ESCONDIDO, Calif. (April 18, 2023) – Neighborhood Healthcare, a regional Federally Qualified Health Center providing a wide range of medical, dental, and behavioral health services, announced today that it received a grant from Genentech’s Health Equity Fund.
The grant enables the organization to launch a study directed at the core of healthcare for minority populations, the Community Health Centers (CHCs). Altura, a patient activation provider and a clinical study gateway for healthcare organizations, will manage and implement the project.
“Our mission to provide quality, compassionate, comprehensive care to everyone, regardless of circumstance, means ensuring we overcome obstacles for individuals and families to access health providers like us,” said James Schultz, MD, Chief Medical Officer for Neighborhood Healthcare and co-lead for the project. “This study will enable us to identify additional services to the ones already in place to ensure everyone who needs care can get it. We’re grateful for Genentech’s support for this important work.”
Through this initiative, Neighborhood Healthcare and Altura will conduct a comprehensive survey with leaders, providers and medical staff from 40 CHCs nationally. From there, the organizations will produce a white paper and a tool kit that all CHCs can employ to expand awareness and access to clinical studies of all types.
According to Pete Fronte, President & CEO for Altura and the grant’s lead advisor, CHCs are the backbone for treating diverse and underserved populations. “We simply cannot expand access to clincal trials and diversify its participants unless we include CHCs in some fashion. The goal is to provide CHCs realistic options and the tools needed based on capability and level of interest.”
“A lack of diversity and equity in health studies deepens health disparities. Without adequate data about the safety and efficacy of new and existing interventions for minorities, these populations cannot fully benefit from medical advances,” said Susan
Huang, MD, Chief Medical Officer of America’s Physician Groups and co-lead for the project, who also brings deep perspective from caring for underserved populations as a primary care physician and Chief Medical Officer of a Federally Qualified Health Center earlier in her career. “With this study, Neighborhood Healthcare will make a lasting impact on people of color participation in clinical studies by providing tangible steps and tools for CHCs to become consistently and sustainably engaged.”
About Neighborhood Healthcare
Neighborhood Healthcare provides quality, compassionate, whole-person care to everyone, regardless of circumstance, throughout San Diego and Riverside Counties. We go above and beyond in serving those in need with high integrity, professionalism, and in the spirit of collaboration, just as we did when founded more than 50 years ago. In doing so, we dedicate ourselves to improving community health so everyone can live happy and healthy lives.
About Altura
For over 22 years Altura has helped establish clinical study and patient activation programs within medical practices of all types, including Community Health Centers. Altura connects people, healthcare providers, health systems, life science companies, and healthcare stakeholders to accelerate clinical studies with diverse patient populations. Altura enables local, regional, and national study ecosystems through its HCP Studies™ research engagement platform. They also provide the UpRight™ mobility and fall prevention program for older adults and high-risk patients.