NEHI in the News

CVS Caremark Study Finds Value Based Insurance Designs Can Increase Adherence in Diabetes Patients

Commentary: How Pharmacists Can Help Reform Healthcare

Tattletale Pills, Bottles Remind You to Take Your Meds

iPhone App Tackles Non-Adherence

Novartis Invests $24 Million in Ingestible Sensors to Monitor Drugs, Patients

Mistakes with Meds Can Cause Serious Harm

Remote Monitoring Boosts Quality & Cuts Costs

Tech Vital to Medication Adherence

'Med Op' Technology Could Save Billions

A Six Sigma Approach to Health Care Reform

An Rx for better outcomes, lower costs

Cites strategies developed by NEHI to address patient medication nonadherence.

Who's Tackling Rampant Overutilization? Health Plans!

Article examining overuse in the health care system highlights NEHI's waste research.

Good Medicine: When to Say No to Your Doctor

An article that quotes NEHI President Wendy Everett on waste and inefficiency in health care.

In the news: Nursing, medical schools need reform, say stakeholders

Highlights the Primary Care Summit NEHI hosted.

Health Care's Frequent Fliers: The Treatment of Kenny Farnsworth

An article on emergency department overuse that cites NEHI's research.

Payment Reform: A System-wide Solution to Medication Adherence

A blog entry by NEHI Executive Director Valerie Fleishman on patient medication adherence and payment reform.

Pharmacists can help rein in costs

Highlights NEHI's research on patient medication adherence.

Medical, nursing schools need to work together

An article that emphasizes NEHI's work on collaboration in primary care.

Better care at a better cost

An opinion piece by Congressman Ron Kind that cites NEHI's research on waste and inefficiency in health care.

Rationing won't result from better end-of-life care

A letter to the editor by Congressman Ron Kind that highlights NEHI's report on waste and inefficiency.

Experts say improved medication adherence could save $300B a year

Spotlights NEHI's report on patient medication adherence.

Policy Recommendations May Improve Medication Adherence and Health Outcomes

Cites NEHI's research on patient medication adherence.

Policy organizations offer recommendations for improving medication adherence

An article on patient medication adherence which cites NEHI's research on the costs of non-adherence.

The Picture of Health

Article examining the nationwide use of tele-intensive care units highlights NEHI's project with the University of Massachusetts Medical Center examining the technology's effectiveness.

eICU Technology Eyed as Way To Address Shortage of Specialists

Spotlights NEHI's resesarch on tele-ICUs.

Calpers Bets $1 Billion Bush Aide Can Exploit Health Changes

References NEHI's report on waste and inefficiency.

Celebrating pioneers in health

Spotlights Governor Deval Patrick's attendance at NEHI's Innovators in Health awards.

Drug Adherence Throwdown: Analyzing America's Other Drug Problem

Spotlights NEHI's report on patient medication adherence.

NEHI honors Lander, innovators for healthcare reform efforts

Spotlights NEHI's Innovators in Health award.

Community pharmacists are key to maximizing medication therapy, lowering health care costs

Features NEHI's research on waste in health care.

When Less Is More in Health Care

Cites NEHI's report on waste and inefficiency in health care in the context of health reform.

Next: the pill bottle cap with a cell phone

Highlights NEHI's issue brief on patient medication adherence.

Support home-care providers

Highlights NEHI's issue brief on patient medication adherence.

In Delivering Care, More Isn't Always Better, Experts Say

Article on overuse of health care services in the context of health reform mentions NEHI's research on waste in clinical care.

It's Time For A Chronic Health Care Bailout

Highlights NEHI's report on waste and inefficiency.

Unraveling Why Patients Don't Take Their Meds

Highlights NEHI's report and roundtable on patient medication nonadherence.

Now You Don't Need a Pill to Remember Your Pills

Highlights NEHI study on patient medication adherence in describing new device designed to improve adherence.

New Gadgets Prod People to Remember Their Meds

Column highlighting new devices designed to improve medication adherence highlights NEHI's study on the issue.

Cool Technology of the Week

Blog of Dr. John Halamka, chief information officer of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, highlights NEHI's expert roundtable on patient medication adherence.

Drug therapies firm gains traction

Cites NEHI's patient adherence research in a discussion of Medication Management.

