Alfaurys Rosario, M.B.B.S, CCRC, Clinical Research Coordinator, discusses opportunities to expand clinical research engagement with the local Hispanic community in Lawrence and Methuen, Massachusetts.
- Tell us about your role and how you interact with patients.
As a Clinical Research Coordinator, my job is to explain all study-related information to patients and coordinate all the activities and services that patients need. In simple words, I am the link between medical staff, the sponsor, our facilities, and the patients we serve.
- In your experience, how does Alcanza deliver inclusive clinical research, across all patient populations, including those who have been traditionally under-served?
Alcanza provides a variety of clinical trials (like vaccines and diabetes) that are intended to serve diverse populations. We help deliver inclusive research by hiring staff members from different backgrounds and cultures to nourish knowledge and represent the melting pot country that is the United States of America.
- How important is having staff members (especially those who are responsible for patient care) who speak Spanish?
By having bilingual staff members, patients feel more comfortable expressing themselves properly. Some expressions can be lost in translation, and many patients identify better with staff who speak their primary language.
- In your interactions with Hispanic patients, have you witnessed any specific challenges faced by this group with clinical trial access, or challenges with participation?
The most common challenge is to bring patients to our sites. Most of our community residents do not have enough information about research, primarily because there is no research culture in Latin American countries.
- Hispanic populations are about 50% more likely to suffer from diabetes or liver disease than white populations. How can clinical research play a role in reducing these health disparities?
Research trials provide resources and tools to help reduce the distress of chronic medical conditions like diabetes. These patients can benefit from free medical care and, most important, counseling on how to treat the severe manifestations of their clinical conditions.
- What opportunities do you see for Alcanza to get more involved in the local Hispanic community to increase their knowledge and involvement in clinical research?
We can bring information to local community organizations, events, and targeted media channels. In fact, the local radio station across the street from our Methuen practice is one of the largest Hispanic radio stations in the Merrimack Valley and is an excellent resource for reaching the local Hispanic community.
Alfaurys Rosario, M.B.B.S, CCRC, Clinical Research Coordinator
ActivMed Practices & Research, LLC
