Health Equity

Ensuring that all patients and families have fair access to care and opportunities to thrive.

Investigators

Anurekha Hall, MD, MS

Assistant Professor

Bio: Dr. Hall is a pediatric oncologist at Seattle Children’s Hospital and assistant professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine. She grew up in the Bay Area, received her undergraduate degree in biology from Northwestern University and then moved to Phoenix to teach second grade for two years through Teach for America. She received her medical degree from the University of Toledo College of Medicine, completed her pediatrics residency at Stanford University and moved to Seattle to complete her pediatric hematology oncology fellowship. Dr. Hall is a pediatric oncologist in the Cancer and Blood Disorders Center and the quality medical director of the Immune Effector Cell Program. She primarily cares for children being treated for leukemia or lymphoma and for children receiving chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapies. Her research focuses on disparities in pediatric oncology, with a particular interest in disparities in access to, and outcomes in, advanced therapies that are only offered at limited sites, such as CAR-T cells and phase 1 clinical trials.

Research interests: Disparities in outcomes; disparities in access to care, specifically in access to advanced treatment modalities only offered at limited sites

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Kristine Karvonen, MD, MS

Acting Instructor

Bio: Dr. Kristine Karvonen is a pediatric hematologist/oncologist and investigator with a research focus on social drivers of racial and ethnic inequities, including racism and social determinants of health. Dr. Karvonen plans to deploy anti-racist, community-engaged interventions to improve the experience of patients and families from marginalized racial and ethnic groups and to correct outcome inequities. Dr. Karvonen received her medical degree at University of Virginia, residency and fellowship at University of Washington, and additional training in health equity at the Child Health Equity Research Program for Postdoctoral Fellows (CHERPP-T) and Master in Science in Epidemiology with a focus on Clinical and Translational Research at University of Washington. She is an attending physician in the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders with a focus in oncology and sickle cell disease.

Research interests: Racism, racial and ethnic inequities, health equity, diversity, equity and inclusion, pediatric oncology

Melissa Martos, MD

Fellow

Bio: Dr. Martos is a pediatric oncology fellow, as well as a Health Services and Quality of Care research fellow. She is investigating disparities in oncology communication based on patient language of care. She ultimately aims to partner with community groups to research interventions that improve quality of care for those that prefer a language other than English. Dr. Martos studied environmental science at UC Berkeley prior to earning her medical degree at UC San Francisco. She then completed pediatrics residency at the University of Washington & Seattle Children's Hospital and has continued on for fellowship. Her prior work includes clinic management and improvement and health equity education.

Research interests: Language equity, communication, quality improvement

Tim Ohlsen, MD, MS

Acting Instructor

Bio: Dr. Ohlsen is a pediatric oncologist and researcher interested in examining and alleviating financial toxicity—the financial challenges that patients and families face as a result of their cancer. He also conducts research related to geographic disparities, economic analysis, and oncology supportive care. Dr. Ohlsen earned his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine before completing a residency in pediatrics at the University of Utah. He then completed fellowship training in pediatric hematology/oncology at the University of Washington & Seattle Children's Hospital. Clinically, he cares for children with cancer and blood disorders with a focus on solid tumors.

Research interests: Financial toxicity, geographic disparities, measure development

NCBI My Bibliography