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P200: Health Equity and Inclusive Research Experts Profiling: Identifying Healthcare Professionals to Address Health Disparities

Poster Presenter

Daniel Alvarez

Principal Medical Director, Health Equity and Inclusive Research (HEIR)
Genentech, A Member of the Roche Group
United States

Objectives

Health inequities among underserved US populations are complex and related to unequal access to quality healthcare. Our objective was to identify healthcare professionals who, based on their expertise and areas of impact, can be considered potential partners in addressing healthcare disparities.

Method

The Health Equity & Inclusive Research (HEIR) Profiling Initiative established criteria to identify HEIR experts who demonstrate representation, advocacy and care for underserved populations, inclusive research practices, use of technology to improve patient access, and leadership in health equity.

Results

The HEIR Profiling Initiative from Genentech, Inc., launched in February 2023. As of December 31, 2023, a total of 452 HEIR experts across the US (47% from community settings and 40% from academic settings) have been identified through interactions with the field medical team. Experts fulfilled multiple criteria, including representation in the community (eg, culture, race, ethnicity), advocacy and care for traditionally underserved patients, demonstration of inclusive research practices, documented use of platforms and technology to improve patient access, leadership and/or speaker role in areas of inclusive research, publications related to underserved populations, and/or membership in organizations focused on diversity and inclusion. Medical specialties of HEIR experts were diverse, with the largest proportion of HEIR experts not dedicated to a specific therapeutic area (cross-portfolio). Oncology, neuroscience, and ophthalmology were areas of high engagement in line with research priorities for these pipeline programs, with a broad scope of ongoing inclusive research activities. Overall, 2081 engagements have occurred with the HEIR experts across US regions and therapeutic areas. Field engagements were intentionally led and aligned with our internal medical priorities, allowing for the development of strategies based on real-world scenarios related to HEIR. Insights summarized from HEIR experts provided a valuable understanding of tactics, including diverse geographies and transportation needs, diversity trial requirements, and language and literacy barriers for specific populations, as well as the need for research-naive sites that treat underserved patients and patient education materials to establish trust with pharmaceutical companies for clinical trial participation. The insights from engagements were unique to regions across the US.

Conclusion

Addressing healthcare disparities and barriers to health care and clinical trial participation requires a coordinated effort among multiple stakeholders. Through the HEIR Expert Profiling Initiative, we successfully identified and engaged with healthcare professionals with deep knowledge of, expertise in, and focus on providing health care to traditionally underserved communities in the US. This has, in turn, generated a broader segment of potential partners to deliver tangible solutions to improve the health of these patients and their communities. Insights from these HEIR experts have provided valuable input on inclusive research strategy, site selection, and medical initiatives (eg, speaker programs, advisory boards, steering committees) to address health disparities. Similar to the value therapeutic area experts bring to their field, developing relationships with HEIR experts will help industry partners recognize and understand the disparities and barriers that prevent access to quality health care and clinical trial participation for underserved patients. Furthermore, the elevation of the HEIR expert insights to the level of therapeutic area expert insights allows us to develop partnerships to meet the true gaps in the care of underserved communities. This profiling approach can serve as a model for elevating the status of HEIR experts to advance patient outcomes across the field of health care.