Cortney T. Zimmerman, PhD, ABPP

Dr. Zimmerman's work centers around families and patients who have kidney conditions. Her primary clinical interests are assessing and improving mood, coping, adherence and adjustment to the (kidney-associated) medical condition and treatment. A key component of this, both clinically and in research, involves monitoring the quality of life of patients to assure patients are doing well in multiple aspects of their lives. She works with her team to utilize a multidisciplinary approach to provide care and support beyond the physical aspects of the patient’s medical condition to address the whole patient.

Personal Statement

I am committed to providing high-quality, evidence-based and patient-centered care to my patients and their families through an individualized approach. I believe mental health is interwoven with physical health and working on both aspects can best help patients and their families. I always utilize a collaborative approach and welcome regular feedback from families.

Clinical Interests

Dialysis, kidney transplant, CKD, hypertension

Education

Organizations

Board Certifications

American Board of Professional Psychology

Board Certified in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology

Honors and awards

2022

Norton Rose Fulbright Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching and Evaluation, Baylor College of Medicine

* Texas Children’s Hospital physicians’ licenses and credentials are reviewed prior to practicing at any of our facilities. Sections titled From the Doctor, Professional Organizations and Publications were provided by the physician’s office and were not verified by Texas Children’s Hospital.

Research interests

Quality of life, transition to adult healthcare

Zimmerman, C.T., Davis, R., Virola, K., & Guillen, J. (2024). Coping with Medical Admissions. In A. Dawson, V. Norwood, and K. Amatya (Eds), Comprehensive Psychosocial Considerations for Pediatric Kidney Conditions: A Primer for Developing Collaborative Practice. In press.

Mai, K., Dawson, A., Gu, L., LaMotte, J.E., Molitor, S. &. Zimmerman, C.T. (2024). Common Mental Health Conditions and Considerations in Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease. Pediatric Nephrology. 10.1007/s00467-024-06314-8.

Siddiqui, S., Zimmerman, C.T., Garza, B., Saridey, S.K. & Wiemann, C.M. (2023). Development of a Transition Program for a Pediatric Renal Department in collaboration with an Adult Renal Department: A Quality Improvement Approach. Health Care Transitions, 1 (100014). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hctj.2023.100014

Wiemann, C. M., & Zimmerman, C. T. (2023). Parent-Proxy Health-Related Quality of Life: Assessment Considerations and Clinical Implications for Improving Health-Related Quality of Life. The Journal of adolescent health: official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine, 72(1), 1–2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.09.015

Zhang, Y.C., Gutman, T., Tong, A., Craig, J.C., Sinha, A., Dart, A., Eddy, A.A., Gipson, D.S., Bockenhauer, D., Yap, H., Groothoff, J., Zappitelli, M., Webb, N.J.A., Alexander, S.I., Furth, S., Samuel, S., Blydt-Hansen, T.D., Dionne, J., Michael, M., Wenderfer, S.E., Winkelmayer, W.C., McTaggart, S., Walker, A., Zimmerman, C.T., Ralph, A.F., Ju, A., James, L.J., & Hanson, C.S. (2023). Child and caregivers' perspectives on access to psychosocial and educational support in pediatric chronic kidney disease: focus group study. Pediatric Nephrology, 38(1), 249-260. doi: 10.1007/s00467-022-05551-z.

House, T. R., Rosenberg, A.R., Zimmerman, C.T., Barton, K.S. & Wightman, A. (2022). Caregiver perspectives of dialysis initiation for children with kidney disease: a qualitative study. Pediatric Nephrology, 37(10), 2457-2469. doi: 10.1007/s00467-022-05472-x. PMID: 35181825.

Zimmerman, C.T., Garland, B., Enzler, C., Hergenroeder, A., & Wiemann, C. (2021). The roles of Quality of Life, and Family and Peer Support, in perceptions about Transition to Adult Care in Youth with Gastroenterology, Renal, and Rheumatology Diseases. Journal of Pediatric Nursing special issue on transition, 62: 193-199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2021.04.032.

Stephens, S.B., Raphael, J.L., Zimmerman, C., Garland, B.H., DeGuzman, M., Walsh, S.M., Hergenroeder, A.C., & Wiemann, C.M. (2021). The utility of Self-Determination Theory in predicting transition readiness in adolescents with special healthcare needs. Journal of Adolescent Health, 69(4): 653-659. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.04.004. PMID: 34059429.