Patient data access
Patient data access, critical regulatory requirement, concerns the secure retrieval and use of individual health information, often via a patient portal or other secure means. In addition, adequate access to care and appointment scheduling, are mainstays of patient-centered care.
Top Stories
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30 Jul 2025
Tech giants, providers back CMS health tech ecosystem initiative
Major tech companies, health systems and payers pledged to meet CMS-led interoperability framework criteria and promote improved health outcomes through personalized health tech. Continue Reading
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28 Jul 2025
Machine learning predicts appointment no-shows, late cancels
Machine learning can help predict appointment no-shows and late cancellations, helping clinics tailor their patient engagement and outreach strategies. Continue Reading
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13 Dec 2023
Zocdoc Sheds Light on User Appointment Scheduling Trends
Zocdoc users tended to prefer in-person care that is close to home, scheduled for earlier in the week, and wouldn’t have a long appointment scheduling wait. Continue Reading
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12 Dec 2023
Patients Are Traveling for Abortions. How Does It Affect Care Access?
With one in five patients seeking abortion traveling out of state to get it, policymakers examine the longevity of abortion funds and the surge states absorbing these patients. Continue Reading
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11 Dec 2023
Are Doulas the Key to Closing Maternal Mental Health Treatment Gaps?
Doulas center an interdisciplinary care team at NewYork-Presbyterian as the organization sets its sites on better maternal mental health treatment. Continue Reading
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07 Dec 2023
CVS Health’s Consumer App Targets Disease Management, Patient Engagement
The consumer app will give users a look into their prescriptions, view patient engagement tips, and schedule appointments with CVS Health providers. Continue Reading
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07 Dec 2023
Health Equity Key 2024 Priority, But Challenges Lie Ahead
Staffing and the insurgence of artificial intelligence could imperil healthcare and life science work on health equity in 2024. Continue Reading
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05 Dec 2023
How Advocate Health Uses Patient Communication IT to Close Care Gaps
The patient communication technology increased patient contacts from 19,000 to 57,000 and closed care gaps among a high-risk population. Continue Reading
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04 Dec 2023
AI-Based Voice Assistants Poised to Support Chronic Disease Management
New data showed that conversational AI and voice assistants helped patient engagement in chronic disease management. Continue Reading
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01 Dec 2023
How Workflow Factors Sway Social Determinants of Health Screening Rates
Researchers found links between provider type, survey length, payer type, and social determinants of health screening rates. Continue Reading
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30 Nov 2023
Patients Say Costs, Access Drive Maternal Health Crisis in GA
A survey of Georgia residents showed that the maternal health crisis is a salient issue for folks who cite high costs and poor care access. Continue Reading
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29 Nov 2023
What Is a Community Health Needs Assessment?
Community health needs assessments help healthcare organizations and community-based organizations (CBOs) direct resources to address SDOH. Continue Reading
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28 Nov 2023
Black Women Bear the Brunt of Racism’s Effect on Hypertension Risk
Racism increases hypertension risk, data shows, a phenomenon more keenly felt by Black women with higher educational attainment. Continue Reading
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28 Nov 2023
Flagging Disparities Helps Locate Best Places for Cancer Screening Sites
After identifying both geographic and racial health disparities in breast cancer screening, researchers used USPSTF guidelines to locate new places for care sites. Continue Reading
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27 Nov 2023
‘Every Patient, Every Time’: Boosting Techquity in Patient Portal Use
Ensuring digital health equity is the next frontier in enhancing patient portal use and leveraging the tool for a good patient experience. Continue Reading
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22 Nov 2023
How Do Income & SDOH Affect Cardiovascular Healthcare?
