News Archive
The Condition Of Education 2010 [May 28, 2010]
Millennials: A Portrait of Generation Next [May 27, 2010]
Smart Global Health Policy [May 26, 2010]
One In Four Employers Expect Health Reform's 2011 Requirements To Add 3% Or More To Next Year's Cost [May 25, 2010]
Health Literacy Toolkit Available [May 24, 2010]
Paying For Performance In Primary Care: Potential Impact On Practices And Disparities [May 14, 2010]
Can Foreign Policy Make A Difference To Health? [May 13, 2010]
Implementing Electronic Health Record Systems In Hospitals [May 12, 2010]
Web Resource Center Available To Measure Quality In Higher Education [May 11, 2010]
21st Century Roadmap For Advancing America’s Health [May 10, 2010]
Health Reform In A Post-Reform World [May 7, 2010]
Health Care Costs 101 [May 6, 2010]
Opening Doors To Faculty Involvement In Assessment [May 5, 2010]
Hidden Funding Gaps In Schools [May 4, 2010]
Analyzing The Nation's Language Diversity [May 3, 2010]
Healthcare Executives Initial Response To Health Reform Cost And Quality [April 30, 2010]
An Agenda For Graduate Education [April 29, 2010]
Americans Divided And Confused About Health Reform Law [April 28, 2010]
National Health Care Disparities Report [April 27, 2010]
Human Health Perspective On Climate Change [April 26, 2010]
Increasing Time To Baccalaureate Degree In The United States [April 23, 2010]
HIT Policy Committee Adopts Patient Safety Recommendations [April 22, 2010]
Health Care Opinion Leaders' Views On Health Reform, Implementation, And Post-Reform Priorities [April 21, 2010]
Statement On Common Core Standards [April 20, 2010]
Impact Of Comparative Effectiveness Research On Health And Health Care Spending [April 19, 2010]
Consumers And Health Information Technology [April 16, 2010]
Survey Of Temporary Therapist Staffing Trends [April 15, 2010]
The Effects Of Health Reform On The Federal Budget [April 14, 2010]
2010 Global Survey Of Health Care Consumers: Cross-Country Report [April 13, 2010]
How Smartphones Are Changing Health Care For Consumers And Providers [April 12, 2010]
Digest Of Education Statistics 2009 [April 8, 2010]
Electronic Medical Record Use By Office-Based Physicians [April 7, 2010]
Prevention In Health Reform [April 6, 2010]
U.S. Economic And Social Trends Since 2000[April 5, 2010]
Chronic Disease And The Internet [April 2, 2010]
Massachusetts Health Care Cost Trends [April 1, 2010]
The Condition Of Education 2010
The Condition of Education 2010 summarizes important developments and trends in education using the latest available data. The report presents 49 indicators on the status and condition of education, in addition to a special section on high-poverty schools. The indicators represent a consensus of professional judgment on the most significant national measures of the condition and progress of education for which accurate data are available. Among the five main areas covered in the report, one is the contexts of postsecondary education.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2010/2010028.pdf.
Millennials: A Portrait of Generation Next
A report from the Pew Research Center examines America's newest generation, the Millennials, many of whom have now crossed into adulthood. The study began in 2006 in a comprehensive survey The new report greatly expands on that seminal work and involves a comparison of the values, attitudes, and behaviors of Millennials with those of today's older adults. In addition, they are compared with older adults back when they were the age that Millennials are now.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://pewsocialtrends.org/assets/pdf/millennials-confident-connected-open-to-change.pdf.
Smart Global Health Policy
According to a new report from the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) a smart, strategic, long-term global health policy will advance America's core interests, building on remarkable recent successes, making better use of the influence and special capabilities of the United States, motivating others to do more, and creating lasting collaborations that could save and lift the lives of millions worldwide. The CSIS Commission on Smart Global Health Policy calls on Washington policymakers to embrace a fivepoint agenda for global health-a mutually reinforcing set of goals to achieve U.S. ambitions and partner country needs.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://csis.org/files/publication/100318_Fallon_SmartGlobalHealth.pdf.
One In Four Employers Expect Health Reform's 2011 Requirements To Add 3% Or More To Next Year's Cost
Many employers are bracing for higher health care costs resulting from compliance with health reform mandates that take effect with the 2011 plan year. According to a survey of nearly 800 employers by Mercer, the cost impact will range from moderate to severe, depending on the employer's circumstances. Mercer surveyed 791 employers this month about whether they expect Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) rules will cause costs to rise in 2011, and if so, by how much. One-fourth of respondents said that compliance with the first round of PPACA mandates will add at least another 3% to their projected 2011 plan costs, with about one in ten expecting an additional 5% or more. About two-fifths (42%) predict a relatively modest increase of 2% or less, and 3% said their plans were already in compliance and would see no cost increase. The remaining 30% could not estimate the impact.
