David Newman-Toker, M.D., Ph.D.

David Edward Newman-Toker, M.D., Ph.D.

Headshot of David Newman-Toker
  • Director, Division of Neuro-Visual & Vestibular Disorders, Department of Neurology
  • Professor of Neurology
Male

Expertise

Dizziness, Neurology, Vertigo

Research Interests

Recognition and prevention of diagnostic errors in frontline healthcare settings; stroke misdiagnosis in the emergency department; dizziness and vertigo; eye movement analysis; informatics tools and devices at the point of care; diagnostic decision support. ...read more

Locations

The Johns Hopkins Hospital (Main Entrance)

1800 Orleans St.
Sheikh Zayed Tower
Baltimore, MD 21287
The Johns Hopkins Hospital (Main Entrance) - Google Maps

Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center

4940 Eastern Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21224
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center - Google Maps

Background

David Newman-Toker, M.D. Ph.D. is Professor of Neurology, Ophthalmology, and Otolaryngology, and is the inaugural recipient of the David Robinson Professor in Vestibular Neurology. He holds joint appointments in Emergency Medicine and Health Sciences Informatics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, as well as in Epidemiology and Health Policy & Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Dr. Newman-Toker's academic mission is to eliminate harms from diagnostic errors and maximize the accuracy and efficiency of diagnostic testing in clinical practice. He is as a Core Faculty member of the Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety & Quality, where he serves as Director of the Armstrong Institute Center for Diagnostic Excellence, focused on enhancing diagnostic safety, quality, and value.

Dr. Newman-Toker's research focuses on preventing missed strokes in the emergency department and primary care, especially among patients presenting with acute, severe vertigo or dizziness. He and his collaborators have developed innovative methods to diagnose stroke through careful bedside examination of eye movements. He is now translating these innovations into clinical practice through the use of novel technologies at the point of care.

Dr. Newman-Toker's clinical expertise is in disorders of the brainstem and cranial nerves, including visual loss, double vision, and vertigo. He serves as Director of the Division of Neuro-Visual & Vestibular Disorders. His clinical practice focuses on emergency evaluation of patients with acute vertigo and dizziness. He does not currently have an outpatient clinic practice.

Dr. Newman-Toker completed his undergraduate education at Yale University (B.S., 1991) and his medical training at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (M.D., 1995). After completing his Neurology residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital (1999), he went on to complete fellowships in Neuro-Ophthalmology at Harvard University/Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary (2000) and in Neuro-Otology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2002). He completed his doctoral training in clinical research methods at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health through the Graduate Training Program in Clinical Investigation (Ph.D., 2007).

...read more

Titles

  • Director, Division of Neuro-Visual & Vestibular Disorders, Department of Neurology
  • David Robinson Professor in Vestibular Neurology
  • Core Faculty, Division of Brain Injury Outcomes, Department of Neurology
  • Core Faculty, Graduate Training Program in Clinical Investigation
  • Director, Armstrong Institute Center for Diagnostic Excellence
  • Professor of Neurology
  • Joint Appointment in Ophthalmology
  • Professor of Emergency Medicine
  • Professor of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery

Departments / Divisions

Centers & Institutes

Education

Degrees

  • MD; University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (1995)

Residencies

  • Neurology; Massachusetts General Hospital (1999)

Fellowships

  • Neuro-Otology; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2002)
  • Neuro-Ophthalmology; Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (2000)

Research & Publications

Clinical Trial Keywords

vertigo; dizziness; stroke; diagnosis; diagnostic devices; diagnostic strategy

Clinical Trials

We are currently conducting an NIH/NIDCD-sponsored clinical trial (U01 DC013778) known as AVERT (Acute Video-oculography for Vertigo in Emergency Rooms for Rapid Triage). This multicenter, Phase II clinical trial compares current diagnosis in the emergency department to a novel diagnostic strategy based on portable eye movement diagnostics combined with computer-based decision support.

Contact for Research Inquiries

BIOS Clinical Trials Unit
Johns Hopkins Hospital
CRB-II, Room 2M-03 North
Baltimore, MD 21231 map
Phone: 443-287-9593

Academic Affiliations & Courses

Graduate Program Affiliation

Informatics, Division of Health Sciences Informatics

Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health

Health Policy & Management, Bloomberg School of Public Health

Activities & Honors

Professional Activities

  • Principal Faculty, Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety & Quality

Videos & Media

Recent News Articles and Media Coverage

Research-Focused Professorship Drives Innovations in Stroke Diagnosis, JHU Giving (3/15/2022)

Medical Misdiagnoses: More Common Than You Think (podcast) WYPR (October 31, 2017)

A Close Eye on Stroke, NeuroNow (Spring 2015)

Strokes, long on the decline among the elderly, are rising among younger adults, Washington Post (06/16/2014)

Stroke Often Missed in ERs, Study Finds, US News & World Report (04/07/14)

Emergency Docs More Likely To Miss Signs Of Stroke In The Young, NPR (04/05/14)

The Team Sport of Diagnosis: A Culture Shift Can Reduce Missed Diagnoses, The Health Care Blog (06/15/16)

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