Wellstar held accountable for closing racially inclusive hospitals
The nonprofit health system recently closed its most inclusive hospitals. Now, policymakers and advocates are requesting a federal investigation... More
The slippery slope of the mifepristone and the FDA
An ongoing lawsuit focusing on the FDA's approval of the abortion pill mifepristone could open the door to drug regulatory chaos. More
Hospital Spotlight: Denver Health
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
Priorities on the Board: Board member backgrounds and hospital social responsibility
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
New FDA guidelines on breast density notifications and implications for overuse
The FDA just updated guidelines to require mammography facilities to notify patients about their breast density. How will this impact overdiagnosis and overtreatment? More
After decades of profiteering, insulin manufacturer finally cuts the price
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
Black Blood and a Black Crayon: The fight for desegregating blood donations
Dr. Charles Drew revolutionized blood donations...yet racist policies prevented him from participating in the very programs he had created. More
LISTEN: What should we expect from tax-exempt hospitals?
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
Black Maternal Health in American History
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
Which hospitals are suing patients? Investigation reveals hospital billing practices
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 pushing back on community benefit oversight
Hospitals are starting to be held accountable for their community benefit spending -- how are they responding? We explore some cases in recent news. More
The Intersection of Black History, Queer Studies, and Medicine
To understand the impacts of social determinants of health, bioethics, and the history of this country, one must also understand the overlap of intersectional identities. More
How firearm trauma impacts hospital staff
Firearm violence is an ever-present concern, and Black Americans are disproportionately subjected to it. How does this impact the clinicians caring for victims, who must deal with the trauma and injustice daily? More
Nephrology reckons with racism
A faulty algorithm has led to racial inequities in kidney care for years. Now, the movement to eliminate it has gained traction. Could this be a step towards a more equitable system? More
VIDEO: Improving hospital community benefit spending
How can we hold hospitals accountable for their community benefit spending? At a recent webinar hosted by Community Catalyst, Lown leaders discussed measuring hospital community investment and opportunities for advocacy. More
Is it time to prioritize pay equity in healthcare?
Hospitals are facing persistent staffing issues and many are in poor financial shape....but their CEOs keep getting bonuses. Could pay equity be the solution that stabilizes our hospitals? More
A tale of two drugs: Accountability and evidence in Alzheimer’s treatments
An investigation of one Alzheimer's Disease drug and the approval of another offer lessons on accountability and evidence for new drug approvals. More
2022 Shkreli Awards: Dishonorable Mentions
Last week, we hosted the 6th annual Shkreli Awards, calling out the worst profiteers and dysfunction in the healthcare system in 2022. In a perfect world, these awards wouldn’t be necessary. In our world, we have a plethora of candidates to consider. More
How do we desegregate the hospital system?
A new series of articles on healthcare segregation provides a call to action and a way forward for all actors in the healthcare system looking to improve racial and economic equity More
Community power: A missing piece for health policy
Can community empowerment solve persistent population health disparities that other strategies have failed to fix? More