For additional information about the survey, click http://www.mercer.com/summary.htm?idContent=1380755.
Health Literacy Toolkit Available
AHRQ has released the Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit. The toolkit is based on the principles of universal precautions or specific actions that providers can take to make health information more understandable for all patients. It is designed to be used by all levels of staff in practices providing primary care for adults and/or children.
The toolkit can be accessed by clicking http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/literacy/healthliteracytoolkit.pdf.
Paying For Performance In Primary Care: Potential Impact On Practices And Disparities
Rewarding primary care physicians for providing better care to patients could end up widening medical disparities experienced by poorer individuals and those belonging to racial and ethnic minorities, according to a new RAND Corporation study. Researchers found that under a typical pay-for-performance program medical practices that serve vulnerable populations would likely receive lower payments than other practices, a result of existing gaps in the quality of health care received by patients in these groups. The finding suggests that pay-for-performance programs could divert resources away from medically needy communities, further eroding the quality of medical care rather than driving improved quality.
The results of the study can be accessed by clicking http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/29/5/926.
Can Foreign Policy Make A Difference To Health?
The state of global health has a profound impact on all nations and is deeply interconnected with trade and environment, economic growth, social development, national security, human rights, and dignity. These items are challenges that go beyond the scope of ministries of health and represent areas for which WHO (as the UN specialized agency for health) must have broader political support from member countries. An article published earlier this week in PloS Medicine addresses this concern.
The article can be accessed by clicking http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000274.
Implementing Electronic Health Record Systems In Hospitals
As part of its TRENDWATCH series, the American Hospital Association (AHA) devoted its April 2010 issue to the topic of “The Road to Meaningful Use: What It Takes to Implement Health Record Systems in Hospitals.”
The document can be accessed by clicking http://www.aha.org/aha/trendwatch/2010/10apr-tw-HITmeanuse.pdf.
Web Resource Center Available To Measure Quality In Higher Education
A new web resource center on measuring quality in higher education is available from the Association for Institutional Research (AIR) in partnership with the American Council on Education (ACE) Center for Policy Analysis and the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA). The website provides information on assessment instruments and resources in a format that allows keyword and topical searches. This information is an update and expansion of the monograph, Measuring Quality: Surveys and Other Assessments of College Quality (Borden & Owens, 2001). The original monograph, published jointly by ACE and AIR, included information about 26 assessment instruments. The updated inventory includes nearly 10 times as many items divided into four categories: instruments (examinations, surveys, questionnaires, etc.); software tools and platforms; benchmarking systems and data resources; projects, initiatives and services. The resource center includes guidance intended to provide context for evaluating, selecting, and using assessment tools and resources.
The website can be accessed by clicking http://applications.airweb.org/surveys/.
21st Century Roadmap For Advancing America’s Health
The Commission on U.S. Federal Leadership in Health and Medicine's second report, A 21st Century Roadmap for Advancing America's Health: The Path from Peril to Progress (May 2010) marks the passage of recent landmark health reform legislation and proposes a series of recommendations to make America the healthiest nation in the world. The Commission’s recommendations reach beyond health insurance reform to address four pillars of a 21st century health care system for the nation, which include investing in research, strengthening public health and prevention, re-engineering the delivery system, and promoting global health.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.thepresidency.org/storage/documents/Health_Report.pdf.
Health Reform In A Post-Reform World
The health system of tomorrow will not be the same as today. A PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Health Research Institute report illustrates the mega trends that each health sector will face as a result of health reform, the provisions in the law that are driving them, and recommendations on how organizations can turn these challenges into new opportunities.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://pwchealth.com/cgi-local/hregister.cgi?link=reg/prospering-in-a-post-reform-world.pdf.
In 2008, national health care spending grew at the slowest pace seen in almost 50 years. The 4.4 percent increase over prior year spending extended a slowing trend that has been underway since 2003. However, with the nation in the grip of recession, 2008’s modest growth in health spending still outpaced the economy and health care’s share of GDP rose to 16.2 percent. Total health care spending in 2008 reached $ 2.3 trillion or $7,681 per person. Health Care Costs 101 provides general background on U.S. health spending. It details how much is spent, on which services, and what proportion is paid directly by consumers.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.chcf.org/~/media/Files/PDF/H/HealthCareCosts10.pdf.
