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Study probes the "co-pay connection" in chronic disease
(01/08/08) As 2008 begins, millions of Americans are facing higher co-payments for their drugs and doctor visits. But a new study finds that instead of going up, co-pays should go down – at least for some people taking some drugs.
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Catheter chaos: Hospitals mixed on UTI prevention
(01/03/08) American hospitals are all over the map when it comes to preventing the most common type of in-hospital infection -- urinary tract infections related to the use of urinary catheters -- a new U-M/VA study finds. That means that hospitalized patients and families shouldn't be afraid to speak up to ask if a catheter is still necessary.
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Does risk affect people's health care decisions?
(12/13/07) If there were a pill that would cut your risk of breast cancer in half, would you take it? What if you were told your risk of breast cancer was already below average? In a newly published survey, women who were told their risk of breast cancer was above average were more likely to endorse taking the hypothetical pill than women who were told their risk was below average.
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Diabetes patients face multiple health woes
(11/14/07) As if diabetes weren’t enough, a new study shows that 92 percent of older people with the disease have at least one other major chronic medical condition - and that nearly half have three or more major diseases besides diabetes. The sheer number, severity, and type of these other conditions all appear to decrease patients’ ability to manage their diabetes.
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Study explores med school/industry ties
(10/16/07) The first study of ties between industry and medical school departments or department heads finds that such ties are just as common as links between individual faculty members and industry. The study's senior author is the head of the U-M Bioethics Program.
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Blacks, Latinos still lag in diabetes control, U-M/VA study finds
(09/24/07) Despite decades of advances in diabetes care, African Americans and Latinos are still far less likely than whites to have their blood sugar under control, even with the help of medications, a new national study by U-M and VA researchers finds. That puts them at a much higher risk of blindness, heart attack, kidney failure and other long-term diabetes complications.
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U-M bioethicist named to AMA panel
(06/27/07) For seven years, Dr. Susan Goold has headed the U-M Bioethics Program. This past weekend, she was named to one of the nations preeminent ethics panels: the Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs of the American Medical Association.
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U-M/Harvard team proposes way to get more for our health $$$
(01/30/07) Like a one-size-fits-all shirt that doesnt fit anyone very well, American health insurance plans charge every person the same out of pocket cost for medical services - regardless of their effect on a persons health. We could get a lot more value out of our health dollars by abandoning this old-fashioned system, says a team from UMHS and Harvard University.
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Are women seeing the most experienced breast surgeons?
(01/18/07) Women who took more control over choosing their breast cancer surgeon were more likely to be treated by more experienced breast surgeons and at a hospital affiliated with an accredited cancer program, compared to women who were referred by another doctor or their health plan.
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Blood transfusions may raise heart surgery patients' infection risk
(12/20/06) Blood transfusions save the lives of millions of heart surgery patients and others each year. But a new study suggests that patients who receive transfusions during heart bypass surgery have a higher risk of developing potentially dangerous infections, and dying, after their operation.
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Study: To cover the uninsured, ask public for help
(11/14/06) Many states, counties and cities are working to provide new health insurance options to the 45 million Americans who lack health coverage. But the devils in the details of what to cover and what to charge. A new study suggests that the answer may lie with involving the public in the decision process.
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How low should we go with LDL cholesterol?
(10/02/06) Americans have been trying to get their cholesterol levels down for decades, and in recent years, experts have suggested that some people should aim even lower. Not so fast, says a team of researchers from the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and the University of Michigan Health System in a new paper.
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Oct. 6 event: Insurance for all
(09/28/06) Several states, including Michigan, have launched or are about to launch programs that aim to greatly increase the number of people with health insurance. An Oct. 6 event at UMHS will explore some of these plans, and their implications for the proposed Michigan plan.
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Rising health expenses a good value
(08/30/06) Despite dramatic increases in health expenses since 1960, the return on medical spending is high, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard and UMHS. They conclude that between 1960 and 2000, healthcare in America was cost-effective on the whole, although ballooning costs for the elderly are a cause for concern.
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Study: Catheter option cuts infection for men
(07/03/06) Its one of the things about a hospital stay that men loathe, and that infectious bacteria love: the urinary catheter. Now, a new U-M/VA study shows that a less-unpleasant option for male hospital patients is also a much safer one.
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Hope I die before I get old?
(06/13/06) Back when he was 20, rock star Pete Townshend wrote the line "I hope I die before I get old into a song, My Generation". But a unique new U-M and VA study suggests that Townshend may have fallen victim to a common, and mistaken, belief: That the happiest days of peoples lives occur when theyre young.
