Insured people now compose majority of debtors to US hospitals
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
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Nonprofit hospitals have an obligation to help their communities, but the people who live nearby may see little benefit
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
Don’t “Stay In Your Lane”: Why Clinicians Should Be Activists For Social Change
The medical community is facing challenges that have pushed clinicians outside their usual lane. Here's why that's a good thing. More
The rising danger of private equity in healthcare
Emerging evidence shows that the influence of private equity in healthcare demands attention. Here’s what’s in the latest research. More
2023 Shkreli Awards: Dishonorable Mentions
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
How do Mass. academic medical centers stack up?
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
One third of hospitals take legal action against patients with outstanding medical bills, study finds
Hospital watchdogs have started collecting valuable data on hospital billing practices. Here are the results from one such study. More
Columbia’s Sex Abuse Cover-Up Tops This Year’s Shkreli Awards
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
10 healthcare names get Shkreli Awards for bad behavior
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
PRESS RELEASE: Biggest healthcare fails of 2023 named in 7th annual Shkreli Awards
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
When health records don’t capture patient deaths
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
Five ways hospitals can be more socially responsible in 2024
Many of us adopt resolutions for the New Year—could hospitals do the same? Here are five ways that hospitals could become more socially responsible in the coming year, inspired by those hospitals that are already leading the way. More
Policymakers and media put pressure on hospitals to give more free care
A crucial part of hospitals’ social mission is providing care to all who need it, regardless of their ability to pay. But is that actually happening? More
WATCH: Hospitals reveal key challenges to achieving equity, and how they’re overcoming them
Bringing together Dr. Vikas Saini (the Lown Institute), Dr. Katherine Peeler (Boston Children’s Hospital), Dr. Omar Lateef (RUSH University Medical Center), and Dr. Thea James (Boston Medical Center), the discussion focused on the role of hospitals in addressing problems like moral stress and burnout and how a commitment to equity fits into their resolution. Watch the video of the event and read some of the highlights from the discussion. More
How can we fix physician shortages in rural America?
The nation is facing a physician shortage, particularly in rural areas. What can we do about it? More
A win for high-value care: CMS approves new measure of CT radiation quality
This new measure of radiation quality sheds light on an important potential harm of imaging overuse. Here’s what it means for the future of provider accountability and patient safety. More
Study finds racial disparities in low-value care, even within the same health systems
Are Black patients at higher or lower risk of overuse? A new study reveals how patterns of low-value differ by race in the Medicare population. More
Meet Imari, the Lown Institute’s new Health Communications Specialist
Meet our new Health Communications Specialist, Imari Daniels! More
Report: Texas Hospitals Use Too Many Stents
Texas is home to three of the ten U.S. hospitals that overuse stents the most, according to new research from The Lown Institute. The costly procedure is unnecessarily performed every seven minutes, and UT Southwestern’s Clements University Hospital is among the facilities that overuse stents the most. More
LISTEN: The “biggest moonshot” is fixing American healthcare
On the The Commonwealth Fund's podcast, "The Dose," Dr. Vikas Saini talked with host Joel Bervell about all things healthcare, from price transparency at hospitals to the epidemic of unnecessary coronary stents. More