Opening Doors To Faculty Involvement In Assessment
The National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA) has issued a new paper on assessing higher education learning outcomes, Opening Doors to Faculty Involvement in Assessment. The paper examines a range of ways to bring assessment and the regular work of faculty closer together, which may make faculty involvement more likely and assessment more useful.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://learningoutcomesassessment.org/documents/PatHutchings.pdf.
Hidden Funding Gaps In Schools
A new report from The Education Trust documents how budgeting practices in school districts across the country are shortchanging low-income students and undermining the power of federal investments in high-poverty schools. “Close the Hidden Funding Gaps in Our Schools” shines a light on these widespread and unjust accounting practices and offers Congress a straightforward legislative path: Fix the so-called comparability provisions of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.edtrust.org/sites/edtrust.org/files/publications/files/Hidden%20Funding%20Gaps_0.pdf.
Analyzing The Nation's Language Diversity
The number of individuals five and older who spoke a language other than English at home has more than doubled in the last three decades and at a pace four times greater than the nation's population growth, according to a new U.S. Census Bureau report analyzing data from the 2007 American Community Survey and over the period 1980 - 2007. In that time frame, the percentage of speakers of non-English languages grew four times faster than the nation's overall population. Spanish speakers accounted for the largest numeric increase - nationwide, there were 23.4 million more speakers in 2007 than in 1980 representing more than a two-fold percent increase. The Vietnamese-speaking population accounted for a five-fold increase (1.0 million speakers) over the same timeframe. The new report, Language in the U.S. 2007, identifies states with the highest concentrations of some of the most commonly spoken non-English languages.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/acs-12.pdf.
Healthcare Executives Initial Response To Health Reform Cost And Quality
According to AMN’s 2010 Survey of Healthcare Executives: Initial Response to Healthcare Reform on Cost, Quality, nearly three-quarters of healthcare executives responding to an April 2010 survey say healthcare reform will have a negative impact on their facilities, while more than 60 percent note that reform will have a somewhat or very detrimental effect on the quality of care their facilities are able to provide. In addition, the survey suggests that the majority of healthcare executives believe reform will create more patient demand for the services they offer and therefore a need for more clinicians and 56 percent said healthcare reform will drive them to add more allied healthcare professionals. The survey collected data from 172 respondents within a month of health reform being signed into law by President Obama.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.amnhealthcare.com/pdf/2010AMNHealthcare_ReformInitialSurvey.pdf.
An Agenda For Graduate Education
The prime position of American graduate education is increasingly at risk and both universities and the government need to renew their commitments to helping students earn advanced degrees, according to a report being released today. "The Path Forward: The Future of Graduate Education in the United States" argues that American graduate education has allowed serious problems -- such as low completion rates in many programs and an insufficiently diverse student body -- to linger and it argues that the federal government has failed to take necessary steps to assure the continued strength of a system crucial to American economic success. The report is being released by the Council of Graduate Schools and the Educational Testing Service.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.fgereport.org/rsc/pdf/CFGE_report.pdf.
Americans Divided And Confused About Health Reform Law
The first Kaiser Health Tracking Poll fielded since the passage of health reform last month finds that 8 in 10 Americans know that President Obama signed the legislation into law, but 55 percent say they are confused about the law and more than half (56%) say they don't yet have enough information to understand how it will affect them personally. The public remains divided on the law overall, with 46 percent viewing it favorably, 40 percent unfavorably and 14 percent undecided. Similarly, 31 percent of Americans say they expect personally to be better off because of the law, while 32 percent say they will be worse off and 30 percent say they don't expect to be affected.
Poll results can be accessed by clicking http://www.kff.org/kaiserpolls/upload/8067-F.pdf.
National Health Care Disparities Report
The National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR) shows that some Americans receive worse care than other Americans. Within the scope of health care delivery, these disparities may be due to differences in access to care, provider biases, poor provider-patient communication, poor health literacy, or other factors. The purpose of the NHDR, as mandated by Congress, is to identify differences or gaps where some segments of the population receive poor or worse care than others and to track how these gaps are changing over time. Although the emphasis is on disparities related to race and socioeconomic status, the reporting mandate indicates an expectation that the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) will examine health care disparities across broadly defined “priority populations.” These include ethnic minorities and other groups or categories of individuals experiencing disparate and inadequate health care.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhdr09/nhdr09.pdf.
Human Health Perspective On Climate Change
A report by a federal working group highlights 11 key categories of diseases and other health consequences that are occurring or will occur due to climate change. A Human Health Perspective on Climate Change provides a starting point for coordination of federal research to understand better climate’s impact on human health. The recommendations of the working group include research to identify who will be most vulnerable and what efforts will be most beneficial.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/docs/climatereport2010.pdf.
