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November Updates from the Mongan Institute
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Reflections from the Director: Making a Difference - The Legacy of Dr. David Blumenthal
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Those of us who have chosen the long, arduous, and uncertain career path of research in academic medicine are motivated by much more than publishing research papers and achieving academic promotion: we want to make a genuine difference. Yet on average, it takes about 17 years for only 14% of research findings to be translated into routine practice. This tragic research-to-practice gap is even more profound for the many across our nation with poor access to health care experiencing marked health care disparities. Bridging this gap through population and health care delivery science is core to the mission of the Mongan Institute. Where can we look for inspiration as scientists pursuing research careers hoping to make a real and enduring impact on health, health care, and health equity?
One resounding example can be found in the extraordinary career of Dr. David Blumenthal. Born in Brooklyn, New York to parents with immigrant roots, David Blumenthal received his undergraduate degree and MD from Harvard, a master's degree from the Harvard Kennedy School, and pursued his internship and residency in Medicine at MGH. Advancing to senior academic and leadership roles, he is also distinguished by a prolific track record of over 300 scholarly publications—including seminal papers on health policy and health information technology. He is the founding chairman of AcademyHealth; a member of the National Academy of Medicine; and a member of the editorial boards of the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of Delivery Science and Innovation. Yet, Dr. Blumenthal’s legacy goes well beyond high impact publications. His efforts translating policy research into practice can be seen in health care delivery across our nation to this day.
Recognizing his pioneering work in policy and health information technology, in 2009 Dr. Blumenthal was appointed by President Obama to the newly created position of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. In this role, he was responsible for enabling policy for a nationwide health information system and meaningful use of health information technology in one of the largest publicly funded infrastructure investments the US ever made in such a short time period, in any field. Packaged in this transformative measure, “meaningful use” set the stage for data-informed use of electronic health records to help measure and improve quality, safety, care coordination, and health equity, while also providing the capacity to exchange clinical data between providers and patients. After serving in this leadership role, Dr Blumenthal became President of the Commonwealth Fund in 2013. As President, he guided the Fund to support research and policy reforms focused on advancing health equity, better access, improved quality, and greater efficiency, particularly for society’s most vulnerable, including people of color, people with low income, and those who are uninsured. This January he will be departing the President’s office to pursue the next stage in his remarkable career.
It is fitting, therefore, that this year’s Mongan Institute Blumenthal Lecture be delivered by its honored namesake and sponsor, titled “Reflections on the Past Decade of Health Care in America: Coverage, Covid, Conservatism, and Equity”. In reflecting on Dr. Blumenthal’s remarkable career path, I can think of few others in the field of population and health care delivery science that serve as such a clear inspiration for all of us on “making a difference”.
- Steve Bartels, MD, MS
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The 2022 American Public Health Association Disability Section Lifetime Achievement Award
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| The American Public Health Association (APHA) Disability Section awarded their 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Lisa Iezzoni, MD, MSc for her work to advance health equity for people with disabilities. Dr. Iezzoni is based in the Health Policy Research Center, is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and was also named a 2022-2023 Sally Starling Seaver Fellow at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute. For more than 20 years, Dr. Iezzoni has focused her research on improving the lived experiences, healthcare qualitiy and health equity for adults with disabilities. Her most recent work includes an article which she co-authored in the journal Health Affairs. This article, cited in the New York Times and The Boston Globe, exposed physicians who stated that tthey were reluctant to care for patients with disabilities. We are proud to call Dr. Iezzoni one of our own and congratulate her on this tremendous accomplishment!
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Mongan Institute Faculty Receive Three New 2022 PCORI Research Awards
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Left to Right: Karen Sepucha, PhD, Stephen Bartels, MD, MS, and Giselle Perez-Lougee, PhD
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| The Patient-Center Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) announced the approval of funding totaling over $100 million for 20 new research projects on November 15, 2022. Of the 20 projects funded, the Mongan Institute is home to three of them!
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Modern Healthcare's 2022 Top Diversity Leaders List
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Joseph Betancourt, MD, MPH
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| Each year Modern Healthcare identifies the top diversity leaders and organizations who demonstate a willingness to dedicate their careers and resources to essential diversity, equity, and inclusion iniatives. Modern Healthcare named Joseph Betancourt, MD, MPH, founder of the Disparities Solution Center and MGH's senior vice preseiden for Equity and Community Health, as one of their 25 Top Diversity Leaders for 2022. Dr. Betancourt's noted that "It is incredibly special to be recognized for [his] lifelong passion and work, and none of it would be possible without the efforts and accomplishments of so many of [his] dedicated colleagues and partners, past and present." Congratulations to Joseph Betancourt, MD, MPH for this honor!
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Selected Recent Publications
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Below are examples of selected high impact publications recently published by Mongan Institute investigators.
- Patients With Serious Mental Illness Can Engage in Tobacco Treatment Trials and Tobacco Cessation Interventions During Cancer Treatment. Steffens EB, Park ER, Muzikansky A, Streck JM, Ostroff JS, Rasmussen AW, Ponzani C, Perez GK, Regan S, Rigotti NA, Irwin KE. JCO Oncol Pract. 2022 Nov 9:OP2200505. doi: 10.1200/OP.22.00505. Online ahead of print. PMID: 36351206
- Detection of Atrial Fibrillation in a Large Population Using Wearable Devices: The Fitbit Heart Study. Lubitz SA, Faranesh AZ, Selvaggi C, Atlas SJ, McManus DD, Singer DE, Pagoto S, McConnell MV, Pantelopoulos A, Foulkes AS. Circulation. 2022 Nov 8;146(19):1415-1424. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.122.060291. Epub 2022 Sep 23. PMID: 36148649 Free PMC article.
- Health-Related Quality of Life and Depression Symptoms in a Cross Section of Patients with Advanced Lung Cancer before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Petrillo LA, El-Jawahri A, Heuer LB, Post K, Gallagher ER, Trotter C, Elyze M, Vyas C, Plotke R, Turk YR, Han J, Temel JS, Greer JA. J Palliat Med. 2022 Nov;25(11):1639-1645. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2022.0049. Epub 2022 May 19. PMID: 35588200
- Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Substance Use Treatment in Medicaid Managed Care in New York City: The Role of Plan and Geography. Alegría M, Falgas-Bague I, Fukuda M, Zhen-Duan J, Weaver C, O'Malley I, Layton T, Wallace J, Zhang L, Markle S, Lincourt P, Hussain S, Lewis-Fernández R, John DA, McGuire T.Med Care. 2022 Nov 1;60(11):806-812. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000001768. Epub 2022 Aug 26.PMID: 36038524
- Trends in post-acute care and outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized for heart failure between 2008 and 2015. Keeney T, Lake D, Varma H, Resnik L, Teno JM, Grabowski DC, Gozalo P.J Am Geriatr Soc. 2022 Nov 1. doi: 10.1111/jgs.18109. Online ahead of print.PMID: 36318635
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Please visit our website to stay updated on all open positions at the Mongan Institute and our centers/programs. To apply, visit the MGH Careers website and search the job number listed.
- Senior Data Analyst - 3209899
The Mongan Institute in the Department of Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital is seeking a full time Senior Data Analyst to manage its Data Management and Analytic Program. Reporting to and working closely with the Institute Director and Administrative Director, the candidate will lead the development of a new Data Management and Analytics Program (DMAP) that will support the Institute’s 13 research centers and programs. Once established, the program will offer a range of data management and analysis services, including statistical and study design consultation, research protocol development, web-based survey development, data management plans, analysis and interpretation of data, and assistance in presenting and disseminating results.
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