Dr. Vikas Saini: COVID-19 could be an opportunity to fix our fragmented health care system
The COVID-19 pandemic has uncovered "fault lines" in the health care system that need to change. One of these major fault lines is fragmentation. More
Elective surgeries continue at some US hospitals during coronavirus outbreak despite supply and safety worries
Hospitals including University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami as of Friday were still doing elective surgeries. More
Some Hospitals Continue With Elective Surgeries Despite COVID-19 Crisis
Across the nation, hospitals, nurses and physicians are sending out desperate pleas for donations of personal protective gear as supplies dwindle in the regions that have emerged as hot spots for the fast-spreading new coronavirus. More
Banks Pressure Health Care Firms to Raise Prices on Critical Drugs, Medical Supplies for Coronavirus
Investment bankers have been candid about the opportunity to raise drug prices on critical drugs and medical supplies. More
Total Cost of Her COVID-19 Treatment: $34,927.43
Getting hospitalized in the U.S. for COVID-19 may cost thousands. How much of that you'll pay depends on your insurance. More
VCU Health Halts 30-Year Campaign That Seized Patients’ Wages, Put Liens On Homes
In one of the most sweeping moves yet by a nonprofit hospital system to reduce aggressive bill collection, VCU Health is halting seizure of patients’ wages and removing thousands of liens against patients’ homes, some dating to the 1990s. More
North Carolina demands answers from HCA after Mission Health complaints
North Carolina's attorney general has received 30 written complaints from residents about the cost and quality of care at Mission Health facilities following their purchase by for-profit HCA Healthcare. More
Can you sue an algorithm for malpractice? It depends
The rapid entry of artificial intelligence is stretching the boundaries of medicine. It will also test the limits of the law. More
Zero Harm in Health Care
How a comprehensive systems-focused approach can help to prevent all types of harm in health care. More
See one woman’s complicated, costly journey to a Canadian strip mall pharmacy — all for cheaper insulin
In the U.S., insulin costs have more than tripled in recent years. A single vial of Novo Nordisk’s Novolog, the insulin Kleck takes daily, costs roughly $300 per vial. More
Drug Prices in US Continue to Soar; Are Profits Too High?
As the price tags of new drugs continue to escalate relentlessly, those high prices put a heavy economic burden on many patients and put some drugs entirely out of reach. More
U.S. Hospitals Say They’re Ready for Coronavirus. Their Infection Control Violations Say Otherwise.
An outbreak would demand peak performance from America’s medical professionals — especially in hospitals. But many of the facilities that may be on the front lines have well-documented histories of failing to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. More
How bad science sows doubt
In a new book, former OSHA director David Michaels reveals how some industries use bad science to "manufacture uncertainty" about the harms of their products. More
As Maryland hospitals continue to sue patients, state lawmakers call for ‘guardrails’
Maryland hospitals sued their patients over unpaid bills more than 145,700 times in the 10 years that ended in 2018, leading to wage garnishments, liens and bankruptcies, according to a new report from a coalition of consumer groups and unions. More
It’s Not Medical Outcomes That Drive Patients’ Hospital Reviews
Rave online reviews about a hospital stay may not mean much about the actual medical care there, if a new study is any indication. More
Study Finds Many Hospitals Have Insufficient Volumes for High-Risk Surgeries
A new report from The Leapfrog Group suggests that most hospitals and surgeons in 2019 continued to perform high-risk elective surgeries without sufficient volumes to ensure patient safety. More
Upcoming conflict of interest conference funded by…pharma?!
A conference on conflicts of interest would be a great event...if it weren't funded by industry. More
Will the newest pill for HIV prevention fuel progress — or profits?
Four decades after the HIV epidemic began, there’s finally hope it might end. Indeed, “Getting to Zero” — meaning zero new HIV infections — is a slogan used by the World Health Organization and others in fighting the epidemic. More
Big pharma’s unconscionable insulin racket endangers people with diabetes
While a few drug giants get rich on absurd markups, 1 in 4 people with the disease are forced to ration the life-saving medicine. More
Pharmacists, patients are stuck in the middle of a profit-before-all-else pharmacy racket
Intense financial pressure combined with the volume-based reimbursement that drive the constant push for more pills are compromising patient care and pharmacist well-being. More