Having low income increased the odds of hypertension and reduced the odds of physician engagement during hospitalization for heart failure, two studies show. Continue Reading
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21 Nov 2023
Can Gen AI Improve Access to Care, Affordability? Patients Think So
Patients are increasingly using generative AI to explore access to care options, which industry leaders indicate could improve healthcare affordability. Continue Reading
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17 Nov 2023
Health Orgs Look for Consolidated Patient Engagement Tech Footprint
Patient engagement technology vendors will need to respond to a growing push for consumer-centered solutions for healthcare organizations. Continue Reading
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16 Nov 2023
HHS Unveils Updated Language Access Plan for Health Equity
The Updated Language Access Plan builds on previous legal provisions prohibiting discrimination and requiring adequate language supports for patients. Continue Reading
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16 Nov 2023
As Maternal & Infant Health Falter, Advocacy Is Key to Progress
March of Dimes is known for its research into maternal and infant health, but it’s advocacy that will move the needle, its president and CEO says. Continue Reading
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14 Nov 2023
How to Achieve Patient Portal ‘Techquity’ & Digital Health Equity
Measuring patient portal use by demographic will be the first step toward achieving digital health equity. Continue Reading
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13 Nov 2023
Using Shield Laws to Protect Interstate Patient Access to Abortion Care
Shield laws prevent the civil or criminal penalties that might be issued as a result of interstate patient access to abortion care. Continue Reading
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08 Nov 2023
Need Outpaces Maternal Mental Healthcare Access in 150 Counties
70% of US counties have poor maternal mental healthcare access, even though nearly 700 are considered high risk for maternal mental health disorders. Continue Reading
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07 Nov 2023
ACO Enrollment Doesn’t Help Mental Healthcare Access, PROs
Mental healthcare access and treatment was down by 24% and no change was detected for PROs after ACO enrollment. Continue Reading
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06 Nov 2023
Racial Health Disparities in Low-Value Care Call Attention to Bias
Bias, plus disparities in patient care access, could be driving racial health disparities in low-value care receipt. Continue Reading
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03 Nov 2023
Walmart Health Dips Its Toes Into Care Coordination, Patient Engagement
A Walmart Health deal with Orlando Health will let the two providers streamline care coordination across both health systems. Continue Reading
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02 Nov 2023
Top Strategies for Improving Medication Adherence Rates
Medication adherence is a critical part of chronic disease management, but cost and other barriers sometimes keep patients from taking their pills. Continue Reading
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01 Nov 2023
Public Health Communication Still Needed for 988 Mental Health Line
Public health communication, plus a better look at how the 988 mental health line misses patient needs, will be key to increasing access. Continue Reading
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31 Oct 2023
Digital Patient Experience, Engagement Split by Patient Demographics
Women, younger patients, and White and Asian patients are more likely to engage in an online patient experience than other demographics. Continue Reading
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31 Oct 2023
Better Patient Experience Needed for Trust in SDOH Data Sharing
Patient experience factors, like care quality and healthcare discrimination, make it harder for patients to trust SDOH data sharing, ONC said. Continue Reading
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30 Oct 2023
How Data Informs Patient-Centered Medication Adherence Work
Data is just a tool to help providers deliver humanized, patient-centered medication adherence guidance. Continue Reading
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27 Oct 2023
Over Half of Health Experts Lack Confidence in Health Equity Work
Just under 60 percent of industry stakeholders said it could take a decade before the US sees significant improvement in its health equity work. Continue Reading
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26 Oct 2023
Abortion Access Shifts as States Without Bans Absorb Patient Needs
Abortion access in restriction states plummeted by 114,590 in the first year after the Dobbs decision, while it increased in non-restriction states by nearly 117,000 procedures. Continue Reading
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25 Oct 2023
HHS Slates $3.7B for Utility Bills, Social Determinants of Health
Utility bill affordability is getting more recognition as a social determinant of health as leading entities like HHS create programming to address it. Continue Reading
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25 Oct 2023
Instacart Health Partnership Focuses on Food Insecurity in Chicago
Chicago’s Wellness West will use Instacart Fresh Funds to help people facing food insecurity access nutritious food through grocery stipends. Continue Reading
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24 Oct 2023
Homelessness Key Social Determinant of Health Predicting Sudden Death
Sudden death was usually tied to noncardiac issues, like drug use or GI issues, for individuals experiencing the social determinant of health, homelessness. Continue Reading
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23 Oct 2023
Pediatric Sepsis Mortality Risk Marred by Racial Health Disparities
Data from a single hospital in Arkansas showed racial health disparities such that Black kids are twice as likely to die from sepsis as their White counterparts. Continue Reading
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23 Oct 2023
Patient Data Access, Mobile Patient Portals Reach Unprecedented Use
The surge in patient data access could be driven by the proliferation of app-based patient portals and rules under the 21st Century Cures Act. Continue Reading
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20 Oct 2023
How Prior Authorization Impacts Patient Access to Care
Prior authorization, a payer cost containment strategy, can affect patient access to care by way of delaying treatment or pushing patients to abandon treatment. Continue Reading
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19 Oct 2023
Patients Split on Trust in Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Experience
American patients are torn about whether they are comfortable with the use of artificial intelligence in the healthcare setting, survey data shows. Continue Reading
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19 Oct 2023
Boston Medical Center First in Nation to Offer Renewable Utilities Prescription
The renewable utilities prescription is a part of BMC’s commitment to addressing social determinants of health that impact its low-income population. Continue Reading
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18 Oct 2023
Providence Approaches Healthcare Digital Innovation With Provider Expertise
Providence’s incubator model sets itself apart in the digital innovation world by leveraging the expertise of patient and provider end-user expertise. Continue Reading
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17 Oct 2023
Health Literacy Stands in the Way of Adequate Breast Cancer Screening
US adults are unsure of recommended breast cancer screening recommendations, highlighting a health literacy hurdle to care access. Continue Reading
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16 Oct 2023
What Are the Top Common Social Determinants of Health?
