Karen E. Lasser, MD, MPH
Professor
Boston University School of Medicine
Dept of Medicine
General Internal Medicine

MD, Cornell University Medical College
MPH, Harvard School of Public Health




Dr. Lasser is a primary care internist, certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, and a health services researcher.

Her primary areas of expertise and research are quality of care, interventions to reduce health disparities, health policy, smoking cessation, and primary care practice-based research.

She is the author of over 70 peer-reviewed publications, was the former Director of Ambulatory Quality Improvement for the Department of Medicine at Cambridge Health Alliance/Harvard Medical School, and has held several quality leadership roles at Boston Medical Center. Her research has been supported by NIDA, NHLBI, AHRQ, CDC, and the American Cancer Society.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility

Activities Promoting Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Uniqueness:

I started my internship at Boston City Hospital in 1995 with a deep commitment to serve structurally disadvantaged and minoritized communities. I am proud to work at a hospital (Boston City Hospital, now called Boston Medical Center) that promotes exceptional care without exception.

As a health equity researcher, I have recognized the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout my whole career. Virtually all of my mentees have been women and/or individuals from historically underrepresented groups. As Interim Associate Chief of GIM, in response to glaring racial disparities in the proportion of faculty members promoted to the rank of Associate Professor and Professor at BUSM, I focused on supporting and mentoring faculty historically underrepresented in medicine in the promotions process.

More recently, I have been working with BUSM’s Dean’s Office to undertake a cluster hire of faculty underrepresented in medicine. I have developed a Recruitment Search Protocol to mitigate bias and encourage the recruitment and hiring of faculty identified as women and/or being from underrepresented groups. In developing our recruitment search protocol, I performed a literature review and identified best practices from institutions successful in diversifying their faculty. I also developed a plan to ensure BU’s faculty development programs promote thriving and belonging to ensure retention of new faculty cohort hires. I identified best practices and strategies by reviewing case studies of best practices proven effective at peer institutions; conducting a literature review of barriers to faculty retention; examining faculty experiences at BU; and identifying best practices across BU.

I have also supported diversity, equity, and inclusion nationally, through the Society of General Internal Medicine. I have been a member of the Health Equity Task Force for many years, and have served as the Chair of the Editorial Board of the Journal of General Internal Medicine (JGIM) since May 2021. As Chair, I have initiated discussions with the Editors and Editorial Board about how to make JGIM an anti-racist journal. We have brainstormed about how to diversify the Journal at all levels: authors, Associate Editors, Editorial Board Members, and Editorial team. In my role as Chair, I will lead the Search Committee to identify the next Editorial Team of JGIM. I intend to implement a Recruitment Search Protocol to mitigate bias in the process, and ultimately to hire a more diverse Editorial team.

Academic medicine can be challenging to navigate, particularly for women and individuals from underrepresented groups. With regard to my background, my late father grew up in Bogota, Colombia and was a native Spanish speaker, and much of my family now lives in Peru. Given my background, I am a particularly strong mentor for women and LatinX faculty.

Please see my list of publications for examples of my research in health equity.

Professor
Boston University School of Public Health
Community Health Sciences


Faculty
Boston University School of Medicine
Medicine
Clinical Addiction Research and Education Unit

Member
Boston University
Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research


Boston Medical Center




Boston University Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program UL1
05/01/2008 - 04/30/2013 (PI of Sub-Project / SP)
PI: David M. Center, MD
NIH/National Center for Health Research Resources
3UL1RR025771-04


SHIFT-Care Challenge, Track 1
01/04/2019 - 12/31/2021 (PI)
Massachusetts Health Policy Commission

Advanced risk adjusters and predictive formulas for ICD-10 based risk adjustment
09/04/2018 - 06/30/2021 (PI)
Trustees of Boston University DHHS

Patient Navigation and Financial Incentives to Promote Smoking Cessation
07/01/2014 - 06/30/2019 (PI)
American Cancer Soc

Implementing Opioid Risk Reduction Strategies into Primary Care Practice
07/15/2012 - 06/30/2018 (PI)
NIH-NIDA
4R01 DA034252-05

Implementing Opioid Risk Reduction Strategies into Primary Care Practice
07/15/2012 - 06/30/2018 (PI)
NIH-NIDA
5R01 DA034252-04

A Patient Expansion of the Diabetes Research Center's Pilot & Feasibility Program
02/01/2015 - 06/30/2016 (PI)
Trustees of Boston University NIH

