Kurt C. Stange, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Family Medicine, Epidemiology & Biostatistics, and Sociology and Oncology at Case Western Reserve University and Associate Director of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, has been named an American Cancer Society Clinical Research Professor. The honor includes a five-year, $400,000 renewable grant to further Dr. Stange’s innovative research in the interface between primary care, specialty care, health care systems and community groups and agencies.
Dr. Stange becomes a member in the elite group of 11 American Cancer Society Clinical Research Professors. “With its Clinical Research Professorship, the ACS recognizes established investigators in mid-career who have made seminal contributions that have changed the direction of clinical, psychosocial, behavioral, health policy or epidemiologic cancer research. The caliber of scientists receiving this award is unsurpassed, as exemplified by the naming of Dr. Stange," said John Stevens, MD, Vice President for Extramural Grants for the American Cancer Society.
Building on his and colleagues’ prior studies, Dr. Stange will use the flexible grant to support work to identify emerging models that enable personalized, integrated care from prevention to early detection, treatment and cancer survivorship.
“The Professorship provides an opportunity to discover how health care can be made to work better, by studying exemplars – innovators who have found a better way. We will study and tell the story of innovative practices and their affiliated health care systems and community partners,” said Dr. Stange. “We use comparative case studies to discover overarching lessons from innovative approaches at local medical practices, particularly in the area of cancer prevention and early detection, and then implement them in many other medical practices. Our goal is to transform health care in a practical way, for all Americans.”
Dr. Stange, who is also a practicing physician in the Department of Family Medicine at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland and has served as Associate Director for Prevention Research at the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, credits the American Cancer Society, his colleagues in the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center and the multi-site Center for Research in Family Medicine and Primary Care, for making this opportunity possible.
“This work is highly collaborative. Clinicians, their patients and practice partners in our participating practice-based research networks have played key roles in helping to understand how healthcare and health can be enhanced in the real world,” Dr. Stange said. “The American Cancer Society is making a strong commitment not only to cancer, but to understanding and improving the primary care and health care system infrastructure that is needed for equitable, sustainable, personalized high quality health care.”
The highly competitive award was one of only two given to over 30 Ohio-based physician applicants. “It was a joy to meet with the review group who interviewed the entire Department of Family Medicine during the evaluation of Dr. Stange. They could not have been more pleased with his accomplishments in the area of cancer prevention,” stated Stan Gerson, MD, Director of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Ireland Cancer Center of University Hospitals Case Medical Center.
“We are proud of Dr. Stange’s achievements and his scholarly work in advancing the prevention and population-based science of cancer. This is the first time a primary care physician has received this prestigious award from the American Cancer Society. “We are thrilled that Dr. Stange has the support of the ACS to advance his research. He is an outstanding investigator who has energized the entire department,” said George Kikano, MD, CPE, Professor and Chairman, Department of Family Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and University Hospitals Case Medical Center.