Home Health Plays Critical Role in Patient Medication Adherence

Highlights NEHI's patient adherence issue brief, "Thinking Outside the Pillbox: A System-wide Approach to Improving Patient Medication Adherence for Chronic Disease," from a provider perspective.

Poor medication adherence costs $290 billion a year

Highlights NEHI's patient adherence issue brief, "Thinking Outside the Pillbox: A System-wide Approach to Improving Patient Medication Adherence for Chronic Disease," from a health IT perspective.

Cool Technology of the Week

Dr. John Halamka discusses a new intelligent pill bottle technology in the context of NEHI's patient adherence roundtable.

Poor medicine use "costing US $290 billion a year"

Highlights NEHI's patient adherence issue brief, "Thinking Outside the Pillbox: A System-wide Approach to Improving Patient Medication Adherence for Chronic Disease," from a pharmaceutical perspective.

Study urges action to get patients to follow prescriptions

Highlights NEHI's patient adherence issue brief, "Thinking Outside the Pillbox: A System-wide Approach to Improving Patient Medication Adherence for Chronic Disease."

Four Ways Health Reform Can Improve Patient Medication Adherence

Highlights NEHI's patient adherence issue brief, "Thinking Outside the Pillbox: A System-wide Approach to Improving Patient Medication Adherence for Chronic Disease."

High costs seen in medication nonadherence: study

Highlights NEHI's patient adherence issue brief, "Thinking Outside the Pillbox: A System-wide Approach to Improving Patient Medication Adherence for Chronic Disease."

Not Taking Your Meds? It's A $290 Billion Problem

Highlights NEHI's patient adherence issue brief, "Thinking Outside the Pillbox: A System-wide Approach to Improving Patient Medication Adherence for Chronic Disease."

Medication Adherence: A Value Quadrant Opportunity? Part II

Pharos Innovations CEO Dr. Randall Williams completes his discussion of NEHI's roundtable, "Thinking Outside the Pillbox – A System-wide Approach to Improving Patient Medication Adherence for Chronic Disease."

Medication Adherence: A Value Quadrant Opportunity? Part I

Pharos Innovations CEO Dr. Randall Williams discusses NEHI's roundtable, "Thinking Outside the Pillbox – A System-wide Approach to Improving Patient Medication Adherence for Chronic Disease."

Time To Get Serious About Health Promotion

NEHI President Wendy Everett calls for Massachusetts health care reform to focus on wellness, as outlined in NEHI's report, "Healthy People in a Healthy Economy: A Blueprint for Action in Massachusetts."

ROI algorithm calculates value of mobile health care

NEHI program director Tom Hubbard comments on a calculator designed to assess the value of mobile health care.

Massachusetts looks at the health and health care equation

The Recession Is Making Us Sick

NEHI calls for wellness campaign to curb chronic illness and lower costs in Massachusetts

Highlights the release of NEHI's report, "Healthy People in a Healthy Economy: A Blueprint for Action in Massachusetts," and the accompanying forum held at The Boston Foundation.

Study: Weak Economy Bad For Public Health

NEHI to launch medication initiative for patients with chronic illnesses

Group kicks off effort to improve medication compliance

Initiative aiming for better medication adherence

Highlights the launch of NEHI's patient adherence project.

The Doctor is Inundated: Primary Care Needs Reform

NEHI President Wendy Everett explains the causes of the national primary care crisis and offers solutions as outlined in the NEHI report, "Remaking Primary Care: From Crisis to Opportunity."

IT key component to curing ailing primary care system, report concludes

Details healthcare information technology's role in changing the primary care system, as explained in NEHI's report.

Primary Care Needs New Innovations to Meet Growing Demands

Outlines innovations needed in primary care delivery identified by NEHI's report.

IT crucial to improving primary-care practice: NEHI

Identifies health information technology as a key component to redesigning primary care, according to NEHI's research.

NEHI research identifies new approaches to primary care shortage

Highlights NEHI's recommended innovations in service delivery, site of care, reimbursement and primary care education.

Primary Care Needs Makeover: NEHI Report

Highlights changes needed to redesign primary care identified by NEHI's research.

Report: I.T. Helps Primary Care

Identifies health information technology as a key component to redesigning primary care, according to NEHI's research.

Explore New Primary Care Models

Dr. Joseph Martin cites NEHI's research on the primary care crisis.