Housing security, transportation, and food security are some of the most common social determinants of health for which organizations have interventions. Continue Reading
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13 Oct 2023
Racial Health Disparities Plague Mental Healthcare Access for Teens
Mental healthcare access is elusive for many teens who need it, especially racial and ethnic minorities, a new study showed. Continue Reading
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11 Oct 2023
Patients Want Doc Counsel Under Cures Act Patient Data Access Rules
Patient anxiety levels go down when patients meet with providers under the 21st Century Cures Act patient data access rules. Continue Reading
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09 Oct 2023
Taking STI Screening Access to Community-Based Organizations
Fulton County Board of Health’s STI screening access program leaned on community-based organizations to build trust with an often marginalized population. Continue Reading
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06 Oct 2023
Health Equity Accreditation Aims to Provide Actionable Roadmap
URAC said the health equity accreditation will help organizations that have a commitment to health equity and guide their actions forward. Continue Reading
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04 Oct 2023
Did the 21st Century Cures Act Patient Data Access Rules Hurt Experience?
One academic medical center saw more patient complaints after the 21st Century Cures Act patient data access rules changed how patients see lab results. Continue Reading
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03 Oct 2023
Racial Health Disparities Emerge in Access to OUD Medications
The biggest health disparity in MOUD access was age-based, with those younger than 18 being significantly less likely to access medication than adults. Continue Reading
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03 Oct 2023
What Does the Health Equity Officer Job Role Look Like?
A Health Affairs paper showed that health equity officers have hospital support, but there’s a long road ahead of dismantling centuries of racism. Continue Reading
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29 Sep 2023
COVID Boosters See More Vaccine Hesitancy Than Flu & RSV Shots
Still, vaccine hesitancy is uncommon among adults who are most at risk for serious illness from COVID, flu, or RSV this season, KFF data showed. Continue Reading
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28 Sep 2023
NIH Designates People with Disabilities as Facing Health Disparities
By designating people with disabilities as facing health disparities, NIH is making it easier to research the drivers of health inequities. Continue Reading
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27 Sep 2023
Community Health Centers Hunker Down as Government Shutdown Looms
A September 30 deadline for government funding is putting pressure on community health centers, whose funding hangs in the balance. Continue Reading
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26 Sep 2023
EDs Use Restraints on Black Patients More than White, But Data Is Scant
Researchers said more study is necessary to fully understand the racial disparity in ED restraint use and the reasons behind the differences. Continue Reading
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22 Sep 2023
HHS & Partner Agencies Target COVID Tests, Long COVID Treatment
With $600 million going to COVID tests access and another $45 million going to long COVID treatment, HHS is acknowledging the uptick in case counts in recent weeks. Continue Reading
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20 Sep 2023
Culturally Competent Care Elusive for 3 in 10 Immigrant Patients
Another 25 percent said they’ve experienced discrimination in healthcare, potentially a side effect of limited culturally competent and language-concordant care. Continue Reading
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19 Sep 2023
Zocdoc Enters Practice Management, Patient Access Tech Space
The practice management suite will offer patient intake, appointment scheduling, and video components to support the patient access process, Zocdoc said. Continue Reading
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18 Sep 2023
Few Hospitals Excel in Racial Inclusivity, Health Equity Work
Only 3 percent of hospitals rank among the best in racial inclusivity, which can be a hallmark of concerted health equity work. Continue Reading
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15 Sep 2023
Appointment Scheduling Fixes Needed for LEP Patient Access
Nearly a fifth of Spanish-speaking LEP patients got hung up on during the appointment scheduling process at a safety-net behavioral health clinic. Continue Reading
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14 Sep 2023
Effective Patient Engagement Tips to Prevent Hospital Readmission
Organizations may assess risk, drive patient engagement and caregiver education, and account for SDOH to prevent hospital readmission. Continue Reading
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13 Sep 2023
Benefits of Care Coordination Tick Up with Patient Activation
Prior data showed care coordination programs don’t impact outcomes like hospital readmissions, but new analysis shows patient activation makes a difference. Continue Reading
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08 Sep 2023
HHS Proposal Codifies Antidiscrimination, Protects Patient Access to Care
