PRESS RELEASE: 2025’s worst behavior in healthcare called out in think tank top ten list
The Shkreli Awards call attention to behaviors that undermine public trust, exploit patients, and erode the moral foundations of healthcare. More
Blog
“Ghost networks” abound in Medicare Advantage and Medicaid, research shows
The problem of “ghost” networks—when doctors are listed as being in-network for managed care plans, but turn out not to be available—is starting to get more attention. Here’s what you need to know from recent research and reporting on the topic. More
Hospital CEO pay in Massachusetts over four years: Whose pay increased the most?
How has CEO compensation for large hospital systems in Massachusetts changed over the past few years? We took a look at the latest data to find out. More
Past Shkreli winners: Where are they now?
Ahead of this year’s Shkreli’s on Thursday, December 11, we’re revisiting several past winners who reappeared in headlines this year—a Shkreli “class reunion” of sorts—to see what our most disreputable alums have been up to. More
REGISTER: The 2025 Shkreli Awards
Register now for the 2025 Shkreli Awards, hosted on December 11, 2025 at 1pm More
How long does it take to book a new patient appointment with a primary care doc in greater Boston? We called to find out.
We called 86 hospitals and primary care offices to see how long it would take to get a new patient appointment. Here's what we found. More
Physicians who perform the most unnecessary back surgeries—what we know
Our recent report found that more than 200,000 unnecessary back surgeries took place over a three year period, costing Medicare more than $1.9 billion. But what about the physicians responsible for this overuse? More
These fifteen hospitals prove that avoiding unnecessary back surgery is possible
These hospitals are bucking the trend of back surgery overuse with rates below 5% for both spinal fusion and vertebroplasty. More
“We are up against an enormous financial juggernaut”: Experts discuss back surgery overuse at Lown event
Watch the video recording and see our key takeaways from the latest Lown Institute event on back surgery overuse. More
PRESS RELEASE: Older adults get unnecessary back surgeries at an alarming rate
Patients face serious risk of complications; billions in Medicare dollars wasted More
Vertebroplasty: The Myth of the Most Effective Medical Intervention
Spine surgeon Dr. Eugene Carragee reviews the evidence for vertebroplasty. More
Conflicts of interest: physicians, pharma, and overuse
Several recent studies show that conflicts of interest are deeply entrenched in modern medicine and existing regulations are doing little to rein in the problem. More
Why private equity growth matters for veterans’ health
How is the growth of private equity acquisitions in healthcare impacting veterans? At a roundtable event hosted by the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, researchers and policy experts discussed the drivers and consequences of these acquisitions going unchecked. Watch the event recording! More
A Rising Tide of Harm: How Medication Overload May Be Fueling Falls In Older Americans
Death rates from fall injuries among older Americans more than tripled over the past 30 years. Medications that act on the central nervous system could be the culprit... More
Excess radiation increases the risk of cancer. Why is CMS loosening regulations?
CMS estimated that regulating the radiation dose of CT scans could prevent nearly 14,000 cancers and save $5 billion. So why is CMS considering loosening regulations? More
Guest Post: Hear from Lown’s data science intern, Maya
Hear from Lown's 2025 data science intern, Maya Balaban, about what she's been working on. More
Checking in on medical overuse in America
As we prepare for the launch of our 2025 report on unnecessary back surgery, let’s take a moment to check in on the current state of medical overuse in America. More
Which hospital is the most socially responsible in your state?
These are the #1 hospitals in each state, according to the 2025 Lown Hospitals Index for Social Responsibility. More
How did the 2025 US News best hospitals perform on the Lown Index?
US News & World Report just released their list of “best hospitals” for 2025-26, which is based primarily on patient outcomes for complex specialty care and common procedures. The Lown Hospitals Index for Social Responsibility takes a different approach to hospital ranking, evaluating hospitals on metrics of equity and value as well as outcomes. Here's how the 2025 US News best hospitals perform on the Lown Index. More
These top critical access hospitals are at risk of closure
See which critical access hospitals made our list of most socially responsible hospitals…and which ones are at risk of shutting down services or closure. More