Building Equal Access Together in Cancer (BEAT-C)

Building Equal Access Together in Cancer (BEAT-C) to Reduce Inequities in Minority Cancer Survivor Health and Improve Wellbeing in Washington, DC

About the Study

This study focuses on the impact of identifying and addressing social risk factors related to entrenched structural racism and combating bias in care for cancer survivors. It aims to reduce inequities in cancer outcomes for breast and prostate cancer survivors by better understanding the social needs of these patients, referring them to community-based and clinical resources and implementing action plans to reduce structural bias across three cancer centers in Washington, DC: Howard University Cancer Center, George Washington University Cancer Center and MedStar Washington Hospital Center Washington Cancer Institute. Institutions will implement universal social risk factor screening and referral and provide community health worker support to patients with identified needs. Faculty and staff at participating institutions will receive anti-bias training and develop an anti-racism task force to implement an action plan to reduce structural bias. Institutions will research patient experiences of perceived discrimination before and after the intervention. The long-term goal for this study is to develop scalable, sustainable, and effective interventions to address the social needs of cancer patients and create equitable cultures of clinical care.

Team

Hannah Arem, PhD, Co-Principal Investigator
Scientific Director, Implementation Science, Healthcare Delivery Research, MedStar Health Research Institute
Associate Professor, Department of Oncology, Georgetown School of Medicine

Mandi L. Pratt-Chapman, PhD, MA, OPN-CG, Co-Principal Investigator
Associate Professor, Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Associate Professor, Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health
Associate Center Director, Patient-Centered Initiatives & Health Equity, GW Cancer Center
The George Washington University

Yan Wang, MD, DrPH, Co-Investigator
Associate Professor of Prevention and Community Health; Milken Institute School of Public Health
The George Washington University

Christopher Gallagher, MD, Co-Investigator
Medical Director of Cancer Services at MedStar Washington Hospital Center

Teletia Taylor, PhD, Co-Investigator
Associate Professor, Medicine and Psychology, Howard University Cancer Center

Christopher King, PhD, Co-Investigator
Chair, Health Systems Administration, Georgetown University

Shayla Scarlett, MBA, MPA, Project Manager
Assistant Director, Community Outreach, Engagement, and Equity at GW Cancer Center

Karey M. Sutton, PhD
Scientific Director, Health Equity Research, MedStar Health Research Institute

Jessica N. Rivera Rivera, PhD, MPH
Research Scientist, Implementation Science, Healthcare Delivery Research, MedStar Health Research Institute

Shelby A. Wyand, MSc
Research Scientist, Health Equity Research, MedStar Health Research Institute

Arianna Milicia
Project Manager, Senior Research Associate, National Center For Human Factors in Healthcare, MedStar Health Research Institute

Marjanna Smith
Senior Research Associate, Implementation Science, Healthcare Delivery Research, MedStar Health Research Institute

Andrea Lopez, Clinical Research Coordinator
Clinical Research Coordinator at Medstar Health

Ruta Rangel, MS, Data Coordination Support
Program Associate at GW Cancer Center

Mandy McHale, Data Coordination Support
Student Assistant at GW Cancer Center

Participant Advisory Board

  • Tallulah Anderson
  • Jaqueline Beale
  • Roger Clark
  • Cheryl Shaw

Results

This is a five-year initiative. Please check back periodically for the latest information.

Newsletters

You can find the latest information about the project in our newsletters.

Contact

If you have questions, concerns, or complaints, talk to the research team lead investigators at Hannah.Arem@medstar.net or Mandi@gwu.edu 

This research has been reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review Board( “IRB”) #STUDY00004397. You may talk to them at 202-741-2210 or irboard@georgetown.edu