What’s the tea on 340B?
If you want to see an epic battle between hospitals and pharma, look no further than the 340B drug discount program. Why is this program so controversial, and what do new studies show about its effectiveness? More
Defining “better”: A look at the new Alzheimer’s drugs
Unlike its predecessor drug aducanumab, lecanemab actually showed a statistically significant difference in slowing cognitive decline in its clinical trial. But can the drug improve patients’ quality of life? More
Meet Noelle Serino, new Lown Institute policy analyst
Noelle Serino, the Lown Institute's newest policy analyst, traces her commitment to public health back to one life-changing event... More
How do Critical Access Hospitals perform on the Lown Index?
Critical Access hospitals serve patients that would otherwise have limited access to healthcare. How do they perform on the Lown Index? Let's take a look... More
WATCH: Investing in Health and Well-Being
How do we reimagine what opportunity looks like for all…and who is accountable for doing that? Watch the recording and read a brief recap of the recent NY Federal Reserve event, Investing in Health and Well-Being More
How do academic medical centers perform on the Lown Index?
Academic Medical Centers (AMCs) are affiliated with medical schools and tend to be larger, well-resourced institutions. How do they perform on the Index? Let's take a look... More
2023 Hospital Social Responsibility: Event Recap
Over 3,600 hospitals were evaluated across the nation. Fifty-four earned A’s across the three main categories of equity, value, and outcomes, earning them Honor Roll status. To have a socially responsible healthcare system, we need more hospitals performing better on metrics like pay equity, racial inclusivity, and community investment. So how do we accomplish this goal? More
Hospital rankings can be good for health equity… if they measure what matters
Hospitals and policymakers have said they want to prioritize health equity, and now they're demanding the same from hospital rankings. How will this change the metrics landscape? More
Why affirmative action matters in medicine
How does the Supreme Court's decision to prohibit affirmative action policies in university admissions affect healthcare? More
Shkreli Award Winners: Where are they now?
We're now halfway through the year - time for an edition of "Shkreli Awards: Where are they now?" More
“How could I not be inspired by the resiliency of the individuals I serve?”: Dr. Altaf Saadi accepts the 2023 Bernard Lown Award
VIDEO: Hear from the 2023 Bernard Lown Award winner Dr. Altaf Saadi on how she fights collective indifference and takes on some of the most important humanitarian challenges. More
America’s most socially responsible hospitals, 2023
Which hospitals make the grade this year, and how can we improve hospital social responsibility across the board? Join Lown Institute leaders and health policy experts on July 18th as we reveal America’s most socially responsible hospitals and discuss how to build a system where all hospitals can reach their health equity goals. More
Disparities in excess deaths: How systemic racism decreases life expectancy
1.63 million excess deaths over two decades - that’s the estimated toll of the racial inequities embedded in modern America, according to a new study in JAMA. How does this play out on the city level, and what can we do about it? More
Could AI really replace human doctors?
A recent study suggests that artificial intelligence chatbots are able to respond effectively to patient questions and may even perform better in certain ways than human physicians. What does this say about the flaws of the current healthcare system, and should doctors be concerned? More
Imagining the future of quality in medicine: Dr. Vikas Saini honored with Avedis Donabedian International Award
Last week, Lown president Dr. Vikas Saini was presented with the Donabedian International Award. In his acceptance remarks, Dr. Saini shared his vision for a future of medicine that uses new technologies for socially responsible goals, while still keeping empathy and the human connection in medicine at the forefront. More
What happens when safety net hospitals close?
Safety net hospitals across the US are closing at a disturbing rate. What's driving this trend, and what's the impact on communities? More
Balancing prevention and overdiagnosis in skin cancer screening
A recent editorial published in JAMA Dermatology discussed the balance between prevention and overdiagnosis of skin cancer. This comes in response to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force concluding for the fourth time in a row that visual skin cancer screening has insufficient evidence to support its population-wide benefit. How do we know when we’ve crossed from prevention to overuse, and is there anything we can do to keep the balance? More
When it comes to prescription drugs, are we getting what we pay for?
Two recent analyses of expensive medications indicate that many drugs are being priced above their actual clinical benefit. More
Trading your home for your health: Medicaid estate recovery
When your choice is your health or your home, which do you pick? More
Meet Samantha Goveia, Lown’s newest public health intern
Samantha Goveia is a current Master of Public Health candidate at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice and the Lown Institute’s newest public health intern. We asked Samantha to share with us her journey to public health. This is her story. More