Zero Harm in Health Care
How a comprehensive systems-focused approach can help to prevent all types of harm in health care. More
Blog
COVID-19: the gendered impacts of the outbreak
Recognizing the extent to which disease outbreaks affect women and men differently is a fundamental step to understanding the primary and secondary effects of a health emergency on different individuals and communities, and for creating effective, equitable policies and interventions. More
Doctors may feel ‘moral distress’ when surrogates make decisions
When patients cannot make their own decisions about life-prolonging care, many doctors feel “moral distress” acting on the choices of surrogates like family members, a small survey suggests. More
VA unlawfully turned away vulnerable veterans for decades, study says, with 400,000 more at risk
The Department of Veterans Affairs has for decades unlawfully turned away thousands of veterans with other-than-honorable discharges, rendering some of the most vulnerable veterans invisible and desperate for help, according to a study released Thursday. More
New Analysis Presents Puzzle About Physician Suicide
Why is it more common among female docs than other women, when it's the opposite for men? 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
Improper use of antibiotics in kids; Antibiotic de-escalation in pneumonia patients
A point-prevalence study of 32 US children's hospitals found that prophylactic (preventive) antibiotics were inappropriately given in 33.0% of pediatric surgical patients. 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
Medication Fog Can Mimic or Worsen Dementia in the Elderly
About 91% of people over 65 take at least one prescription medicine and 41% use five or more -- what doctors call polypharmacy. More
How to help your child avoid unnecessary medical care
Many children receive "low-value services" — defined as "health-care interventions that are more expensive and equally or less effective than an alternative, including doing nothing," according to the authors of a recent study in Pediatrics. More
Helping Seniors Manage Meds After Hospital Reduces Readmission: Study
Helping older people manage their prescribed medicines after they leave the hospital reduces their risk of readmission, researchers say. More
How to help your child avoid unnecessary medical care
If your child has ever put up a fight when you try to give them medicine, you may have wondered if that antibiotic was really, absolutely necessary. You'd be right to wonder: Many children receive "low-value services" — defined as "health-care interventions that are more expensive and equally or less effective than an alternative, including doing nothing," according to the authors of a recent study in Pediatrics. More
What does it take to put prescription checkups into practice?
In the Health Affairs blog, Lown VP Shannon Brownlee, and Maisha Draves and Lynn Deguzman from Kaiser Permanente describe what it takes to implement prescription checkups for patients who need it. 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
Women in Top U.S. Medical School Positions Earn Less Than Men
Even in top positions at U.S. medical schools, women earn less than men, a study suggests. More
Before Prostate Surgery, Consider ‘Active Surveillance’
Not to be confused with “watchful waiting,” active surveillance is not a do-nothing approach. 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
Communication tips from a “rogue deprescriber”
Dr. Cara Tannenbaum gives tips for when and how to have deprescribing conversations, at a Grand Rounds talk at the Brigham and Women's Hospital. More