Stents don’t work? A look back at the research
What's the evidence behind PCI, and why do hospitals keep doing these procedures? We revisit this issue with a look back at research and interviews over last few years to give you the answers. More
Rates of unnecessary procedures persisted through pandemic, study shows
Despite the risks posed by COVID-19, hospitals continued to perform eight common, low-value procedures during the first year of the pandemic at a rate similar to 2019, according to a Lown Institute analysis published Tuesday. More
The best hospitals for avoiding unnecessary services: Lown Institute
For the ranking, Lown examined service use measures at more than 3,100 hospitals. Data in the ranking came from the Medicare claims database and spanned 2018 to 2020. Eight common procedures — including hysterectomy for benign disease, coronary stents for stable heart disease and spinal fusion for low back pain — were measured. Four tests were also considered. Hospitals with the capacity to do four or more of the services were ranked. More
Hospitals performed 100,000 unnecessary surgeries in the first year of COVID-19, Lown Institute says
U.S. hospitals performed more than 100,000 surgeries on older patients during the first year of the pandemic, according to a new Lown Institute analysis. The healthcare think tank relied on Medicare claims data and analyzed eight common low-value procedures. It called the 100,000 procedures unnecessary and potentially harmful in a press release. It found that between March and December 2020, among the most-performed surgeries were coronary stents and back surgeries. More
VIDEO: Hospital overuse during Covid-19
In the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, did hospitals curb unnecessary and potentially harmful services? Watch the video of the roundtable discussion on overuse during Covid-19 to find out! More
Thirty percent of Covid-19 patients were prescribed antibiotics in outpatient setting
Overprescribing of antibiotics for Medicare patients with Covid-19 was rampant in the first year of the pandemic, research from the CDC finds. More
When it comes to life expectancy, we don’t get what we pay for
The life expectancy of the average American dropped by 2 years in 2020, but by only a few months in peer countries. This discrepancy gets worse when you adjust for sex, race, and ethnicity. This is despite the fact that the US spends the most money on healthcare in the world. How do we get such poor health outcomes with such high spending? More
A big downside of MRI for breast cancer screening: More cascade events
As MRI has become a more popular screening tool for women at low or average risk of cancer, researchers caution that one MRI can easily "cascade" into more medical medical services and diagnoses More
What have we learned after ten years of “Choosing Wisely”?
Over the past decade, what has the Choosing Wisely program taught us about strategies and obstacles to reducing low-value care? Vikas Saini discusses on the NEJM podcast. More
3D mammograms aren’t the solution to false positives in breast cancer screening
One of the big selling points of 3D mammograms is their potential to reduce false positive results. However, a new study shows that 3D mammograms don't reduce false positives as much as you would think. More
Living toxic in America, part 1
Can you name a prescription drug that makes you healthy? What would it be? Over 66% of the US population takes prescription medication regularly. The elderly are in worse shape. As a group, 40% of them take five or more prescriptions, and nearly 10% take ten or more prescription drugs daily, according to a 2020 report from the nonpartisan think tank Lown Institute. More
Some cancer centers don’t follow evidence-based guidelines for prostate screening
In America's cancer centers, where many patients go for specialized cancer treatment, prostate screening policies do not always align with evidence-based recommendations. More
How mental health apps can accelerate the psychiatric prescribing cascade
Mental health apps designed to improve access to care may be driving overdiagnosis and overmedication, a recent investigation finds. More
Bringing Medication Reconciliation and Pharmacovigilance from France
According to stats from the Lown Institute, 1 in 250 Americans go to a hospital emergency room each year due to an adverse drug event. That’s millions of people going to the hospital due to adverse drug events. What a big problem. More
How to identify low-value prescribing practices
A newly-developed metric of low-value prescribing practices helps fill an important gap in the research of overuse metrics. More
As many as 25% of screening colonoscopies are unnecessary, study finds
As many as 25% of screening colonoscopies are not consistent with national guidelines, according to a recent systematic review. More
Low-value care for back pain is common, but may be declining
Low back pain is one of the most common health problems in the world and one of the most common causes of overuse -- but there is some good news. More
When meds taken “as prescribed” still cause harm
A group of advocates has been sounding the alarm about the risk of side effects from benzodiazepines, even when taken as directed. An upcoming documentary tells their stories. More
Taking Multiple Medications? Beware of Side Effects
Every day, 750 adults age 65 or older are hospitalized for serious side effects from a medication, according to the Lown Institute. One Lown Institute study found that you are 88 percent more likely to seek care for a drug complication or side effect if you take five or more medications. Other research shows that your fall risk increases 7 percent for each medication you take. More
Despite new technology to detect afib, we still don’t know if screening helps
Will devices like the Apple Watch that continuously monitor heart rhythm reduce rates of stroke? The evidence still isn't there, the USPSTF finds. More