Increasing Time To Baccalaureate Degree In The United States
According to a new report from the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER Working Paper No, 15892), time to completion of the baccalaureate degree has increased markedly in the United States over the last three decades, even as the wage premium for college graduates has continued to rise. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of the High School Class of 1972 and the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988, the increase in time to degree is localized among those who begin their postsecondary education at public colleges outside the most selective universities. Increases in time to degree were more marked among low-income students. Investigators found no evidence that changes in the college preparedness or the demographic composition of degree recipients can account for the observed increases. Instead, the results suggest that declines in collegiate resources in the less-selective public sector increased time to degree. Evidence was found of increased hours of employment among students, which is consistent with students working more to meet rising college costs and likely increases time to degree by crowding out time spent on academic pursuits.
The paper can be acquired by clicking http://www.nber.org/papers/w15892.
HIT Policy Committee Adopts Patient Safety Recommendations
The Health Information Technology (HIT) Policy Committee April 21 voted to adopt a set of recommendations to David Blumenthal, M.D., National Coordinator for HIT, on the topic of patient safety related to the use of electronic health records (EHRs). The recommendations are intended to address problems associated with technology issues (including software bugs), the complex interactions of people and technology, training and implementation, and interoperability.
Additional information can be obtained by clicking http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=1269&parentname=CommunityPage&parentid=5&mode=2&in_hi_userid=10741&cached=true.
Health Care Opinion Leaders' Views On Health Reform, Implementation, And Post-Reform Priorities
Nearly nine of 10 leaders in health care and health care policy believe the comprehensive health reform legislation passed by Congress and signed into law will expand access to affordable health insurance coverage successfully, the latest Commonwealth Fund/Modern Healthcare Health Care Opinion Leaders Survey finds. According to the data brief, key features of the health reform law—including income-related subsidies, new insurance market rules, and innovative payment methods—are supported by an overwhelming majority of opinion leaders. Looking toward implementation, respondents identified the nation’s supply of primary care providers, states’ capacity to implement reform, and enforcement of the individual mandate as areas of potential concern.
The data brief can be accessed by clicking http://www.commonwealthfund.org/~/media/Files/Publications/Data%20Brief/2010/Apr/1387_Stremikis_HCOL_postreform_priorities_data_briefrev.pdf.
Statement On Common Core Standards
The National Governor’s Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers released a set of common core standards designed to help today’s students prepare for success in college and in a rapidly changing and competitive global economy. That item can be accessed by clicking http://www.corestandards.org/Standards/index.htm.
Carol Geary Schneider, President of the Association of American Colleges and Universities commented on the standards. Her statement can be accessed by clicking http://www.aacu.org/about/statements/2010/commoncorestandards.cfm.
Impact Of Comparative Effectiveness Research On Health And Health Care Spending
A paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research indicates that subsidization of technology assessments in general, and Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) in particular, has received considerable attention as a tool to improve patient health and lower the cost of health care simultaneously. Little conceptual and empirical understanding exists, however, concerning the quantitative impact of public technology assessments such as CER. This paper analyses the impact of CER on health and medical care spending interpreting CER to shift the demand for some treatments at the expense of others. Spending and health implications of such demand shifts in private- as well as subsidized health care markets are described. In contrast to current wisdom, the analysis implies that CER may well increase spending and adversely affect patient health, particularly when treatment effects are heterogeneous across patients.
The document may be accessed by clicking http://chess.uchicago.edu/events/hew/winter10/basu_philipson.pdf.
Consumers And Health Information Technology
Americans pay more attention and become more engaged in their health and medical care when they have easy access to their health information online, a finding of a national survey of the public’s use of and attitudes toward health IT -- in particular personal health records (PHRs). Although only 7% of adults currently use a PHR, the number is growing.
Among the survey highlights:
- As a result of their PHR, users cite taking steps to improve their own health, knowing more about their health care, and asking their doctors questions they would not otherwise have asked.
- Although higher-income individuals are the most likely to have used a PHR, lower-income adults, those with chronic conditions, and those without a college degree are more likely to experience positive effects of having their information accessible online.
- Of those who do not have a PHR, 40% express interest in using one.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.chcf.org/documents/healthit/ConsumersHealthInfoTechnologyNationalSurvey.pdf.
Survey Of Temporary Therapist Staffing Trends
A survey suggests that a shortage of therapists available to fill permanent positions may be causing an increase in the use of temporary therapists, even during the ongoing economic recession. In 2007, the first year AMN conducted this survey, 67% of department managers surveyed indicated that they has used traveling therapists in the last 12 months. In the latest survey, by contrast, 85% of those surveyed said they had used travelers in the last 12 months, an increase of 18 percentage points. In 2007, 40% of those surveyed said that in a typical month they did not use a travel therapist. In the latest survey, only 25% of those surveyed said that in a typical month they did not use a travel therapist, a decrease of 15 percentage points. The intent of this survey is to provide data regarding the current use of and demand for temporary physical and occupational therapists as well as to provide information regarding therapists who work on a temporary basis.
