Gene F. Kwan, MD, MPH
Associate Professor
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Medicine
Cardiovascular Medicine

MD, University of California, San Diego
MPH, Harvard School of Public Health
BA, University of California, Berkeley

Pronouns: he/him/his



I am a cardiologist and global health researcher developing expertise in the intersection between these two fields. My primary professional goal is to push the frontier of global cardiovascular disease epidemiology and health service delivery (implementation) research through the development, implementation, evaluation, improvement and dissemination of integrated chronic care programs targeted to overcome specific barriers in rural low- and middle-income countries (LMIC).

My research stems from experience in the field in rural Rwanda and Haiti since 2008 in collaboration with local Ministries of Health and the non-governmental organizations Partners In Health and Zanmi Lasante. I have developed and implemented care models using the strategy of task-shifting: training in-country nurses and generalist physicians in simplified protocols to aid in specialty care for the diagnosis and management of non-communicable diseases (NCD) including hypertension, diabetes, heart failure, stroke, and respiratory disease. My research has helped determine that heart failure in rural Rwanda and Haiti is generally from endemic causes (as opposed to coronary heart disease) and a leading cause of hospitalization. In addition, we demonstrated that nurse-directed management improves control of blood pressure for patients with hypertension and improves symptoms for those with heart failure. I also study the prevalence of poverty among patients with NCDs and develop approaches to overcome poverty-related barriers. My long-term goal is to develop and utilize evidence-based approaches for the understanding of cardiovascular disease in LMICs and influence programmatic development, implementation and policy.

I have active academic collaborations with projects in Haiti, Rwanda, Malawi, Liberia, and India. I am one of the principal authors of the implementation guide and clinician handbook The Partners In Health Guide to Chronic Care Integration for Endemic Non-Communicable Diseases. I have presented my work at several American Heart Association conferences including the Annual Scientific Sessions, Epidemiology, Nutrition, Prevention and Metabolism, and Quality and Clinical Outcomes Research sessions. I have also been an invited speaker both nationally and in Haiti and Rwanda. I continue to serve as an Advisor for Non-Communicable Diseases at Partners In Health in Boston, Haiti and Rwanda.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility

I am committed to improving diversity and inclusion within our cardiovascular fellowship program, and ensuring inclusion of people from diverse backgrounds as research subjects. I understand the importance of including people who provide a diversity of backgrounds, experiences, ideas, and perspectives as part of our program and faculty. As a member of the Boston Medical Center's Cardiology Fellowship Selection Committee, I am committed to increasing the proportion of women and underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in Cardiology and promoting an environment of equity in opportunities. As part of the BMC Cardiovascular Medicine sections Commitment to Operationalize Racial Equity (CORE), I am working to ensure equity and transparency in hiring and training. As Cardiology Journal Club faculty mentor, I am committed to including relevant journal articles for discussion that evaluate racial differences and the role of race and ethnicity in care quality.

As a research mentor in global health, many of my mentees live and work in low-income country settings.

Member
Boston University
Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research





Simulator-Based simplified Focused Cardiac Ultrasound (sFoCUS) Training in Haiti
06/23/2022 - 09/30/2025 (PI)
National Institutes of Health/DHHS/NIH
5R21TW012165-02

Identifying facilitators and barriers to heart failure care in Haiti to adapt a community-based inte
08/01/2019 - 07/31/2025 (PI)
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute/NIH/DHHS
1K23HL140133-01A1

Bennett-Powell PEN-Plus Fund
10/01/2023 - 03/31/2025 (PI)
Brigham and Womens Hospital


Universal Access to Type 1 Diabetes Care
11/01/2017 - 05/31/2023 (Subcontract PI)
PI: Gene F. Kwan, MD, MPH
Partners In Health Leona&Harry Helmsley


Mixed Method Evaluation of Barriers To Heart Failure In Rural Haiti
01/01/2019 - 12/31/2019 (PI)
American Heart Association/AHA



Title

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

iCite Analysis       Copy PMIDs To Clipboard

  1. Dawson C, Morris SM, Toussaint E, Fénelon DL, Banigbe B, Kwan GF. Text message reminders for visit adherence among non-communicable disease patients in Haiti: A pilot study. PLOS Glob Public Health. 2025; 5(4):e0004376. PMID: 40244981; PMCID: PMC12005549; DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0004376;
     
  2. Kwan GF, Basow E, Isaac BD, Fenelon DL, Toussaint E, Calixte D, Ibrahim M, Hirschhorn LR, Drainoni ML, Adler A, Clisbee MA, Bukhman G. Heart Failure Care Facilitators and Barriers in Rural Haiti: A Qualitative Study. Ann Glob Health. 2024; 90(1):60.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39345843; PMCID: PMC11428663; DOI: 10.5334/aogh.4521;
     
