SOAR (Surgical Outcomes Analysis & Research) Initiative

Understanding the root causes of inequities in surgical care has long been a priority for the Department of Surgery at Boston Medical Center (BMC). As part of an urban, safety-net hospital serving a racially/ethnically diverse and largely economically disadvantaged patient population, the department is well-positioned to conduct surgical disparities research.

The Surgical Outcomes Analysis & Research (SOAR) initiative is focused on investigating inequalities in care and on developing and evaluating measures designed to ensure that all patients have access to high-quality surgical care.

SOAR’s goal is to determine where improvements can be made to ensure that all patients, regardless of race or ethnicity, birthplace, or economic circumstances have equal access to high-quality surgical care, resulting in the best possible outcomes. The SOAR team utilizes national health service and administrative databases, as well as institutional databases, to investigate and address factors contributing to healthcare disparities and disease outcomes.