Innovation's Vital Role in Healthcare

Op/ed by NEHI President Wendy Everett discusses the critical areas that must be considered by policymakers to sustain valuable medical innovation as comparative effectiveness research is implemented throughout the health care system.

'White Paper' Aims to Shape Treatment Comparison Agenda

Discusses NEHI's white paper on sustaining innovation through CER and highlights NEHI's upcoming stakeholder discussion in Washington, DC.

NEHI Offers Ideas on Comparative Effectiveness

NQF Forum Focuses on Battling Waste with Quality

Wendy Everett provided the keynote address at the National Quality Forum's spring conference, dubbed "Waste Not Want Not - The Right Care for Every Patient."

Model Patient

Valerie Fleishman comments on scaling Massachusetts' health reform nationally.

Is the Health Reform Debate Already Over?

Discusses how current investments and research in primary care may indicate that change is already on its way.

Wise Spending Best Medicine

Op/ed by NEHI President Wendy Everett, ScD explains how policymakers could find $800 billion in annual savings by reducing waste in health care spending.

Finding a Faster Route from Patent to Patient

NEHI President Wendy Everett, ScD, discusses the value of technology and the need for implementation in the health care marketplace.

Comparison Analysis: Critics Questioning Design of Effectiveness Studies

CPOE in the community hospital setting: insights from a Massachusetts multi-hospital study

Senior Contributing Editor Mark Hagland recently interviewed Erica Drazen, Sc.D., and Jane Metzger, two of the leaders of CSC’s Emerging Practices group. Drazen and Metzger have just published a study commissioned by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative and the New England Healthcare Institute, entitled “Saving Lives, Saving Money In Practice." The report relates key learnings of six community hospitals that have achieved near-100-percent physician adoption as a way of demonstrating how to effectively meet the state’s 2012 adoption deadline.

Cost Savings Associated with Home-Based Physiologic Monitoring

The cost-savings associated with monitoring systems for patients with chronic disease are also now well documented. Below is an excerpt from an article [by the New England Healthcare Institute] focusing on such savings. [...] Well, it's not going to happen on a large scale but hopefully the idea will continue to be examined with small pilot projects.

CPOE adopters need long-term support for success

Physician champions are critical to pulling off the installation of a computerized physician order-entry system, but they’re just as important to providing user support in the long years after going live, according to a joint report from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative and the New England Healthcare Institute.

Study: Savings from Home Monitoring

Remote, home-based physiological monitoring of patients with congestive heart failure can save thousands of dollars per patient per year through fewer hospitalizations, according to a new report.

Reps Push Wellness Program to Cut Down on Health Costs

At a hearing held by the Committee on Public Health, Valerie Fleishman of the New England Healthcare Institute, along with others, described to Massachusetts lawmakers the benefits of work-based wellness programs in terms of both reducing health costs and improving employee productivity.

State Backs Wellness Programs at Work

Valerie Fleishman, Executive Director of the New England Health Care Institute, among others, testified before the Massachusetts legislature about the benefits of employee wellness programs.

West Springfield gets $5,000 wellness grant

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts gives West Springfield its Municipal Health Care Innovation Best in Class Awards, as part of a program recognizing municipalities that have successfully implemented health and wellness programs.

Changing the Cost of Healthcare

Cleve L. Killingsworth, CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, discusses reforming health care delivery in terms of eliminating waste and improving patient outcomes.

Cost Comparisons Likely To Come Later In Comparative Effectiveness

InsideHealthPolicy.com explores the role of cost comparisons in terms of the scope of comparative effectiveness research.

The Ethics of Efficiency in Hospital Medicine: Developing a New Paradigm for the Patient-Physician Relationship

The AMA Journal of Ethics cites NEHI's report on waste in its discussion of physicians' new ethical obligation to efficiency in health care.

Life Science Companies are Well Suited to Giving

The focus and work of life science companies on people makes charity and easy next step.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Jumps on the CPOE Bandwagon

Discusses the impact of NEHI's research in influencing Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts to require its participating hospitals to use CPOE by 2012.

On the Right Track in Massachusetts

Throughout the years, medication errors have been a significant cause of injury and death among hospital patients. [...] More specifically, a new study conducted by the New England Healthcare Institute and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative found that one in every 10 patients in a Massachusetts community hospital has suffered a preventable adverse drug event.

