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
Digital redlining: How telehealth can exacerbate inequalities
The rapid switch to telehealth has many potential advantages for expanding access of care. However, if not done with an intentional eye toward equity, telehealth can leave many behind. More
Less routine care during Covid-19 is not a crisis
How can the avoidance of routine care during the pandemic benefit patients? New research on the physical and financial harms from low-value preventive care show that the pandemic might have a "silver lining." More
One in three Covid-19 deaths may be linked to health insurance gaps
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
Vaccine distribution effort falls behind on equity
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
The Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine: Good news and what we still don’t know
Ever since the initial press release from Pfizer came out, the medical community has been waiting for more detailed results to better analyze the vaccine's effectiveness and safety. Here's what the briefing document shows. More
When evidence becomes politicized, how do we talk about low-value care?
When we call unproven treatments "cures," we not only put patients at risk of harm, we create a framework in which evidence is no longer valued. Kelsey Chalmers and Judith Garber explore how this perspective could impact the "less is more" movement, and how we need to reframe the issue to build a coalition for change. More
Debunking popular Covid-19 myths
Misinformation about Covid-19 spreads as quickly as the virus, through social media and even from government officials. Let's examine some popular myths about Covid-19 and see if there is any truth to these claims. More
What Trump’s Covid-19 experience reveals about our pandemic response
Did Trump receive the "best care possible"? Or was he overtreated? More