The survey can be accessed by clicking http://www.amnhealthcare.com/services-products/whitepapers-surveys-casestudies.aspx#.
The Effects Of Health Reform On The Federal Budget
Douglas Elmendorf, Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), made a presentation on April 12 to the World Health Care Congress on the topic of the Effects of Health Reform on The Federal Budget.
His presentation can be accessed by clicking http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/114xx/doc11439/WHCC_Presentation-4-12-10.pdf.
2010 Global Survey Of Health Care Consumers: Cross-Country Report
The just-completed 2010 Global Survey of Health Care Consumers revealed that Americans and consumers in five other surveyed countries are connected by their health care behaviors, attitudes and unmet needs. Deloitte's inaugural global survey was conducted by the Center for Health Solutions.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.deloitte.com/assets/Dcom-UnitedStates/Local%20Assets/Documents/us_chs_consumerism_Global.pdf.
How Smartphones Are Changing Health Care For Consumers And Providers
The recent adoption and use of smartphones by both consumers and providers of health care is proceeding rapidly. Two-thirds of physicians and 42% of the public used smartphones as of late 2009, despite the recession that began a year earlier. The creation of applications related to health and health care also is moving quickly. As of February 2010, there were nearly 6,000 such apps within the Apple AppStore. Of these, 73% were intended for use by consumer or patient end-users, while 27% were targeted to health care professionals. Apps geared to physicians include alerts, medical reference tools, diagnostic tools, continuing medical education, and patient records programs. Consumer-oriented apps include those for medication compliance, mobile and home monitoring, home care, managing conditions, and wellness/fitness.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.chcf.org/documents/healthit/HowSmartphonesChangingHealthCare.pdf.
Digest Of Education Statistics 2009
The 45th in a series of publications initiated in 1962, the Digest's primary purpose is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education from prekindergarten through graduate school. The Digest contains data on a variety of topics, including the number of schools and colleges, teachers, enrollments, and graduates, in addition to educational attainment, finances, and federal funds for education, libraries, and international comparisons.
The Digest can be accessed by clicking http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2010/2010013.pdf.
Electronic Medical Record Use By Office-Based Physicians
According to a new report from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), in 2007, 34.8 percent of office-based physicians reported using any EMR (all electronic or partially electronic medical record) system, which represented a 19.2 percent increase since 2006 and a 91.2 percent increase since 2001.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr023.pdf.
With health reform legislation signed into law, James Marks, M.D., M.P.H., senior vice president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Jeffrey Levi, Ph.D., executive director of the Trust for America's Health, answer questions about the wellness and prevention provisions in the new law.
Their responses can be accessed by clicking http://www.rwjf.org/publichealth/product.jsp?id=59109.
U.S. Economic And Social Trends Since 2000
Changes in the economy, population migration patterns, and levels of education are factors that have an impact on personal and community health status. A publication from the Population Reference Bureau focuses on the ways in which individuals are adapting to changing economic conditions. The examination looks beyond employment and income and analyzes other important aspects of personal lives, including educational attainment, homeownership, commuting, marriage, fertility, and migration trends.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.prb.org/pdf10/65.1unitedstates.pdf.
Chronic Disease And The Internet
According to a report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, U.S. adults living with chronic disease are significantly less likely than healthy adults to have access to the internet (62% vs. 81%). The internet access gap creates an online health information gap. However, lack of internet access, not lack of interest in the topic, is the primary reason for the difference. Once online, having a chronic disease increases the probability that someone will take advantage of social media to share what they know and learn from their peers.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.pewinternet.org/~/media//Files/Reports/2010/PIP_Chronic_Disease.pdf.
Massachusetts Health Care Cost Trends
The Massachusetts health care system is a critical component of the state’s economy. Health care is the state’s top industry, the largest employer of Massachusetts residents, and accounts for over 13 percent of its $365 billion Gross State Product (GSP). At the same time, Massachusetts is grappling with escalating health care costs, which are consuming a greater portion of the economy and lowering real wage growth. A new report examines factors that contribute to high health care costs in Massachusetts, including the structure of the health care system and the payment methods currently used by Massachusetts health insurers.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.mass.gov/Eeohhs2/docs/dhcfp/r/cost_trends_files/part1_system_in_context.pdf.