More radiology research funding tied to limited patient outreach

Radiology departments receiving more research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are less likely to serve marginalized populations, a study published January 23 in Radiology found. A team led by Antonio Lopez from Drexel University in Philadelphia found a negative correlation between the amount of radiology department research funding received and institutional rankings for serving patients from racial and/or ethnic minority backgrounds, as well as patients with low income and lower education levels. “Incentives to promote collaboration between well-funded large academic institutions and institutions with a focus on providing equitable care to underserved groups may be required to improve research inclusion,” the Lopez team wrote. Previous reports have documented healthcare access disparities and lack of inclusion in clinical research regarding historically underserved populations. However, the researchers pointed out a lack of data analyzing research funding of institutions that serve historically underserved groups. Lopez and co-authors studied the relationship between NIH research funding awarded to radiology departments and Lown Institute Hospitals Index rankings for inclusivity and community benefit. The index measures the social responsibility of more than 3,600 hospitals across the U.S. It evaluates hospitals on more than 50 metrics across equity, value, and outcomes. Among these metrics is the community benefit metric, which measures charity...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: Practice Management Source Type: news