# Adoption of E2PLUS tools and resources to promote the development of institutional capacity for patient-centered and community-engaged research at a cancer center

## TL;DR

This paper describes how a cancer center used the E2PLUS program to build institutional capacity for patient-centered and community-engaged research.

## Contribution

The paper presents a novel approach to institutionalizing health equity strategies through multi-institutional collaboration and community engagement.

## Key findings

- The Champion Team identified four strategies to address institutional health inequities.
- The Consortium lacked centralized resources for patient-centered and community-engaged research.
- E2PLUS provided technical assistance to develop health equity infrastructure in Washington.

## Abstract

The Fred Hutch/University of Washington/Seattle Children’s Cancer Consortium’s (Consortium) Office of Community Outreach & Engagement (OCOE) joined Stanford Medicine and Morehouse School of Medicine in implementing Engage for Equity Plus (E2PLUS), a multi-institutional community of practice to learn and share patient-centered and community-engaged research (P/CEnR) practices. University of New Mexico (UNM) facilitated this collaboration.

The Consortium formed a Champion Team of 12 people who participated in two virtual workshops facilitated by UNM. Consortium executive leadership (n = 4) participated in interviews, and investigators (n = 4) and community members/patient advocates (n = 8) participated in focus groups to provide institutional context regarding P/CEnR. This is a paper on the process and findings.

Through E2PLUS engagement, the Champion Team identified four strategies to address institutional health inequities: 1) increase participation of underrepresented groups at all levels of institutional leadership and advisory boards; 2) create an Office of Patient Engagement to train and support patients who participate in institutional initiatives and advise research teams; 3) expand community engagement training, resources, and institutional commitment to focus on community-identified social and health needs; and 4) establish an umbrella entity for health equity efforts across the Consortium.

While the Consortium had longstanding community advisory boards and faculty and staff with P/CEnR expertise, it did not have centralized and institutionally supported P/CEnR resources, policies, and infrastructure. By participating in E2PLUS, the Champion Team received technical assistance to leverage qualitative data to influence strategies to guide the development of Consortium health equity infrastructure and capacity for P/CEnR in Washington.