Azmi Lab

Hooman Azmi, M.D.
Affiliate Member, Center for Discovery and Innovation
Associate Professor, Neurosurgery, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine
Director, Division of Function and Restorative Neurosurgery, Hackensack University Medical Center
Vice Chair, Quality and Safety, Department of Neurosurgery, Hackensack University Medical Center

Dr. Azmi is the Director of the Division of Function and Restorative Neurosurgery at Hackensack University Medical Center, and the Vice Chair in Quality and Safety in the Department of Neurosurgery. He received his medical degree with honors from New York Medical College, completed his neurosurgical training at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and completed a Fellowship in Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery at the Cleveland Clinic.

His goal has been to develop a program that delivers a very comprehensive approach to the care of patients with Parkinson’s disease. From promoting engagement in health and wellness, to offering the most current medication therapies, to making available surgical options such as Deep Brain Stimulation and beyond, the program strives to ensure the best quality of life possible for each and every patient.

Recognizing the particular vulnerability of patients with Parkinson’s disease, Dr. Azmi has spent the last decade helping to develop innovative hospital-wide protocols and programs to improve the care of patients with Parkinson’s disease who have been admitted to the hospital. He leads a team at HUMC whose efforts have culminated in HUMC becoming the first hospital in the nation to receive disease specific certification in Parkinson’s disease from the Joint Commission for accreditation of Hospitals in June of 2018.

His main research interest is centered around developing safe and efficient ways for hospitals and hospital systems to provide care for people with Parkinson’s who are admitted to the hospital.

Recent Publications

1. Veilleux Carpentier A, Malaty IA, LeWitt PA, Azmi H, Brooks A, Pollak E, Air EL, Simpson H, Thomas J, Thomas FP, Cocoziello L, Rosenfeld S, Okun MS. A Systematic Review of the Parkinson's Foundation Hospital Care Recommendations. Mov Disord Clin Pract. 2025 Jul 30. doi: 10.1002/mdc3.70247. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40736219.
2. Elder JB, Carter B, Larson PS, Dalm B, Air EL, Grant G, Anderson WS, van Horne C, Azmi H, Browd S, Lonser RR. Direct delivery of gene- and cell-based therapies to the nervous system. Image-Guided Biologic Therapies: Neurosurgeons Innovating Treatment Excellence Summit summary. J Neurosurg. 2025 Jun 6:1-11. doi: 10.3171/2025.1.JNS241967. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40479823.
3. Chowdhury EA, Sivan V, Kumar RP, Ruzicka Iv FF, Azmi H. Delayed clinical response to focused ultrasound thalamotomy in essential tremor in a patient with suboptimal skull density ratio - A case report. Surg Neurol Int. 2024 Nov 8;15:406. doi: 10.25259/SNI_707_2024. PMID: 39640349; PMCID: PMC11618826.
4. Pronovost P, Azmi H, Okun MS, Walter B, Brooks A, Rosenfeld S. Protecting Parkinson's Patients: Hospital Care Standards to Avoid Preventable Harm. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf. 2024 Dec;50(12):890-892. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjq.2024.08.004. Epub 2024 Nov 18. PMID: 39562228.
5. Azmi H, Cocoziello L, Ruzicka F, Clar E, Pederson JM, Jacob B, Thomas J, Rocco A, Bobek M, Pereira-Argenziano L, Roth P, Thomas FP. Custom order entry for Parkinson's medications in the hospital improves timely administration: an analysis of over 31,000 medication doses. Front Aging Neurosci. 2023 Dec 21:15:1267067. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1267067. eCollection 2023. PMID: 38187358
6. Hebert K, Ahn JS, Azmi H, Parulekar M, Patel S. Congruency and Emotional Valence Effects on Speech Production in Individuals with Parkinson's Disease. Semin Speech Lang. 2025 Jan;46(1):4-13. doi: 10.1055/s-0044-1788767. Epub 2024 Jul 31. PMID: 39084603.
7. Azmi H, Walter BL, Brooks A, Richard IH, Amodeo K, Okun MS. Editorial: Hospitalization and Parkinson's disease: safety, quality and outcomes. Front Aging Neurosci. 2024 Apr 4;16:1398947. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1398947. PMID: 38638192; PMCID: PMC11024459.
8. Bobek M, Pascarelli P, Cocoziello L, Azmi H. Utilizing the Nursing Professional Development Model to create and sustain nursing education aimed at improving the care of patients with Parkinson's Disease in the hospital. Front Med (Lausanne). 2024 Jan 24;10:1275970. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1275970. PMID: 38327273; PMCID: PMC10847593.
9. Wu AD, Walter BL, Brooks A, Buetow E, Amodeo K, Richard I, Mundth K, Azmi H. Standardizing default electronic health record tools to improve safety for hospitalized patients with Parkinson's disease. Front Aging Neurosci. 2024 Jan 18;15:1278322. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1278322. PMID: 38304735; PMCID: PMC10830808.

See full list of publications here.