Mile Square Health Center Featured by CBS News Chicago for Smart PSA Study
Friday, July 17, 2026
Mile Square Health Center was recently featured in a CBS News Chicago report highlighting the success of the Smart PSA initiative, an evidence-based approach to prostate cancer screening designed to improve early detection among individuals at increased risk.
The study, published in the journal Cancer, evaluated the implementation of a risk-adapted prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening protocol across the Mile Square Health Center network. Researchers found the approach significantly increased PSA screening while improving the detection of clinically significant prostate cancers, particularly among Black men, who face disproportionately higher rates of prostate cancer incidence and mortality.
The collaborative study brought together investigators from the University of Illinois Cancer Center, UI Health, and Mile Square Health Center. Karriem Watson, DHSc, MS, MPH, CEO of Mile Square Health Center, was featured in the CBS News Chicago report highlighting the impact of the research and its potential to improve prostate cancer screening in community health settings.
Nathan Stackhouse, MD, MPH, Chief Medical and Quality Officer, and Nicole Gastala, MD, Chief of Integrated Behavioral Health and Addiction, served as co-authors of the published study, representing Mile Square Health Center among the multidisciplinary team of investigators.
The Smart PSA initiative demonstrates how community-based primary care can help reduce disparities in prostate cancer outcomes by integrating personalized, evidence-based screening into routine clinical care and expanding access to early detection for patients at elevated risk.