Implementation of a Hepatitis C Treatment Program in Primary Care at an Urban Safety-net Hospital…
12/01/2015 - 04/30/2016 (PI)
Cornell University NIH-NIDA

The Effects of Massachusetts Healthcare Reform on Access to Care & Disparities
11/01/2011 - 10/31/2013 (PI)
Rx Foundation

Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Detection in Community Health Centers
10/26/2009 - 12/31/2010 (PI)
American Cancer Soc


Title


Yr Title Project-Sub Proj Pubs
2016 Implementing Opioid Risk Reduction Strategies into Primary Care Practice 3R01DA034252-04S1 9
2016 Implementing Opioid Risk Reduction Strategies into Primary Care Practice 4R01DA034252-05 9
2015 Implementing Opioid Risk Reduction Strategies into Primary Care Practice 5R01DA034252-04 9
2014 Implementing Opioid Risk Reduction Strategies into Primary Care Practice 3R01DA034252-02S1 9
2014 Implementing Opioid Risk Reduction Strategies into Primary Care Practice 5R01DA034252-03 9
2013 Implementing Opioid Risk Reduction Strategies into Primary Care Practice 3R01DA034252-01S1 9
2013 Implementing Opioid Risk Reduction Strategies into Primary Care Practice 5R01DA034252-02 9
2012 Implementing Opioid Risk Reduction Strategies into Primary Care Practice 1R01DA034252-01 9

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. Lasser KE, Ilori TO, Dedier JJ. Kidney Disease Mortality in the USA: a Call for Eliminating Inequities. J Gen Intern Med. 2022 May; 37(6):1349-1350.View Related Profiles. PMID: 35266126
     
  2. Greco CM, Gaylord SA, Faurot K, Weinberg JM, Gardiner P, Roth I, Barnhill JL, Thomas HN, Dhamne SC, Lathren C, Baez JE, Lawrence S, Neogi T, Lasser KE, Castro MG, White AM, Simmons SJ, Ferrao C, Binda DD, Elhadidy N, Eason KM, McTigue KM, Morone NE. The design and methods of the OPTIMUM study: A multisite pragmatic randomized clinical trial of a telehealth group mindfulness program for persons with chronic low back pain. Contemp Clin Trials. 2021 10; 109:106545.View Related Profiles. PMID: 34455111; PMCID: PMC8691659; DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2021.106545;
     
  3. Larochelle MR, Cruz R, Kosakowski S, Gourlay DL, Alford DP, Xuan Z, Krebs EE, Yan S, Lasser KE, Samet JH, Liebschutz JM. Do Urine Drug Tests Reveal Substance Misuse Among Patients Prescribed Opioids for Chronic Pain? J Gen Intern Med. 2021 Aug 17.View Related Profiles. PMID: 34405344; DOI: 10.1007/s11606-021-07095-8;
     
  4. Janeway MG, Sanchez SE, Rosen AK, Patts G, Allee LC, Lasser KE, Dechert TA. Disparities in Utilization of Ambulatory Cholecystectomy: Results From Three States. J Surg Res. 2021 10; 266:373-382.View Related Profiles. PMID: 34087621
     
  5. Lasser KE, Liu Z, Lin MY, Paasche-Orlow MK, Hanchate A. Changes in Hospitalizations at US Safety-Net Hospitals Following Medicaid Expansion. JAMA Netw Open. 2021 06 01; 4(6):e2114343.View Related Profiles. PMID: 34191000; PMCID: PMC8246310; DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.14343;
     
  6. Bagley SM, Ventura AS, Lasser KE, Muench F. Engaging the Family in the Care of Young Adults With Substance Use Disorders. Pediatrics. 2021 01; 147(Suppl 2):S215-S219.View Related Profiles. PMID: 33386324
     
  7. Jia J, Jenkins AJ, Quintiliani LM, Truong V, Lasser KE. Resilience and diabetes self-management among African-American men receiving primary care at an urban safety-net hospital: a cross-sectional survey. Ethn Health. 2020 Nov 29; 1-10.View Related Profiles. PMID: 33249921
     
  8. Quintiliani LM, Kathuria H, Truong V, Murillo J, Borrelli B, Xuan Z, Lasser KE. Patient navigation among recently hospitalized smokers to promote tobacco treatment: Results from a randomized exploratory pilot study. Addict Behav. 2021 02; 113:106659.View Related Profiles. PMID: 33010473; PMCID: PMC7946867; DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106659;
     
