There's nothing wrong with paying a hospital leader for doing a good job, especially in a crisis. But when compensation goes into the millions we have to ask, are we getting what we pay for? More
On the Race to Value podcast, Vikas Saini and Shannon Brownlee discuss Dr. Lown's legacy, trust as high-value care, hospital coordination, and much more. More
A recent report from Families USA finds that uninsurance was associated with 44% of Covid-19 infections and 32% of deaths in the US. More
The USPSTF's expanded screening guidelines bring up important questions of screening harms and benefits, generalizing clinical trial results, and the impact of screening on health disparities. More
In JAMA, Michael Chernew and Maximilian Pany argue that a price cap on the higher end of hospital prices would save tens of billions. More
Dr. Vivek Murthy, Biden's pick for surgeon general, was recently found to have accepted significant consulting payments from private companies. Should this disqualify him from the position? More
In a profile in The BMJ, journalist Jeanne Lenzer highlights some of the important times Dr. Lown took a stand, and what this stubbornness cost him. More
How can we remove the barriers and make pharmacists our deprescribing heroes? In their recent piece in Senior Care Pharmacist, Judith Garber and Don Downing create a roadmap for collaboration. More
The final report from the Lancet Commission on Public policy and health in the Trump era offers a bold policy agenda for the Biden administration to undo the damage caused to our nation's health. More
A recent analysis in JAMA finds that overuse in Medicare barely budged from 2014-2018. How can we move further toward value-based care? More
Ever since Covid-19 vaccines have been in development, policy experts and activists have been concerned about equity in vaccine distribution. Now, it is clear that in our haste to get "shots in arms," we are leaving behind many people who are most at risk of Covid-19 infection and death. More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE See Also: Timeline of Dr. Lown’s Life Brookline, MA — Dr. Bernard Lown, pioneering cardiologist, humanitarian, and founder of the Lown Institute, died today at the age of 99. He was a remarkable clinician, scientist, and visionary who will be remembered long into the future. As a scientist, Dr. Lown did seminal […] More
An investigation of a hospital overwhelmed by Covid-19 in Los Angeles shows the vast inequalities between the safety net institutions and other hospitals in the area. More
A little over ten years after the Physician Payments Sunshine Act was passed, how have industry payments to physicians changed? A recent article in Medscape explores the impact of the legislation, obstacles to change, and potential solutions beyond just disclosure. More
A group of independent doctors spoke out in 2019 against what they saw as a potentially harmful recommendation that was influenced by financial conflicts of interest. Now it appears that the independent doctors' advocacy has helped to change that recommendation. More
How can clinicians help patients make healthy decisions around Covid-19? The latest edition in the Right Care series provides useful tips. More
The Lown Institute announces the election of Mary T. Bassett and Chris Kryder to its Board of Directors. Patricia Gabow, an existing board member, has been elected chair. More
Truly informed decision making cannot happen without a good understanding of both the benefits and the harms of medical treatments. In a recent paper, researchers break new ground by identifying different types of harms from medical care that all clinicians and researchers should be aware of. More
Is a competitive hospital system the best way to deliver the care we all need? On January 27, the Lown Institute brought together health policy experts to discuss how Covid-19 has changed the way hospitals work (or don't work) together. Watch the full recording of the event! More
Hospitals now have to disclose on their website the prices they negotiate with insurers. But many hospitals are lagging when it comes to revealing their "real" prices... More