Preventing the Preventable

AHIP reports on the problem of preventable medical errors and the promise of CPOE and other computerized systems for improving patient safety.

Names: Healthy Celebration

Superhero, and Force For Good

The Boston Globe's "G Force" column profiles NEHI President and "Daredevil" comic inspiration Dr. Wendy Everett.

Avoidable Care Costs: Medical Waste Adds to Health Care Burden

James Roosevelt Jr., chief executive of Tufts Health Plan, cites NEHI's waste research in a Boston Globe commentary.

Breaking the Cycle of Waste in Healthcare

Tufts Health Plan CEO Jim Roosevelt, Jr. outlines the need to eliminate waste and inefficiency in health care, arguing that it is the next logical and necessary step for reforming the system, saving money and expanding access.

Longer Lifespans to Affect Health Care

This article covers a presentation by NEHI President, Wendy Everett, at MedTech's 2008 conference on bioscience, where she spoke about the need for new models of providing and paying for health care as Americas’ population continues to both grow and age.

Boston Business Journal's "40 Under 40" - Valerie Fleishman

Evidence-Based Medicine is an Effective Tool that Should be More Broadly Adopted

Jim Roosevelt, Jr., President and CEO of Tufts Health Plan, discusses the benefits of reducing waste in health care, citing simple solutions for lowering costs and improving the quality of care for patients.

Working Toward Wellness

Wendy Everett, President of NEHI, discusses how a new generation of employee wellness programs is delivering on health care cost reduction for businesses while increasing employee health and productivity at the same time. In partnership with The Boston Foundation, NEHI is developing a strategy to create a “Blueprint for a Healthy People in a Healthy Economy.”

Bay State Actually a Leader in Clinical Trials: Life Sciences Firms Still Seek to Host More Studies

Contrary to the belief held by many life science leaders in Massachusetts, data show the state remains a leader in clinical trials. But, some argue that organizations and policy makers should do even more to further increase the number of clinical trials in Massachusetts as they are a critical aspect of “maintaining the state's position as a major life sciences center,” and because of the benefits they provide to the economy and to patients.

Ambulance Diversions: What They Are, Why We Care and What To Do

The New American Foundation explores the problem of ambulance diversions and the issues of patient safety and emergency department overuse associated with it.

CPOE Snapshot

The Sccottsdale Institute provides an overview of CPOE, looking at lessons learned from innovative research and early adopters to new insights from industry leaders.

The ER's in Urgent Need of a Fix

The growing problem of Emergency Department overuse and it consequences for cost and quality.

Some Surprises On Emergency Room Use

Charlie Baker discusses some of the issues surrounding emergency department use and misuse.

Bravo to Lawmakers for Passing a Vital Healthcare Provision

Letter to the Editor, By John Halamka

High Error Rate Creates New Urgency for CPOE: Why the Technology May Become a Mandate, Not an Option

An interview with NEHI president Wendy Everett about NEHI's work on CPOE and what it means for hospitals.

July Awards

NEHI's own Judy Ozbun received the Science Club For Girls' Catalyst Award.

The Clinical and Financial Impact of CPOE

Q&A With Wendy Everett, ScD, President, New England Healthcare Institute

Report Finds Massachusetts Faces Increasing Life Science Competition

An examination of the challenges that the Massachusetts life sciences community will face in the next few years including those presented by globalization and stagnant funding.

Biotechnology, a Massachusetts Force

A post on a blog dedicated to funding biotechnology research about the Massachusetts Life Science Super Cluster.

Competing for Biotechs' Attention: States, Nations Chase Prospect of High-Paying Jobs, Revenue

Despite the increased competition, Massachusetts' bio cluster has continued to grow. A PricewaterhouseCoopers study released last week estimated life sciences employment in the state climbed 8 percent from 2001 to 2006 to 77,000 workers even as other industries shrank.

Nonurgent Emergency-Department Use Targeted

NEHI announces its partnership with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement around the issue of nonurgent emergency department use.

Life Sciences Industry Lauds Deval Patrick: $1 Billion Biotech Measure Sets Massachusetts Apart

An examination of the impact the $1 billion biotech bill will have on the Massachusetts "Life Sciences Supercluster." This article also features comments by NEHI board member, BIO board chairman, and Vertex Pharmaceutical Inc. founder Joshua Boger.

