Renda S. Wiener, MD, MPH
Professor, Medicine

Biography
I am a pulmonary and critical care physician, health services researcher, and implementation scientist. The goal of my research is to improve how patients, families, and doctors understand, discuss, and make decisions about medical care. Based on my clinical work, I understand why doctors are eager for new strategies to improve patient outcomes. However, we have a tendency to adopt strategies when there is still limited knowledge of the benefits or possible harms. It is essential that we understand these effects before exposing our patients to the iatrogenic harms that may result from overly aggressive management.
My research has focused on two core areas:
1) Identifying and de-implementing low-value care in pulmonary and critical care medicine,
2) Defining and implementing patient-centered strategies to optimize the ratio of benefits to harms in lung cancer screening and evaluation of potentially malignant pulmonary nodules.
I have received grant funding from the NIH, VA HSR&D, VA QUERI, Department of Defense, PCORI, and several foundations to study these issues, and have co-chaired or participated in several clinical practice guidelines and policy statements to improve the quality, value, and patient-centeredness of care.
Other Positions
- Member, Pulmonary Center, Boston University
- Member, Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research, Boston University
- Boston Medical Center
- VA Boston Healthcare System
Education
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, MD
- Dartmouth College, MPH
- Harvard College, AB
Publications
- Published on 6/24/2023
Gould MK, Creekmur B, Qi L, Golden SE, Kaplan CP, Walter E, Mularski RA, Vaszar LT, Fennig K, Steiner J, de Bie E, Musigdilok VV, Altman DA, Dyer DS, Kelly K, Miglioretti DL, Wiener RS, Slatore CG, Smith-Bindman R. Emotional Distress, Anxiety, and General Health Status in Patients With Small Pulmonary Nodules Shortly After Their Identification: Results From the Watch the Spot Trial. Chest. 2023 Jun 24. PMID: 37356710.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 6/23/2023
Anderson E, Wiener RS, Molloy-Paolillo B, McCullough M, Kim B, Harris JI, Rinne ST, Elwy AR, Bokhour BG. Using a person-centered approach in clinical care for patients with complex chronic conditions: Perspectives from healthcare professionals caring for Veterans with COPD in the U.S. Veterans Health Administration's Whole Health System of Care. PLoS One. 2023; 18(6):e0286326. PMID: 37352241.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 5/26/2023
Carter-Bawa L, Banerjee SC, Comer RS, Kale MS, King JC, Leopold KT, Monahan PO, Ostroff JS, Slaven JE, Valenzona F, Wiener RS, Rawl SM. Leveraging social media to increase lung cancer screening awareness, knowledge and uptake among high-risk populations (The INSPIRE-Lung Study): study protocol of design and methods of a community-based randomized controlled trial. BMC Public Health. 2023 May 26; 23(1):975. PMID: 37237339.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 5/22/2023
Lewis JA, Samuels LR, Weems J, Park D, Winter R, Lindsell CJ, Callaway-Lane C, Audet C, Slatore CG, Wiener RS, Dittus RS, Kripalani S, Yankelevitz DF, Henschke CI, Moghanaki D, Matheny ME, Vogus TJ, Roumie CL, Spalluto LB. The Association of Organizational Readiness With Lung Cancer Screening Utilization. Am J Prev Med. 2023 May 22. PMID: 37224985.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 5/11/2023
Booras A, Wiener RS, Maccarone J, Stokes AC, Fetterman JL, Hamburg NM, Singh J, Bulekova K, Kathuria H. A Longitudinal Study of Perceptions of the Massachusetts Menthol Ban and Its Impact on Smoking Behaviors among Marginalized Individuals. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 May 11; 20(10). PMID: 37239518.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 5/9/2023
Núñez ER, Slatore CG, Tanner NT, Melzer AC, Crothers KA, Lewis JA, Fabbrini AE, Brown JK, Wiener RS. National Survey of Lung Cancer Screening Practices in Veterans Health Administration Facilities. Am J Prev Med. 2023 May 09. PMID: 37169315.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 5/4/2023
Carter-Bawa L, Banerjee SC, Ostroff JS, Kale MS, King JC, Leopold KT, Monahan PO, Slaven JE, Wiener RS, Valenzona F, Rawl SM, Comer RS. Leveraging social media to increase lung cancer screening awareness, knowledge and uptake among high-risk populations (The INSPIRE-Lung Study): Study protocol of design and methods of a community-based randomized controlled trial. Res Sq. 2023 May 04. PMID: 37205569.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 5/2/2023
Kearney LE, Butler C, Nunez ER, Qian S, Slatore CG, Spalluto L, Wiener RS. Highly variable reporting of incidental findings in a national cohort of US veterans screened for lung cancer. Clin Imaging. 2023 Aug; 100:21-23. PMID: 37146522.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 5/1/2023
Sandler KL, Henry TS, Amini A, Elojeimy S, Kelly AM, Kuzniewski CT, Lee E, Martin MD, Morris MF, Peterson NB, Raptis CA, Silvestri GA, Sirajuddin A, Tong BC, Wiener RS, Witt LJ, Donnelly EF. ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Lung Cancer Screening: 2022 Update. J Am Coll Radiol. 2023 May; 20(5S):S94-S101. PMID: 37236754.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 3/21/2023
Mesfin N, Wormwood J, Wiener RS, Still M, Xu CS, Palmer J, Linsky AM. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Providing Recommendations During Goals-of-Care Conversations: A Multisite Survey. J Palliat Med. 2023 Mar 21. PMID: 36944150.
Read at: PubMed
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