Unnecessary wisdom tooth removal and opioid overprescribing go hand in hand
We should not just be asking, "Why are we prescribing so many opioids" but also, "Why are we doing so many wisdom teeth extractions?” More
The most influential articles on overuse from 2017
Each year, JAMA Internal Medicine publishes an update on overuse, featuring the top ten most influential articles on overuse from the previous year. Here are some highlights from this year's update! More
Another futuristic health care startup ignores overuse
Silicon Valley has the fix for primary care and - surprise! - it's more technology. More
Why we have a primary care crisis – and how we solve it
In a two-part blog series in Health Affairs, Lown Senior Vice President Shannon Brownlee and primary care doctors Andy Lazris and Alan Roth lay out the reasons behind these major issues and a blueprint to start fixing them. More
Introducing the Lown Right Care Series!
This new collaborative series between the Lown Institute and the Journal of the American Family Physician applies the framework of right care — evidence-based, patient-focused, high value care — to common clinical situations. More
The real reason why ORBITA is groundbreaking
If you thought the only takeaway from ORBITA was "stents don't work," you're missing the point, says Dr. Vikas Saini in Health Affairs. More
The narrative of “bad insurer” hides bad evidence
Why reporters need to look more carefully at evidence for costly treatments... More
Without full data, Vascepa trial results still a little bit fishy
Are omega-3 supplements the "new paradigm" in cardiovascular treatment? Not yet... More
Are bundled payments working? Yes and no.
New research on the CMS bundled payments program show mixed results - Let's break it down. More
Lown Vignette Winner: The Devil is in the Details: Combination Medications, Oversedation, and Unnecessary Testing in the Geriatric Population
Could something called "Magic Swizzle" be harmful? We talked with Dr. Ricardo Nieves about his winning vignette on the topic. More
Not-so-magic swizzle: A cautionary tale
Could something called "Magic Swizzle" be harmful? We talked with Dr. Ricardo Nieves about his winning vignette on the topic. More
To induce or not to induce, that is the question
A randomized controlled trial in NEJM finds that inducing labor reduced the rate of c-sections and hypertensive disorder. Does this mean we should induce labor in all healthy women at 39 weeks? It's not that simple. More
One step into the future, and two steps back
Hospitals are developing the "check-up of the future" - but is it good for patients? More
Combating overuse in oral health: The lessons of “Flossgate”
How can we help the dental profession reduce unnecessary care? The answer lies in the power of patients. More
A shifting paradigm in oral health: When is it overuse?
When does a cavity "need" filling? It depends on where your dentist lies on the spectrum of changing ideas in dentistry. More
What exactly do we mean by overdiagnosis?
But how do we define overdiagnosis, and what makes it different from other screening harms such as false positives or overtreatment? More
Do patients have the “right” to proton beam therapy?
An industry-backed advocacy group argues that insurance should cover proton beam therapy for cancer patients. But there's no evidence the new treatment is better for most cancers... More
Arthroscopic decompression no better than “sham” for shoulder pain, study finds
If stents for stable angina don't work, what else doesn't work? As it turns out, arthroscopic surgery for shoulder pain... More
The ORBITA debate continues: Authors refute letters in The Lancet
The ORBITA debate continues as the study authors respond to critical letters in The Lancet. More
New study reveals long-term risks of tonsillectomy
The number of children getting their tonsils out still varies based on physician opinion and patient demand. But a new study is changing the risk-benefit calculation... More