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Programs | BETTER Center: Behavioral Economics to Transform Trial Enrollment Representativeness Center

BETTER Center: Behavioral Economics to Transform Trial Enrollment Representativeness Center

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About

The Behavioral Economics to Transform Trial Enrollment Representativeness (BETTER) Center is an American Heart Association-funded effort to understand and improve diversity and representation in clinical trials focused on cardiovascular health.

Want to learn more? Send us an email.

What We Do

Research

Three synergistic projects that build from each other, test the effects of recruitment and consent approaches on the diversity and representativeness of trial enrollment, and use complementary methods to evaluate individual and area-level markers of social disadvantage.

Training

Each year we will support clinical fellows and undergraduate students to pursue a program of didactic training and hands-on research to build skills in behavioral science, implementation science, epidemiology, biostatistics, and other population science disciplines. All trainees will be underrepresented in science and medicine.

Who We Are

John M. Eisenberg Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology, and Medical Ethics & Health Policy
Director, Palliative and Advanced Illness Research (PAIR) Center
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

Meghan Lane-Fall, MD, MS

Project 1 Co-PI

Vice Chair of Inclusion, Diversity & Equity
David E. Longnecker Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care and Epidemiology
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

Rachel Kohn, MD, MS

Project 1 Co-PI

Assistant Professor of Medicine
Core Faculty, PAIR Center
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

Alanna Morris, MD, MS

Project 2 Co-PI

Associate Professor of Medicine Division of Cardiology, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute (ECCRI)
Director of Heart Failure Research
Emory University School of Medicine

Alexander Fanaroff, MD, MHS

Project 2 Co-PI

Assistant Professor of Medicine
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

Kevin Volpp, MD, PhD

Project 2 Co-PI

President’s Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Medical Ethics and Policy
Director, Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics (CHIBE)
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

Neal Dickert, MD, PhD

Project 3 Co-PI

Associate Professor of Medicine
Division of Cardiology, ECCRI
Emory University School of Medicine

Modele Ogunniyi, MD, MPH

Project 3 Co-PI

Professor of Medicine and Master Physician, ECCRI
Associate Medical Director, Grady Heart Failure Program
Emory University School of Medicine

Alisa Stephens-Shields, PhD

Biostatistician

Associate Professor of Biostatistics
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

Farooq Sheikh, MD

Co-investigator

Medical Director, Advanced Heart Failure Program
MedStar Heart Institute

Shivani Patel, MPH PhD

Co-investigator

Assistant Professor of Global Health and Epidemiology
Emory University School of Medicine

Nsenga Farrell, EdD, MA

Communications & Engagement Manager

Senior Communications and Engagement Manager, PAIR Center
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

Cardiovascular Diseases Fellow
Emory University School of Medicine

Adina Lieberman, MPH

Managing Director

Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program Development, PAIR Center
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

Partners

Institutions represented by our investigative team