Alisa Khan

Dr. Alisa Khan is an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and a pediatric hospitalist at Boston Children's Hospital (BCH), where she also directs the Program for Language Equity within the Division of General Pediatrics. Her work focuses on improving family engagement in hospital communication, patient safety, and addressing healthcare disparities, particularly for patients with limited English proficiency. Dr. Khan leads major studies such as the AHRQ-funded I-SHARE and PCORI-funded I-PASS LISTEN initiatives, which aim to enhance safety and equity in pediatric care through family-centered approaches and language-inclusive communication.

Education:

• B.A., Harvard College (2005)
• M.D., University of Michigan Medical School (2009)
• M.P.H., Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (2014)
• Pediatric residency and fellowship in health services research at Johns Hopkins and BCH, respectively.

Research Interests:

• Family partnerships in hospital safety and communication
• Language equity in healthcare delivery
• Healthcare disparities affecting non-English-speaking families
• Structured communication tools like the I-PASS system

Her research has demonstrated that families with limited English proficiency face higher rates of adverse events, prompting interventions like multilingual safety reporting systems and culturally adapted care materials.

Grants & Awards:

• AHRQ R01 grant (I-SHARE study)
• PCORI funding (I-PASS LISTEN study)
• Support from the Charles H. Hood Foundation and others

Labs/Teams: Leads the Khan Lab at BCH and oversees the Program for Language Equity, fostering research, education, and advocacy to eliminate language barriers in healthcare.