  9. Hsu HE, Ashe EM, Silverstein M, Hofman M, Lange SJ, Razzaghi H, Mishuris RG, Davidoff R, Parker EM, Penman-Aguilar A, Clarke KEN, Goldman A, James TL, Jacobson K, Lasser KE, Xuan Z, Peacock G, Dowling NF, Goodman AB. Race/Ethnicity, Underlying Medical Conditions, Homelessness, and Hospitalization Status of Adult Patients with COVID-19 at an Urban Safety-Net Medical Center - Boston, Massachusetts, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2020 Jul 10; 69(27):864-869.View Related Profiles. PMID: 32644981; PMCID: PMC7727597; DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6927a3;
     
  10. Lasser KE, Buitron de la Vega P, Ashe EM, Xuan Z, Alva S, Battisti L, Losi S, Sieber C, Richards C, Sullivan P, Triscari L, Brody L, Roth MT, LeBlanc A, Silverstein M. A pharmacy liaison-patient navigation intervention to reduce inpatient and emergency department utilization among primary care patients in a Medicaid accountable care organization: A pragmatic trial protocol. Contemp Clin Trials. 2020 07; 94:106046.View Related Profiles. PMID: 32485325; DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2020.106046;
     
Showing 10 of 86 results. Show More

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

Bar chart showing 86 publications over 21 distinct years, with a maximum of 8 publications in 2008 and 2018 and 2020

YearPublications
20001
20023
20031
20053
20062
20074
20088
20096
20105
20112
20123
20131
20143
20156
20165
20177
20188
20194
20208
20215
20221


Medicaid Expansion Did Not Decrease Racial Segregation in U.S. Hospitals

HealthCity 7/15/2021

Is Implicit Bias Harming Hospital Integration, Health Equity Efforts?

Patient Engagement HIT 7/6/2021

Study: Medicaid expansion didn't lead to changes in hospitalizations in safety-net facilities

Fierce Healthcare 7/1/2021

Reddit support groups are a safety net for the laid-off and uninsured

Daily Dot 5/3/2021

How Accurate Are Social Determinants of Health Screenings?

Patient Engagement HIT 2/26/2020

Hospitals May Be Missing This Social Determinant of Health, Study Suggests

Becker's Hospital Review 2/25/2020

Boston Medical Center's EHR-Based Screening Tool Identifies 16% of Patients' Social Determinant Needs

Becker's Hospital Review 2/24/2020

Clinic-Based Screening Tools Don’t Capture Full Scope of Utilities Insecurity

HealthCity 2/20/2020

Charles River, Medical Campus Faculty Promoted to Full Professor

BU Today 2/11/2019

2010 Society of General Internal Medicine, Distinguished Professor Program: Best Oral Presentation
2010 Johns Hopkins School of Medicine: Honorable Mention for Research Achievement in Health Services and Outcomes Research
2009 Johns Hopkins School of Medicine: Daniel Ford Award for Research Achievement in Health Services and Outcomes Research
2009 Boston University School of Medicine: Honorable Mention for Best Poster, Evans Department of Medicine Research Days
2004 Harvard Medical School: Scholars in Medicine Award
2003-2012 Who’s Who in Health Care and Medicine
2003-2012 Who’s Who in Executives and Professionals
1998 Boston Medical Center: R. Knight Steele Award for Excellence in Geriatric Clinical Medicine
1998-2001 Harvard Medical School: HRSA Institutional National Research Service Award
1995 American Medical Student Association: International Medicine Fellowship
1995 Cornell University Medical College: Milton A. Rosenbluth International Medicine Fellowship
In addition to these self-described keywords below, a list of MeSH based concepts is available here.

Diabetes
Health Care Disparities
Hepatitis C
Prescription opioid use
Quality of Care
Smoking cessation

I am available to serve as a career and/or research mentor to trainees at the undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate levels.

Available to Mentor as: (Review Mentor Role Definitions):
  • Advisor
  • Career Mentor
  • Co-Mentor or Peer Mentor
  • Project Mentor
  • Research / Scholarly Mentor
  • Work / Life Integration Mentor
Contact for Mentoring:

801 Massachusetts Ave Crosstown Center
Boston MA 02118
Google Map

617.414.6688
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