A Lown Institute study found 750 older Americans are hospitalized daily due to serious medication side effects. With each additional drug taken, risks of serious reactions increase 7-10%. More than 40% of older Americans take five or more prescription drugs. Nearly 20% take more than 10. Add in over-the-counter medications, and that number rises to 66%. More
The UMass Memorial HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital campus in Leominster leads the state in the new Lown Institute Hospitals Index, a ranking of 3,300 hospitals and 300 hospital systems launched this summer. “It’s not necessarily the usual suspects that you’re going to find at the top of these rankings,” said Shannon Brownlee, the institute’s senior vice president. Lown Institute President Dr. Vikas Saini said the index is meant to help shape a discussion around health-care quality and unearth new ideas, rather than serve as a shopping guide for consumers. More
The American health care system is dominated by misaligned financial incentives, rewarding providers for more – but not necessarily BETTER – treatment. In this episode, Ceci and guests discuss ways to shift our health care approach away from volume – and the waste and unnecessary care it involves – and to a model focused on value. Research repeatedly shows that a value-based, outcome-focused system reduces costs and produces better health outcomes. Hear what the experts have to say in Ep. 4 of Healthy Dialogue. More
When the Lown Institute, a nonpartisan research group focused on health policy, put out a ranking of U.S. hospitals earlier this year based on criteria including civic engagement, the Cleveland Clinic was way down on the list. The organizers gave it a D- for its civic work and its relationship with the community. More