EHRs get a failing grade for usability
How usable are electronic health records, compared to other types of technology we use every day? More
The power and paradox of caregiving
Caregiving involves significant time and emotional work, yet much of this work is invisible. In his new book, The Soul of Care, Dr. Arthur Kleinman shares his story of caring for his wife, Joan, who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's Disease. More
A caregiver’s story of medication overload
In a recent feature article in Healthy Aging magazine, patient advocate Johanna Trimble describes what happened when her mother-in-law, Fervid, was transferred from her residential facility to a nearby health care center. More
Many older adults and caregivers unaware of drug risks, survey finds
Despite the prevalence of multiple medication use, a significant proportion of both older adults and caregivers were unaware that older adults should avoid certain medications. More
Bringing caregivers into the conversation
Health care systems are not always built to accommodate caregivers into the care team, but including caregivers into the conversation can provide essential information to clinicians about the patient's health. More
Are we ignoring the systemic factors behind “inappropriate” use of emergency care?
When we characterize ED visits as "inappropriate," we are essentially faulting patients for making the decision to go to the ED; however there is a lot more behind that decision than simply a patient's choice. More
“Do you want everything done?” How language impacts advance care planning
A recent study shows the impact of asking "Do you want everything done?" for critically ill patients and their family members. More
CDC “disclaimers” hide financial conflicts of interest
Despite the claim that "CDC does not accept commercial support," this agency does indeed have financial ties to industry organizations. A petition from watchdog groups is demanding transparency. More
What we can do about “the other drug problem”
On "The People's Pharmacy" on NPR, Shannon Brownlee and Cynthia Boyd discuss drivers of and solutions for medication overload. More
Facebook’s “preventive health” tool has potential for overdiagnosis
Privacy isn't the only thing we should be worried about with Facebook's new preventive health tool More
More doctors than ever are pharma-made millionaires
Is sunshine really the best disinfectant? Or do we need much more than transparency when it comes to financial conflicts of interest? More
Doctors speak out on conflicts of interest in obstetrics
With help from a network of industry-independent experts, doctors are speaking out against conflicts of interest in maternal safety recommendations More
Are 3D mammograms better than none?
The hype around 3D mammograms misleads patients about the benefits of cancer screening. More
This year’s spoooooookiest pharma ads
It's a Lown Institute tradition to highlight pharma's fear-mongering on Halloween, and this year is no exception. More
Income volatility and heart health
Income volatility has a significant impact on financial security, which can affect heart health as well, according to new research. More
Prioritizing what patients care about
What a new study tells us about implementing shared decision making for older adults with multiple chronic conditions. More
The frequency and harms of care cascades
How often do care cascades happen, and what harms do they cause? More
Is medical education too focused on the “right answer”? Or not enough?
Some doctors say that medical school is focusing too much on social issues and not enough on curing patients. But others say the changes to medical education haven't gone far enough. More
Can value-based payments help reduce waste in health care?
Even though proven interventions exist to reduce waste on the clinical side, implementing them on a large scale is easier said than done... More
The RCT blind spot
Randomized controlled trials are known as the "gold standard" in medical research--but they also have a significant down-side... More