Top Diversity Leaders in Healthcare - 2021

Concerned about disparities emerging among Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders after an intracerebral hemorrhage, Nakagawa embarked on research to understand what was happening. The patient population was typically included with Asians as a racial category, which could mask outcomes disparities. His team studied stroke disparities and has published more than 16 research studies on the topic, raising the issue to a national level. He also led efforts to create a statewide telestroke program in Hawaii, forming a network of nine hospitals that deliver stroke care, six of which are in rural communities.