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Need to make a tricky medical decision? Step back, study says
(05/31/06) If a deadly bird flu reaches America, which would you choose: To get a risky experimental vaccine now, or to forego that risk but face an even greater risk of dying in the epidemic? What would you choose for your child, or your community? A new study probes how we make such tricky decisions, and how our decisions might change dramatically if we step back and put ourselves in the shoes of others.
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U-M unveils innovative diabetes program
(04/24/06) U-M employees and their dependents who have any form of diabetes will be able to receive some of their medications for free, through an innovative new pilot program aimed at encouraging the use of medicines that can help prevent the disease's worst long-term effects.
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Half of older diabetics lack heart/kidney drugs
(04/18/06) Only 43 percent of older people with diabetes receive medicines that could protect their heart and kidneys, despite the fact that virtually all of them could benefit from those drugs, a new U-M study finds. And even among those with the most to gain from the medicines, because of existing heart or kidney problems, the rate of use barely reaches 53 percent. .
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High death rate for women after heart surgery may be due to infection
(02/27/06) For years, experts have puzzled over the fact that women who have heart bypass surgery are far more likely than their male counterparts to die within days or weeks of their operation. Now, a new University of Michigan study suggests that the answer to the mystery may lie with infections.
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How to prevent another Vioxx-like situation
(11/10/05) The arthritis drug Vioxx eased the pain of millions of patients - but it also greatly increased the risk of heart attack and stroke among some of them. And that extra risk only came to light after it was on the market. A new U-M and VA study shows how this kind of situation could be prevented.
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Women choose aggressive breast cancer surgery
(08/19/05) When women, not their surgeons, have control over the type of surgery they receive, they are more likely to choose a more aggressive surgery that removes the entire breast, even though survival rates are the same for surgery that removes only the tumor.
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Why don't some patients take their medicines?
(08/08/05) Patients who trust their doctors are more likely to stick to their prescription medicines, even if they face high out-of-pocket costs, a new VA/U-M study finds. But patients who have lower levels of trust in their physicians, or who have depression-like symptoms, are much more likely to skip doses or refills when costs become a problem for them.
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Doc, do I still need this catheter?
(07/29/05) Millions of hospital patients could be spared the humiliation and infection risk that come with a urine-collecting catheter, a new UMHS study finds, if hospitals used a simple reminder system to prompt doctors to remove the devices after two days.
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Should some medicines be free? Diabetes study says yes
(07/19/05) Nothing in life is free, but a new U-M study suggests that some medicines should be, at least for older people who have diabetes. The Medicare system, and taxpayers, could save money in the long run if such patients received drugs called ACE inhibitors for free, the study finds.
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U-M study: The rich die differently from you and me
(07/05/05) The inequalities that mark American life maintain their hold through age and even death, a new U-M study shows. Wealthier elders are significantly less likely than poorer ones to suffer pain at the end of their lives, the authors report in the August issue of the Journal of Palliative Care.
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Women overestimate breast cancer risk
(06/07/05) When asked to estimate the lifetime risk of breast cancer, 89 percent of women overestimated their risk, with an average estimate of 46 percent -- more than three times the actual risk of 13 percent, according to a study by University of Michigan Health System researchers.
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Teaming up for patient safety
(04/13/05) Hospital-based doctors around Southeast Michigan are teaming up to prevent medical errors and oversights, and improve patient safety, through a new effort funded by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation.
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Does money buy happiness?
(04/05/05) Could your financial health make a difference in your mental health when your physical health fails? New U-M research suggests that people who are better-off financially suffer less of a decline in their happiness and well-being when they become disabled, compared with less wealthy people.
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Ill people happier than expected, study finds
(02/10/05) Despite what able-bodied healthy people might think, people with severe illnesses and disabilities don’t wallow in misery and self-pity all the time. In fact, a new U-M study finds, such patients on the whole may be just as happy as those without major medical conditions.
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Healthy heart, healthy mind?
(02/03/05) You know that watching your weight, quitting smoking, cutting back on fatty foods and exercising regularly will help your heart. But did you know that these steps might also help your brain, and protect your memory?
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VA beats others for adult medical care
(12/21/04) Patients enrolled in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health system are significantly more likely than similar patients in the general population to receive preventive and chronic care recommended by well-established national standards, according to a new study released today by researchers from the RAND Corporation, the VA and the University of Michigan
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UPDATE: What should naproxen patients do now?
