A crisis on top of a crisis: COVID-19 and the opioid epidemic
February 16, 2021 - For people struggling with opioid use disorder, the COVID-19 pandemic has posed challenges at every turn. Michael Barnett, assistant professor of health policy and management at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, discussed…
Secret shopper study raises concerns about cost, recruitment tactics of addiction treatment programs
An audit of more than 600 residential care programs for opioid use disorder raised concerns about high costs and misleading recruitment practices by the programs, according to new research from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The…
‘Go find dental floss!’
During the pandemic, Harvard Chan School's Department of Health Policy and Management got creative with virtual programming to keep faculty, staff, and students feeling connected.
The Connected Crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic has inspired new research directions across the School
Nursing homes face staff, equipment shortages during pandemic
Roughly 20% of nursing homes in the U.S. have faced severe shortages of personal protective equipment and staff during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new study.
Opinion: Pandemic shows that ‘visiting’ the doctor online works just fine
The coronavirus pandemic has forced much of primary care medicine online—and that’s a good thing, according to health policy expert and primary care physician Michael Barnett. “It took a pandemic to get there, but COVID-19 is giving us…
Telemedicine use surging in coronavirus pandemic
As people avoid hospitals and doctors’ offices to slow the spread of coronavirus, they’re increasingly using telemedicine—virtual connection with medical professionals via mobile devices or computer—according to a March 19, 2020 WGBH story. Several large telehealth companies are…
Will coronavirus boost prominence of telemedicine?
Only about 10% of Americans have actually used telemedicine for virtual visits with their doctors. But the spread of COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus, could change that, according to a March 3, 2020 Time article.…
Strong link found between auto plant closures and spike in opioid deaths
Auto plant closures were associated with a dramatic increase in opioid overdose deaths across the U.S. South and Midwest, according to a recent study. The study looked at opioid-related deaths from 1999 to 2016 in 112 counties near…
Study finds recent legislation improving access to treatment for opioid use disorder
A federal policy aimed at improving access in rural areas to buprenorphine, a key medication for treating opioid use disorder, appears to be working, according to new research led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Known…