The Promise of CPOE

A letter to the editor of Modern Healthcare about the potential of Computerized Physician Order Entry to save lives and save money in response to an article about Health IT. Co-written by NEHI President Wendy Everett and MTC Executive Director Mitchell Adams.

Study: Mass. Can't Rest on Life-Science Laurels

New England Healthcare Institute Names Valerie Fleishman as ED

Massnonprofit.org on Valerie Fleishman's promotion to the position of Executive Director at NEHI.

Move to Lucrative Specialties 'Severely Crimping' Primary Care

This morning another voice joins the chorus warning of a coming shortage of primary care doctors. This time, it's Joseph B. Martin, former dean of Harvard Med School.

Where Have All the Doctors Gone?

The march into more lucrative medical specialties is severely crimping the ranks of needed primary care doctors at the very moment the demand for primary care is on the rise (OpEd by NEHI Chairman Dr. Joseph Martin).

What's Driving Health Care Costs?

Until we get serious about variation — in prices, in practice, in care delivery — we will continue to be frustrated by our inability to make progress on health care cost and quality.

The Third Obstacle to Health Care Reform

Why does health care cost so much? This post on the Talking Points Memo looks at some of the reasons for wasteful spending and high prices in the health care system and at why they aren't being fixed.

Weeding out Health Care Waste

NEHI President Wendy Everett lays out the three main areas of waste; overuse, underuse, and misuse, and challenges the health care industry to do better.

Collaborating Across the Miles

An examination of eICU technology and its potential to improve quality of care while lowering costs, this article looks at hospital systems where eICU technology is already in place and to where it could be useful in the future.

The Best (and Only) Way to Cut Health-care Costs

Op/ed by NEHI President Wendy Everett, ScD, explains how policymakers should focus on prevention and chronic care management to reduce healthcare costs.

Insurer Finds EMRs Won't Pay Off For Its Doctors

An examination of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts' decision to require Computerized Physician Order Entry and not Electronic Medical Records to be used by its participant hospital systems.

Computerize the Errors Away

An editorial strongly urging Massachusetts hospitals to adopt Computerized Physician Order Entry based on the striking findings of a study done by the New England Healthcare Institute and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.

Insurer Urges Computerized Prescriptions at Hospitals

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts endorses the findings of a New England Healthcare Institute and Massachusetts Technology Collaborative joint study by requiring all hospitals participating in its incentive program to adopt Computerized Physician Order Entry technology.

1 in 10 Patients Gets Drug Error

NEHI's joint study with the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative found that 1 in 10 patients at a Massachusetts community hospital suffers an avoidable medication error, and that these errors could be prevented with Computerized Physician Order Entry technology.

The Best Kept Secret of Campaign '08: A Bipartisan Consensus on Health Reform

NEHI President Wendy Everett discusses the simlarity between the Romney, Clinton, McCain and Obama campaigns on the issue of chronic disease management and prevention.

Good Night, Nurse! BMC Tests Virtual RN for Discharges

An examination of the potential for virtual discharge nurses to decrease costs and improve quality of care for hospital patients.

Rolling Into Health Care

A look at the potential for high speed internet and other commercial technologies to be used in health care settings as tools for remote patient monitoring.

Tele-Treatments

Liz Kowalczyk's article provides an in depth look at the use of Tele-ICU technology in the UMass Medical system, and the technology's potential to decrease Intensive Care mortality and length of stay.l

The Chronic Cost of Chronic Diseases

An OpEd by Joslin DIabetes Center president and chief executive Ranch Kimball on the rising cost of chronic disease and its impact on the health care system and the economy.

Pogo Had it Right

An article by Globe columnist Steve Bailey on the rising cost of chronic disease to the Massachusetts health care system as illustrated by reports by both NEHI and the Milken Institute.

The Cost of Quality in Health

A Boston Globe editorial on the "Boston Paradox": we have a world class health care system, but the cost of chronic disease and the aging of the population are a drain on the economy .

Digital Doctoring

Dr. Joseph B. Martin, chairman of the New England Healthcare Institute gives a doctor's perspective on how hospitals should work on overcoming physician resistance to new medical technology.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring: Planning for Innovation

An article by Valerie Fleishman, M.B.A., Robert Sayoc Nocon, M.H.S., and Sarah A. Spurgeon, B.A. that identifies opportunities to accelerate the adoption of Continuous Glucose Monitoring technologies.