(12/21/04) On December 20, the Food & Drug Administration issued an announcement advising people who take an over-the-counter painkilling drug called naproxen (sold as Aleve) to pay attention to instructions on the label and not exceed the maximum recommended dose of 220 milligrams twice daily for more than 10 days without consulting a physician.
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What should Celebrex and Bextra patients do?
(12/17/04) Today's announcement that Celebrex, a popular pain drug in the same family as Vioxx, has been found to pose an increased risk of heart problems is bound to leave many pain patients stunned, confused and worried.
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Informed consent project launched
(12/14/04) A new $1.5 million U-M initiative will help researchers improve the way they explain research studies to potential participants, and ask their consent to participate. It may serve as a model for other research institutions.
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Good for your heart, good for your mind?
(12/14/04) Could the same actions that help prevent a heart attack or stroke also prevent or slow the memory loss, confusion and thinking problems of dementia? A new study suggests that for many people, the answer could be yes.
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1 in 6 ill seniors cut drugs due to cost
(10/06/04) One in every six chronically ill older adults has cut back on prescription medications because they have problems paying for them, even though most have some prescription drug coverage in their health insurance, a new U-M and VA study shows.
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Life after Vioxx - what to do?
(10/01/04) The removal of Vioxx from the market has many pain and arthritis patients wondering what to do, but U-M experts say your heart and your gut (literally!) can guide you and your doctor to decide what medicine or combination of medicines are right for you.
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Patients don't tell doctors about Rx cost problems
(09/13/04) A majority of chronically ill patients don't tell their doctors before they cut back on their prescription medicines because of cost, even though their doctors might be able to prescribe less expensive drugs or help them find assistance, a new VA/U-M study finds. Patients need to be open about their problems paying for the medicines their doctors prescribe.
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VA beats managed care for diabetes
(08/17/04) Nearly a decade after the Department of Veterans Affairs initiated expansive improvements in how it cares for veterans with chronic illnesses, a new multicenter study finds VA patients with diabetes are more likely to receive recommended tests and have better outcomes than managed care patients.
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Will the insured help the uninsured? Study says yes
(07/13/04) A new U-M study suggests that people with health insurance may be willing to sacrifice something in order to help the uninsured, both because it's the right thing to do and because it would provide a safety net if they or their loved ones ever lost their insurance. The new results come from a unique study that used a board game to help people understand the tradeoffs and benefits that might be involved.
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Cutting back on Rx drugs cost harms health
(06/25/04) U-M and VA researchers have found the first solid evidence that people who cut back on their prescription drugs because of cost go on to have worse health problems later than those who don't cut back. The study, which followed 8,000 senior citizens for more than three years, found that heart problems and overall health suffered the most.
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Women lag men in heart aspirin use
(06/10/04) A new UMHS study finds that women aren't as likely as men to take aspirin regularly as a preventive heart-protecting measure, but that they're more likely than men to change their diet and exercise habits to help their hearts.
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Patients not sticking to cholesterol drugs
(06/08/04) New research shows that many patients aren't sticking to their prescriptions for cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins, and that the higher their insurance plan's prescription co-pay, the lower the chance that they'll keep up with their drug regimen. The finding was even true for patients who could get the most heart-protecting benefit from the drugs.
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High mastectomy rates due to breast cancer patients' choices, UMHS study finds
(06/07/04) Researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center and Wayne State University found that women with breast cancer who said they made their own treatment decision were more likely to have a mastectomy than women who said their surgeon made the decision.
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Hospital software enhances care
(05/17/04) New research results show that software developed at UMHS can strengthen the "chain" of communication between health care providers who treat patients in the hospital and once they go home. The software, called the Discharge Navigator, will soon be used throughout U-M hospitals after a successful pilot test.
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Can You Afford This Prescription? - And Did Your Doctor Ask?
(05/13/04) Do health care providers ask you whether you can afford the prescription? In a study published in the current issue of The American Journal of Medicine, researchers from the Department of Veterans Affairs/University of Michigan, the Michigan Diabetes Research and Training Center and Stanford University found that only about 25% of patients who were having difficulties with prescription costs were even asked if they were having trouble paying.
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Living wills don't work, study says
(05/10/04) Living wills don’t work -- and can’t work -- for their intended purpose of allowing people to say in advance how they’d want to be treated if they became too sick to choose for themselves, a new U-M study says. Instead, people should prepare durable powers of attorney to name a trusted person they'd want to make those decisions in case of serious illness.
