Cardiologist Dr. Paul Chan's Study Making National Headlines

A recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine and co-authored by Saint Luke’s Health System‘s Paul S. Chan, M.D., is making national headlines on CNN, news radio, and other major outlets.

A comprehensive review of data showed Black and Hispanic individuals had 26% lower odds for receiving bystander CPR at home compared to White individuals and 37% lower odds of bystander CPR in public. These disparities remained regardless of neighborhood and type of public setting.

Paul Chan, MD

St. Luke’s Cardiology

“These results were important to understand and likely emblematic of other larger social issues that affect health care and treatment,” Dr. Chan said in a St. Luke’s news release. “In cardiac arrest, you depend on bystanders to respond. Without them, the likelihood of surviving before first responders and paramedics arrive are substantially lower. That’s why this study really brings to light challenges with structural and individual bias that we, as a society, have to confront that may not be as prominent with other medical conditions.”

Dr. Chan has over 90 peer-reviewed publications, serves on multiple national committees for the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, and is an internationally renowned for his work on cardiac arrest, quality and appropriateness of care, and disparities in care. He has a particular interest in studying the care of traditionally vulnerable populations (e.g., minorities, uninsured patients). He has received numerous awards for his research.

Learn more about this study and the research team’s findings in the news release from St. Luke’s Health System.

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Letter from the President 2025

January 6, 2025

I consider it a sincere honor to serve as president of the Kansas City Medical Society this year. As we look forward to this new year, we celebrate our previous accomplishments and look for new ways to meet the challenges of our ever-changing healthcare environment. As we recognize our recent successes, I want to take the opportunity to thank Dr. Greg Unruh, our immediate past president, for his excellent leadership, and I look forward to his continued partnership, providing much-needed wisdom and experience to our board of directors as well as a leadership council. I am also deeply appreciative of Micah Flint, our executive director, now in his third year with the Society. As a board, we are prioritizing key areas where we believe the Society can make a difference for physicians and the communities we serve. With this in mind, we will continue our focus on wellness, advocacy, and expand our opportunities for in person social and educational gatherings. Our journal connects us in a variety of valuable ways, and we will continue its publication and expand its distribution. Under the directorship of Karole Bradford, the Society’s Foundation continues to do invaluable work. We celebrate those accomplishments and the charitable care they provide to our community’s vulnerable population. We are grateful for our individual members and corporate sponsors and welcome your suggestions of how the Society can best serve physicians and our community. Please mark your calendar for the Society’s upcoming events and consider inviting physician colleagues to join you as we gather to learn and support one another.