Communities invest in their local nonprofit hospitals through big tax breaks. Are hospitals giving back their fair share in return? To find out, the Lown Institute analyzed hospital community investments compared to the value of their tax breaks—what we call “Fair Share Spending.” More
Black Americans are at a higher risk of medical debt and its consequences compared to other Americans. What can patients do to protect themselves? More
How can we combat cognitive biases and reduce overuse? Recent studies provide insights for "nudging" doctors away from low-value care. More
One year ago, safety net hospital Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center closed its doors. Recent interviews help paint a picture of how this closure has impacted remaining hospitals. More
Suppose you are an individual who makes $21,870 per year, or 150% of the federal poverty level (FPL), and have come to the hospital for treatment. Would you be eligible for financial assistance to help these expenses? It depends on where you live. More
What does it mean for patients and clinicians to be confronted with healthcare inequalities daily? More
New research sheds light on how some hospitals are falling short when it comes to serving those closest to them. More
Non-financial measures should be part of the conversation when setting CEO pay, said Dr. Vikas Saini, president of the Lown Institute, a Massachusetts-based group that evaluates executive compensation, but there's virtually no public information on exactly how nonprofits grade their CEO's performance on things like quality, safety and patient experience. More
Is there a relationship between hospital inclusivity and the funding they receive? A new study explains... More
Health insurance is supposed to shield patients from medical debt, but a new analysis shows that insured Americans are increasingly at risk of harm from high medical costs. More
In terms of “how well hospitals invest in community health,” a health-focused think tank, the Lown Institute, graded our three hospitals as average: Hartford Hospital earned a B grade, and the University of Colorado Hospital and the vaunted Cleveland Clinic both earned a C. More
The medical community is facing challenges that have pushed clinicians outside their usual lane. Here's why that's a good thing. More
Emerging evidence shows that the influence of private equity in healthcare demands attention. Here’s what’s in the latest research. More
Last Tuesday, we revealed the winners of the 7th Annual Shkreli Awards. As shocking as that list is, what's even worse is that it's only the short list of all our nominees... More
Academic medical centers in Massachusetts are often ranked among the best in the nation, but data gathered by the Lown Institute of Needham suggests they lag behind their peers nationally in several key categories. More
Hospital watchdogs have started collecting valuable data on hospital billing practices. Here are the results from one such study. More
A top New York hospital that long shielded an ob/gyn from complaints of sexual abuse and a large non-profit Catholic health system that paid its CEO $35.5 million for one year topped this year's "Shkreli awards' More
The 7th Annual list contains the "most egregious examples of profiteering and dysfunction in healthcare," decided by a panel of 19 judges who are patient activists, clinicians, health policy experts and journalists. The awards are organized by Lown Institute, a nonpartisan think tank that measures hospitals' and health systems' social responsibility. "When you see all these stories in one place, they stop being anecdotes and start to tell a bigger story," Vikas Saini, MD, president of the Lown Institute, said. "The need for more fairness and integrity in U.S. healthcare couldn't be clearer." More
A $35 million CEO salary, hospitals that hawk medical credit cards, and a physician placing 41 stents in a single patient are among this year’s winners. BOSTON, MA – The Lown Institute, a healthcare think tank, has released the seventh edition of its Shkreli Awards, given each year to perpetrators of the most egregious examples […] More
A new analysis finds that electronic health records don't always know when patients have died. Why does this happen and how can we reduce these EHR inconsistencies? More