Brigham and Women’s Hospital names inaugural DEI vice chair in department of surgery
Rian M. Hasson, MD, MPH, FACS, has been named the inaugural vice chair of diversity, equity and inclusion in the department of surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Hasson, also an associate surgeon in the division of thoracic surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, previously served as director of the Lung Cancer Screening Program and the founding co-director of the Lung Health and Pulmonary Nodule Clinic at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, according to a press release.
Her clinical focus is on the surgical treatment of lung, mediastinal and esophageal malignancies, particularly tailoring care to the unique health needs of underserved communities.
As a health services researcher, Hasson investigated barriers and facilitators to lung cancer screening across rural U.S. areas via a mobile screening program. Her current research efforts aim to extend this research to urban communities across Boston, with a specific focus on addressing lung cancer disparities among Black/African American/Caribbean populations.
Hasson is board certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. She additionally serves on various boards and committees, including the Women in Thoracic Surgery (WTS) Board of Directors, the Society of Black Academic Surgeons (SBAS) Women in Surgery Committee, the SBAS Research and Education Committee, the Society of Thoracic Surgery (STS) Mentorship Committee, and is the WTS representative to the STS Taskforce on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
“I am deeply honored to have been chosen as the first vice chair for diversity, equity, and inclusion at Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s surgery department. I applaud our department and hospital leaders for recognizing the need for such a crucial role, and I am thankful for the chance to lead in this area,” Hasson told Healio. “We recognize the connection between how patients access care, their health outcomes, and our dedication to promoting health equity and a sense of belonging.”
In her new role as vice chair, Hasson will continue to cultivate a supportive work environment for faculty and trainees that emphasizes inclusion and belonging, and prioritizes health equity to enhance patient access and outcomes.
Her new initiatives will include establishing a departmental diversity, equity and inclusion council to promote inclusion and belonging among physicians, as well as the implementation of a health equity mission, ensuring that recruitment and retention practices for faculty and trainees foster diversity and inclusive excellence, promoting collaboration across departments and building community partnerships to reinforce the departmental commitment to culturally sensitive health care delivery, according to the release.
“I am excited to roll out initiatives aimed at improving our recruitment and retention of faculty and trainees, building a more inclusive and welcoming environment for our staff and the communities we care for, and reinforcing our pledge to ensure health equity in all things surgical — particularly for those most in need,” Hasson said.