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
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
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
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
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
Two recent analyses of expensive medications indicate that many drugs are being priced above their actual clinical benefit. More
When your choice is your health or your home, which do you pick? More
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
Ten percent of Americans owe medical debt. According to a new report, much of that debt is owed to hospitals. What does this tell us about billing practices, financial assistance, and the balance between patients and profits in our current hospital systems? More
The nonprofit health system recently closed its most inclusive hospitals. Now, policymakers and advocates are requesting a federal investigation... More
An ongoing lawsuit focusing on the FDA's approval of the abortion pill mifepristone could open the door to drug regulatory chaos. More
The Lown Institute has launched a new blog series spotlighting socially responsible hospitals across the nation. For the inaugural piece, the spotlight is on Denver Health. More
A recent report revealed a plurality of hospital board members come from the Financial sector. How does this impact hospital community benefit spending and social responsibility? More
The FDA just updated guidelines to require mammography facilities to notify patients about their breast density. How will this impact overdiagnosis and overtreatment? More
Insulin manufacturer Eli Lilly announced that it would be cutting the list price of its generic insulin products significantly. This move comes after decades of advocacy work by patients and clinicians alike, including our sister organization the Right Care Alliance. What does this tell us about the drug pricing landscape? More
Dr. Charles Drew revolutionized blood donations...yet racist policies prevented him from participating in the very programs he had created. More
Earlier this month, Lown experts Dr. Vikas Saini and Judith Garber were featured on the Relentless Health Value podcast to talk about financial assistance, fair share spending, and why America needs a socially responsible healthcare system. More
A new study found that the Black maternal mortality gap exists regardless of income. Where did this start, and how are we fixing it? More
An investigation from Kaiser Health News shows that a large proportion of hospitals engage in aggressive practices to recoup medical debt. Is your hospital one of them? More
Hospitals are starting to be held accountable for their community benefit spending -- how are they responding? We explore some cases in recent news. More