  3. Klassen SL, Okello E, Ferrer JME, Alizadeh F, Barango P, Chillo P, Chimalizeni Y, Dagnaw WW, Eiselé JL, Eberly L, Gomanju A, Gupta N, Koirala B, Kpodonu J, Kwan GF, Mailosi BGD, Mbau L, Mutagaywa R, Namuyonga J, Pfaff C, Piñero D, Pinto F, Rusingiza E, Sanni UA, Sanyahumbi A, Shakya U, Sharma SK, Sherpa K, Sinabulya I, Wroe EB, Bukhman G, Mocumbi A. Correction: Decentralization and Integration of Advanced Cardiac Care for the World's Poorest Billion Through the PEN-Plus Strategy for Severe Chronic Non-Communicable Disease. Glob Heart. 2024; 19(1):54. PMID: 38947254; PMCID: PMC11212772; DOI: 10.5334/gh.1338;
     
  4. Yan LD, Sufra R, St Sauveur R, Jean-Pierre MC, Apollon A, Malebranche R, Théard M, Pierre G, Dévieux J, Lau J, Mourra N, Roberts NLS, Rasul R, Nash D, Pirmohamed AM, Devereux RB, Lee MH, Kwan GF, Safford MM, Adrien L, Alfred JP, Deschamps M, Severe P, Fitzgerald DW, Pape JW, Rouzier V, McNairy ML. Spectrum of prevalent cardiovascular diseases in urban Port-au-Prince, Haiti: a population-based cross-sectional study. Lancet Reg Health Am. 2024 May; 33:100729.View Related Profiles. PMID: 38590326; PMCID: PMC11000196; DOI: 10.1016/j.lana.2024.100729;
     
  5. Klassen SL, Okello E, Ferrer JME, Alizadeh F, Barango P, Chillo P, Chimalizeni Y, Dagnaw WW, Eiselé JL, Eberly L, Gomanju A, Gupta N, Koirala B, Kpodonu J, Kwan G, Mailosi BGD, Mbau L, Mutagaywa R, Pfaff C, Piñero D, Pinto F, Rusingiza E, Sanni UA, Sanyahumbi A, Shakya U, Sharma SK, Sherpa K, Sinabulya I, Wroe EB, Bukhman G, Mocumbi A. Decentralization and Integration of Advanced Cardiac Care for the World's Poorest Billion Through the PEN-Plus Strategy for Severe Chronic Non-Communicable Disease. Glob Heart. 2024; 19(1):33. PMID: 38549727; PMCID: PMC10976983; DOI: 10.5334/gh.1313;
     
  6. Bansal E, Patel K, Lacossade S, Gue B, Acceme K, Robinson O, Kwan GF, Wilentz JR. Population health and sociodemographic variables as predictors of access to cardiac medicine and surgery in Haiti. Glob Health Res Policy. 2023 Jul 19; 8(1):27. PMID: 37468963; PMCID: PMC10354940; DOI: 10.1186/s41256-023-00308-z;
     
  7. Mailosi BGD, Ruderman T, Klassen SL, Kachimanga C, Aron MB, Boti M, Kumwenda K, Bukhman G, Muula AS, Banda NPK, Kwan GF. Decentralized Heart Failure Management in Neno, Malawi. Glob Heart. 2023; 18(1):35. PMID: 37334396; PMCID: PMC10275181; DOI: 10.5334/gh.1210;
     
  8. Kole A, Agarwal A, Seth B, Sandhu S, Ghali B, Arya P, Patil S, Jain Y, Kwan G. Epidemiology of heart failure in rural Chhattisgarh, India. Natl Med J India. 2023; 36(3):163-166. PMID: 38692613
     
  9. Kwan GF, Davila-Roman VG. Uncovering Endemic Heart Failure and Hypertension in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Challenges and Opportunities. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2023 Feb; 16(2):e009611. PMID: 36472191; PMCID: PMC10038165; DOI: 10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.122.009611;
     
  10. Klassen SL, Dusingizimana W, Ngoga G, Kamali I, Dusabeyezu S, Ntaganda E, Kwan GF. Using Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Heart Failure Diagnosis and Management in Rural and Resource-Limited Settings. CASE (Phila). 2022 Aug; 6(6):259-262. PMID: 36036046; PMCID: PMC9399555; DOI: 10.1016/j.case.2022.04.012;
     
Showing 10 of 65 results. Show More

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 65 publications over 19 distinct years, with a maximum of 10 publications in 2016

YearPublications
19991
20031
20041
20051
20071
20121
20131
20145
20159
201610
20172
20184
20192
20208
20217
20223
20233
20244
20251

2021 Boston Medical Center, Department of Medicine: Junior Faculty Mentoring Award
2019 Boston Medical Center, Internal Medicine: Excellence in Teaching
2017 Boston Medical Center, Internal Medicine Residency Program: Excellence in Teaching

Dr. Kwan is willing and available to mentor faculty, fellows, residents, and students with an academic interest in cardiology, chronic non-communicable diseases, global health, implementation science, and social determinants of health.

Available to Mentor as: (Review Mentor Role Definitions):
  • Advisor
  • Career Mentor
  • Co-Mentor or Peer Mentor
  • Project Mentor
  • Research / Scholarly Mentor
Contact for Mentoring:
  • Email (see 'Contact Info')
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