Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Hospital Medicine, School of Medicine
Inpatient Medicine Unit Medical Director
Biography
Dr. Littlefield completed her undergraduate degree with honors in Biology (with minors in Chemistry and French) at the University of Utah in 2008 and graduated at the top of her class with honors from medical school at Touro University California in 2013.
She completed her Internal Medicine internship and residency at OHSU in 2016 and served as a chief medical resident at OHSU from 2016-2017. Dr. Littlefield joined the OHSU hospitalist faculty in 2017.
In her work on the Clinical Hospitalist Service and Medicine Teaching Service, she emphasizes thoughtful consideration of complex medical scenarios, clear and compassionate communication with patients and their families, multidisciplinary teamwork, evidence-based medical decision making, teaching of residents and medical students whenever possible, and the continuous exercise of lifelong learning herself.
Dr. Littlefield's academic interests include improving interdisciplinary medical communication, medical education, and quality/system improvement initiatives that are geared at patient experience/outcomes as well as team collaboration.
Dr. Littlefield has served as the Medical Director for the Inpatient Medicine Units and as a leader on the Division of Hospital Medicine Operations team since 2019. She has been engaged in a multitude of institutional work addressing care for patients with substance use disorder, medical holds, and behavioral issues over these years--including serving on the Trauma Informed Care Advisory Group, the Restraints Steering Committee, and co-chairing the Longitudinal Care Plan Committee.
Outside of the hospital, Dr. Littlefield enjoys yoga, reading, hiking, paddle boarding, cooking, crossword puzzles, and spending time with family and friends.
Education and training
Degrees
B.A., 2008, University of Utah
D.O., 2013, Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Internship
Oregon Health & Science University, 2014
Residency
Oregon Health & Science University, 2016
Chief Residency, Oregon Health & Science University, 2017
Certifications
American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM)
Memberships and associations:
American College of Physicians
Society of Hospital Medicine
Society of General Internal Medicine
Gold Humanism Honor Society
Sigma Sigma Phi National Osteopathic Honor Society
Oregon Medical Association Legislative Committee
Medical Society of Metropolitan Portland, Board of Trustees Member
Areas of interest
Inpatient quality improvement initiatives
Medical education
Medical communication
Honors and awards
2024 Division of Hospital Medicine Quality Improvement Award
2024 Division of Hospital Medicine Iron Hospitalist Award
2021 Annual Professional Board Award - Outstanding Contribution in Clinical Quality & Systems Based Care
2016 John A. Benson Humanism Award (OHSU Internal Medicine Residency Program)
2016 Housestaff Teaching Award (OHSU Internal Medicine Residency Program)
2015 Thomas J. Stack and Nancy Fitzgerald Stack Humanism Award (OHSU Internal Medicine Residency Program)
2015 Housestaff Teaching Award (OHSU Internal Medicine Residency Program)
2015 Chief Residents' Award (OHSU Internal Medicine Residency Program)
Harmon, D., De Lima, B., Littlefield, K., Brooks, M., Drago, K. A Quality Improvement Initiative to Increase Documentation Preferences for Life-Sustaining Treatment in Hospitalized Adults. The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety. Available online September 28, 2023.
Littlefield, K., Waitt, S., Gilliam, S., Hendricks, M. Addressing Unsafe Inpatient Behavior and Violence in Healthcare: Administrative Hospital Discharge as a Last Resort. Journal of Hospital Medicine. Available online July 9, 2025.