Coalition to End Racism in Clinical Algorithms (CERCA)
The NYC Coalition to End Racism in Clinical Algorithms (CERCA) was formed to end the inclusion of race adjustment in clinical algorithms. Clinicians use clinical algorithms to guide their decision-making in the medical care of patients. Clinical algorithms using race norming, or race adjustment, often negatively impact the treatment and care for people of color.
The nine health system members of CERCA have pledged to end race adjustment in one of three race-based clinical algorithms.
Inaugural Report
The CERCA annual report captures the theoretical frameworks and background research related to race modifiers in clinical algorithms, analytic approaches for prospective assessment and redress of race-adjusted algorithms, early feedback on barriers and facilitators from our health systems stakeholders, and future directions for ending racism in clinical algorithms in New York City and beyond.
Read the Inaugural CERCA Report (PDF).
CERCA Members
- Maimonides Medical Center
- Montefiore Medical Center
- Mt. Sinai Health System
- SBH Health System
- NewYork-Presbytarian
- Northwell Health
- NYC Health + Hospitals
- One Brooklyn Health
- SUNY Downstate
Advisory Council Members
- Ayrenne Adams, MD MPH
- Salman Ahmed, MD, MPH
- Leo Eisenstein, MD
- Arielle Elmaleh-Sachs, MD
- Nwamaka D. Eneanya, MD, MPH
- Sophia Kostelanetz, MD, MPH
- Duncan Maru, MD, PhD
- Marie Plaisime, PhD, MPH
- Jennifer Tsai, MD, M.Ed
Meeting Materials
- CERCA Meeting 11 Presentation (PDF, August 2023)
- CERCA Meeting 10 Presentation (PDF, June 2023)
- CERCA Meeting 9 Presentation (PDF, March 2023)
- CERCA Meeting 7 Presentation (PDF, November 2022)
- CERCA Meeting 6 Presentation (PDF, September 2022)
- CERCA Meeting 5 Presentation (PDF, July 2022)
- CERCA Meeting 4 Presentation (PDF, May 2022)
- CERCA Meeting 3 Presentation (PDF, March 2022)
- CERCA Meeting 2 Presentation (PDF, January 2022)
- CERCA Meeting 1 Presentation (PDF, November 2021)
Additional CERCA Resources
Additional Resources
Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate
Vaginal Birth After Cesarean
- Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (PDF)
- Challenging the Use of Race in the Vaginal Birth after Cesarean Section Calculator
- ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 205: Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Delivery
- Prediction of vaginal birth after cesarean delivery in term gestations: a calculator without race and ethnicity
- Racial/Ethnic Differences in Socioeconomic Status and Medical Correlates of Trial of Labor After Cesarean and Vaginal Birth After Cesarean
Pulmonary Function Tests
- Pulmonary Function Tests (PDF)
- World Lung Day 2022: Open Letter to American Thoracic Society to End Race Adjustment in Spirometry Testing (PDF)
- Race, ethnicity and lung function: A brief history
- The Impact of Race Correction on the Interpretation of Pulmonary Function Testing Among Black Patients (PDF)
- Addressing Race in Pulmonary Function Testing by Aligning Intent and Evidence With Practice and Perception
- Removal of “Race Correction” in Pulmonary Function Tests Shows More Prevalent and Severe Lung Disease Among Black Patients
Additional AAMC Anti-Racism Resources
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Competencies Across the Learning Continuum
- Constructing an Equitable, Inclusive and Anti-racist Learning Environment: Call for Anti-Racist Medical Education Resources
- MedEdPORTAL: Anti-racism in Medicine Collection
- Addressing Race and Racism in Medical Education
- The AAMC has developed two new resource collections in its Virtual Communities. The first is a collection describing the importance of community engagement to advance health equity and improve population health. The second is a set of faculty resources to support anti-racist curriculum design and teaching practices in medical education. A free log-in is required to access the content. Read more about the AAMC’s Community Collaboration efforts and anti-racism.