MDCalc Statement on Race in Medical Calculators

MDCalc Awarded Doris Duke Foundation Grant to Assess Algorithmic Bias and Fairness

ENGAGE initiative unites CMSS, MDCalc, NEJM, and ACTS to accelerate adoption of modern methodologies for evaluating race in clinical decision tools.

MDCalc has launched a new non-profit known as MDCalc Institute, which is now a partner in  ENGAGE: Eliminating Bias in Next-Generation Algorithm Guidance and Evaluation, a $2.6million initiative coordinated by the Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS) and funded by the Doris Duke Foundation. ENGAGE unites partner organizations CMSS, MDCalc, New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), and Association for Clinical and Translational Science (ACTS), to accelerate field-wide adoption of modern methodologies in the consideration of race in clinical equations.

“MDCalc’s Quality Rating System (QRS) provides an important precedent for this work, as it was the first of its kind to establish a pragmatic, clinician-facing system to rigorously assess algorithmic bias and fairness,” said Shazia Siddique, MD, MSHP, Chief Medical Officer of MDCalc and ENGAGE Partner Lead.  “The QRS comprehensively assesses tools in their scientific soundness, clinical relevance, and usability and feasibility, and recognizes the importance of surfacing potential bias that may be embedded in algorithms.”

ENGAGE will further this work through a coordinated, evidence-based effort spanning the scientific, clinical, and publishing communities. MDCalc’s leadership in ENGAGE is evident, as MDCalc brings together national experts as part of their team, including Shazia Siddique MD MS, Tracy Wolff MD MPH, Jennifer S. Lin MD MCR, and David Kent MD MS, culminating in over $1million of funding– the largest amount allocated for an individual partner in ENGAGE.

The ENGAGE initiative will pursue three core objectives:

• Engage a broad community of scientists and clinicians with the expertise and influence to shape how clinical algorithms are developed, taught, and implemented across the field.
• Assess, identify, and prioritize high-impact clinical algorithms for redesign, and invite researchers nationwide to propose evidence-based approaches to revision.
• Equip clinician-scientists, researchers, and data scientists with practical tools and shared standards for evaluating the role of race in clinical decision-making, while updating methodological guidance for scientific and medical journals.

“MDCalc is proud to work alongside thought leaders and organizations across medicine to promote modern methodologies in clinical algorithm development,” said Joseph Habboushe MD MBA, Cofounder and CEO of MDCalc.  “This is how we’ve always worked for the past 20 years - embracing the academic and clinical communities to find better ways to help clinicians help patients.”

“Increasingly clinical algorithms are becoming part of the infrastructure of healthcare, and are embedded in workflows, including in electronic health records and AI,” added MDCalc Cofounder Graham Walker MD.  “For decades, race has been included in clinical equations but often used as a surrogate or shortcut for other factors.  When this gets automated, it scales impact- which is why this work is so important.  We are so excited to help move this work forward for science and for our users.”