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Prostate cancer guides downplay negative side effects
(05/04/04) When a man is diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer, he must weigh the varied risks of four different treatment methods. But widely available patient education materials contain minimal information on the likelihood of side effects and a bias toward active treatment, according to a new study by the University of Michigan Health System.
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People at risk of poor health care throughout U.S.
(05/04/04) A RAND Corporation study that is the second installment of the largest and most comprehensive examination ever conducted of health care quality in the United States finds that people in all parts of the country are at risk for receiving poor health care.
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Depressed seniors need more care, study finds
(05/03/04) A new U-M study reveals that depression among senior citizens carries a huge unrecognized cost: many extra hours of unpaid help with everyday activities, delivered by the depressed seniors’ spouses, adult children and friends.
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Study shows "gaming" in heart transplant system
(03/09/04) When an organ becomes available for transplant, patients who are sicker get top priority. But a new U-M/Penn State study finds evidence that heart transplant centers have sometimes exaggerated the severity of a patient’s condition to increase the likelihood of obtaining a transplant organ. It also shows that a recent policy change worked to stop this “gaming.”
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Diabetes patients skip medications to save money
(02/12/04) In a recent nationwide survey, University of Michigan Health System researchers found diabetes patients’ prescription drugs costs – which frequently mounted above $100 a month – created a financial burden that led to increasing credit card debt, borrowing money from family or friends and even cutting back on basic needs such as food or heat.
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How well do heartburn sufferers follow Prilosec directions?
(01/09/04) Contrary to concerns by some health professionals, a new study shows that heartburn sufferers do just fine at following the directions on the label of Prilosec OTC, the over-the-counter drug that contains the same active drug component as prescription Prilosec.
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Drug company payments to FDA haven’t sped approvals any more than federal funding increases did, study finds
(12/17/03) Approval of new medicines by the FDA has sped up in recent years, but a new study shows that the drug industry's fee-based program for drug reviews hasn't accelerated things much more than federal funding was already doing.
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Diabetes management improves when patients, doctors agree on treatment goals, UMHS study finds
(11/10/03) People with diabetes who agree with their physician’s treatment goals and strategies were more likely to be successful at managing their condition, but few patients agree with their doctor’s top three goals and strategies, researchers at the University of Michigan Health System report.
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One use every seven years makes automated external defibrillators a good buy, study finds
(09/05/03) Automated external defibrillators can save the lives of heart attack victims. A new University of Iowa/University of Michigan study looks at what kinds of public places should install them.
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U-M academic general internist inducted into the RWJF Generalist Faculty Scholars Program
(08/11/03) A University of Michigan doctor has won a prestigious national award to help further her research on improving health care for patients in their final days of life. The Robert Wood Johnson Generalist Scholars Award will help Maria Silveira study pain management and other end-of-life issues for the next four years.
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U-M study: Katie Couric’s colonoscopy caused cross-country climb in colon cancer checks
(07/14/03) When Katie Couric had a colonoscopy live on national TV, she did more than raise public awareness of the colon-cancer screening test — she also raised by 20 percent the rate at which Americans signed up to get their own colons checked.
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Adults not getting recommended care
(06/25/03) In the largest and most comprehensive examination ever conducted of health care quality in the United States, researchers at RAND Health and the University of Michigan found that adults fail to receive recommended health care nearly half the time.
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Information on the U-M Liver Transplant Program for viewers of 'Good Morning America'
(06/19/03) University of Michigan liver transplant patient Michael Hagan appeared on Good Morning America Thursday, June 19, 2003, to talk about the liver transplant he received at University Hospital. He was also recently featured in the Detroit Free Press.
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Locally invented CHAT game wins national award
(05/02/03) A national group this week honored a team that uses a game to help people better understand health insurance and become more involved in its design.
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Can daily aspirin therapy save your life?
(05/01/03) There seems to be a lot of new attention focused on good ole’ fashioned aspirin, so much so that it’s recently been touted as a ‘wonder drug.’ Evidence is rapidly growing that supports aspirin’s use in lowering the rates of heart attack, stroke, colon cancer and even Alzheimer’s disease. Given its widespread benefits and extremely low cost, the question is raised, “is daily aspirin therapy for everyone?”
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Study: Mexican prison doctors report torture persists
(04/22/03) Mexico's government has pledged to improve human rights for prisoners and detainees, but torture still persists in Mexican detention centers, a new study finds.
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The common cold coughs up a $40 billion annual price tag
(02/24/03) Chances are you or someone you know is battling with a nasty cold right now. The cold bug is definitely biting its way into work places and schools all across the country, forcing millions of people to stay home.
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