 46th Annual Fall Temple Family Medicine Review Course 2022, Virtual Presentation. Oct 2022.
Handy LK. "Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccination." Greentowne Montessori School Community Education, Virtually hosted. Apr 2022.
Handy LK. "Controversies for COVID-19 Control in Hospitals: Managing Families & Visitors." 5th International Conference on Prevention and Control of Infection, Virtual conference. Nov 2021.
Handy LK. "Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccination." Becton, Dickinson and Company Employee Education, Virtually hosted. Oct 2021.
Handy LK. "The New Normal." Children's Hospital Association Infection Prevention Directors Forum, Virtual Conference. May 2021.
Handy LK. "Preventing Respiratory Virus Transmission in Pediatric Ambulatory Settings." IDWeek, Virtual Conference. Oct 2020.
Handy LK. "Preventable Disease Make a Comeback: Measles, Mumps and More!" Virtua Pediatric Fall Symposium, (Virtually hosted) Mount Laurel, New Jersey. Sept 2020.
2015, Fellow’s Travel Grant Awardee, Infectious Disease Society of America Annual Meeting
2014, Fellow’s Travel Grant Awardee, Infectious Disease Society of America Annual Meeting
2014, European Society of Paediatric Infectious Diseases Walter Marget Workshop Fellow
2009, Certificate in Clinical Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine
2009, Pediatric Research Prize, Perelman School of Medicine
2008, School of Medicine Global Health Travel Grant, La Paz, Bolivia
2006, School of Medicine Global Health Travel Grant, Gaborone, Botswana
2006-2009, Walter Lewis Croll Scholarship: Merit-Based Scholarship
2005-2006, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Scholarship: Merit-Based Scholarship
2004, Certificate in Neuroscience
2004, Graduation with Distinction in Psychology
2004, Howard Hughes Fellow in the Neural Sciences
2015-present, Reviewer, Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
2014-present, Reviewer, Vaccine
2021-2023, Sponsor, Healthcare-associated viral infections committee
2021-2022, Chair, Infection Prevention and Control Committee, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
2019-2023, Sponsor, Ambulatory CLABSI committee
2020-2022, Co-lead, Ambulatory COVID-19 Taskforce, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
2020-2022, Subject matter expert, COVID-19 Taskforce, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
2018-present, Infectious Diseases Quality Improvement Committee
2017-present, Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America
2012-present, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
- 2014-2017, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society Training Programs Committee
2012-present, Infectious Diseases Society of America
2009-present, American Academy of Pediatrics