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Proposed merger of Partners, Harvard Pilgrim raises more questions than answers
A proposed merger between Partners Health Care, Massachusetts’ largest hospital network, and Harvard Pilgrim, one of the state’s major insurers, may cut costs for the companies but that doesn’t necessarily mean that savings will be passed onto consumers…
Medicare program linked with reduced black-white disparities in hospital readmissions
For immediate release: April 2, 2018 Boston, MA – A Medicare program that penalizes hospitals for high readmission rates was associated with a narrowing of readmission disparities between black and white patients and between minority-serving hospitals and other…
Prices of labor, prices of pharmaceuticals, and administrative costs are the key drivers of high U.S. healthcare spending
For immediate release: March 13, 2018 Boston, MA – The major drivers of high healthcare costs in the U.S. appear to be higher prices for nearly everything—from physician and hospital services to diagnostic tests to pharmaceuticals—and administrative complexity.…
Doctors often underestimate the addictiveness of opioids
Physicians often underestimate the addictiveness of opioids when writing prescriptions for patients, Atul Gawande, professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and director of Ariadne Labs, said at…
Students take deep dive into field of telemental health
March 2, 2018 – If a psychiatrist meets with a patient “virtually,” through videoconferencing, can privacy be assured? Do insurance companies reimburse for virtual visits? How would those rates compare with face-to-face visits? What are the federal and…
Bernard Lown inspires young physician as patient
Treating renowned cardiologist and Emeritus Professor Bernard Lown while he was hospitalized for pneumonia proved transformative for a young physician.
How Hurricane Maria caused U.S. IV bag shortage
U.S. hospitals are facing widespread shortages of IV bags in the wake of Hurricane Maria, which damaged and temporarily shut down several Puerto Rico factories owned by a major manufacturer of the bags. IV bags, used to mix…
Commentary: Emergency room doctors urged to take more steps to prevent opioid overdoses
People with opioid withdrawal symptoms who seek help at a hospital emergency room often are referred to a psychological counseling program first instead of being treated with a medication, wrote Jun Nakagawa, a doctoral candidate at Harvard T.H.…
Do hospitals really need so many beds?
For many hospital patients—such as someone recovering from hip surgery, or a woman in labor—bedrest is not necessarily the best thing for health. Yet most hospitals are designed with a focus on beds. In a November 8, 2017…
How labor ward culture can increase C-sections
Rates of cesarean deliveries in the U.S. have remained stubbornly high over the past decade, making up close to a third of all births, and cesarean rates vary widely from hospital to hospital. Recent studies suggest that staff…