The Importance of Diversity In Research
Below is my monthly message for the July 2019 edition of the MHRI newsletter, Focus. You can view Focus online at MedStarResearch.org/FOCUS.
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Happy 4th of July holiday! I hope everyone had a chance to celebrate with those close to you and had a break from your routine. As we come off the holiday weekend, I was wondering if there was anything from the break that left a lasting impression?
For me, on this celebration of America, I was struck by a full-page NY Times ad by the Carnegie Corporation of NY (Carnegie.org/NYT) entitled “Great Immigrants, Great Americans” with dozens of pictures of well-known Americans (with Andrew Carnegie prominently displayed). In their words, “Every Fourth of July since 2006, Carnegie Corporation of New York honors Andrew Carnegie’s legacy by celebrating the wide-ranging contributions of immigrants who enrich our communities and culture, strengthen our economy, and invigorate our democracy.” This holds especially true for the medical sciences.
Keeping all politics aside, immigrants represent diversity. For science, it’s a diversity of thought, perspective, experience, and ingenuity. Diversity creates the richness of possibilities. However, diversity also creates a wider spectrum of expectations, desires, and needs. The Washington - Baltimore area is incredibly diverse. In many respects, we are a microcosm of the US and therefore a microcosm of the challenges that US healthcare faces. While those challenges are formidable, they also present a wonderful opportunity for MedStar, in partnership with Georgetown University, to excel in health equity research. This is an important part of the work of an Academic Health System, a health system that applies academics to advance the health of the entire community we serve.
As you review this month’s e-Newsletter FOCUS, you will see articles about research on diversity and health equity. For example, MedStar Health, in partnership with Georgetown, was recently recognized by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) for investigating the potential impact of medical-legal partnerships to improve health. The research collected qualitative and quantitative data at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center and its Family Health Center in Baltimore. High risk health factors included low socioeconomic status, caring for young children, and homelessness. Legal issues that arise from these circumstances included custody, domestic violence, health insurance, and eviction. Addressing these social determinates of health often have a larger impact on the patients’ ultimate health outcome than just the medications prescribed.
Being in the nation’s capital also allows us to examine the impact of health equity research in the context of health policy. The MedStar-Georgetown Surgical Outcomes Research Center, working with colleagues from the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University and Georgetown University School of Nursing & Health Studies, is investigating the unintended surgical outcomes consequences of healthcare policy, specifically in low-income and ethnic and racial minorities. With this information, the research can focus on expanding the ways to improve the delivery of surgical quality, language effects, and disparities in access to and outcomes of surgical care.
I am very proud of the work we are doing to recognize the diversity of our community and extending our health services research to improve health equity for the diverse populations we serve. On this holiday in celebration of America, we should step back and recognize our contributions. Together, we are advancing the health of our slice of America…we advance health in many ways and we advance health by staying connected to our community.
Read Focus at MedStarResearch.org/FOCUS.
Happy 4th of July holiday! I hope everyone had a chance to celebrate with those close to you and had a break from your routine. As we come off the holiday weekend, I was wondering if there was anything from the break that left a lasting impression?
For me, on this celebration of America, I was struck by a full-page NY Times ad by the Carnegie Corporation of NY (Carnegie.org/NYT) entitled “Great Immigrants, Great Americans” with dozens of pictures of well-known Americans (with Andrew Carnegie prominently displayed). In their words, “Every Fourth of July since 2006, Carnegie Corporation of New York honors Andrew Carnegie’s legacy by celebrating the wide-ranging contributions of immigrants who enrich our communities and culture, strengthen our economy, and invigorate our democracy.” This holds especially true for the medical sciences.
Keeping all politics aside, immigrants represent diversity. For science, it’s a diversity of thought, perspective, experience, and ingenuity. Diversity creates the richness of possibilities. However, diversity also creates a wider spectrum of expectations, desires, and needs. The Washington - Baltimore area is incredibly diverse. In many respects, we are a microcosm of the US and therefore a microcosm of the challenges that US healthcare faces. While those challenges are formidable, they also present a wonderful opportunity for MedStar, in partnership with Georgetown University, to excel in health equity research. This is an important part of the work of an Academic Health System, a health system that applies academics to advance the health of the entire community we serve.
As you review this month’s e-Newsletter FOCUS, you will see articles about research on diversity and health equity. For example, MedStar Health, in partnership with Georgetown, was recently recognized by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) for investigating the potential impact of medical-legal partnerships to improve health. The research collected qualitative and quantitative data at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center and its Family Health Center in Baltimore. High risk health factors included low socioeconomic status, caring for young children, and homelessness. Legal issues that arise from these circumstances included custody, domestic violence, health insurance, and eviction. Addressing these social determinates of health often have a larger impact on the patients’ ultimate health outcome than just the medications prescribed.
I am very proud of the work we are doing to recognize the diversity of our community and extending our health services research to improve health equity for the diverse populations we serve. On this holiday in celebration of America, we should step back and recognize our contributions. Together, we are advancing the health of our slice of America…we advance health in many ways and we advance health by staying connected to our community.
Neil
Read Focus at MedStarResearch.org/FOCUS.
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