The proposal looks at antidiscrimination for people with disabilities, protecting their right to patient access to care, HHS said. Continue Reading
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08 Sep 2023
Top Technologies Supporting Social Determinants of Health Work
Social determinants of health screening and referral are booming, but healthcare still lacks the data standards needed to meaningfully use this information. Continue Reading
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07 Sep 2023
Achieving Health Equity Hinges on Iteration, Continuous Learning
Hackensack Meridian University Medical Center isn’t done with its health equity journey, saying that it recognizes continuous room for improvement. Continue Reading
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06 Sep 2023
Public Health Messaging on RSV Needs Leg Up for Older Adults
Around three-quarters were at least unsure about getting the RSV shot, prompting calls for better public health messaging. Continue Reading
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06 Sep 2023
Produce Prescription Programs Boost Diet, Health Outcomes
Researchers found patients in a produce prescription program ate more nutrient-rich foods, which may have bolstered their health outcomes. Continue Reading
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31 Aug 2023
Rural Hospitals Focus on Social Determinants of Health, Transportation
One hundred percent of the rural hospitals included in the study addressed transportation as a social determinant of health blocking patient care access. Continue Reading
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28 Aug 2023
How Neighborhood Sways Pediatric Primary and Preventive Care Access
Understanding how neighborhood disadvantage can affect pediatric primary and preventive care access, plus outcomes, can help tailor provider interventions. Continue Reading
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24 Aug 2023
How Pediatricians Can Prepare for the RSV Vaccine Rollout
Pediatrician offices won’t be getting doses of the new RSV vaccine for a few months, but Nemours Children’s health is priming parents for the shots. Continue Reading
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23 Aug 2023
Is The American Public Swayed by Medical Misinformation?
KFF data showed that there’s still a lot of gray area in terms of whether the public believes widespread medical misinformation. Continue Reading
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22 Aug 2023
OpenNotes Launches Resources to Help Patients Use Clinician Notes
OpenNotes said the tools will help patients understand and be able to use open notes, with special resources touching on specific patient populations, like pediatrics. Continue Reading
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22 Aug 2023
Patient Education, Navigation Stand in the Way of Preventive Screening
Patient-provider communication can help overcome patient education and care coordination barriers to preventive screenings for colorectal cancer. Continue Reading
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17 Aug 2023
Latinas See Disparities in Breast Cancer Screening, Age of Diagnosis
Young diagnosis but low access to breast cancer screening indicates Latina women seek care once they see symptoms, potentially when cancer is further along. Continue Reading
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16 Aug 2023
How Common Is Medical Misinformation Spread by Physicians?
New data shows that physicians who spread COVID-19 medical misinformation had a broad reach on social media. Continue Reading
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15 Aug 2023
YouTube Revamps Medical Misinformation Guidelines for Video Content
The medical misinformation guidelines will assess whether YouTube video content contradicts local health authorities or the World Health Organization. Continue Reading
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10 Aug 2023
Same Home Care Nurse May Cut Hospital Readmissions for LEP Patients
Researchers said deploying the same home care nurse enables strong patient-provider relationships that can yield lower hospital readmission risk. Continue Reading
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10 Aug 2023
Community Health Centers Offer Care Access for 31.5M Patients
Community health centers expand care access for underserved groups, but a looming lapse in funding threatens that moving forward. Continue Reading
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08 Aug 2023
78% of Adults with OUD Go Without Access to Addiction Treatment
New data also uncovered MAT disparities, with Black people being more likely than their White counterparts to go without access to addiction treatment. Continue Reading
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08 Aug 2023
SDOH, Structural Barriers Quell Maternity Outcomes for Home-Based Care
Structural inequities and higher burden of social determinants of health are more than home-based care nurses can mitigate, researchers said. Continue Reading
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03 Aug 2023
Key Considerations for Patient Data Access, Patient Engagement
In addition to providing patient data access, healthcare organizations need to consider the role of patient-generated health data and data-sharing consent. Continue Reading
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02 Aug 2023
Maternity Deserts, Low Access to Care Affect 5.6M Birthing People
Researchers said the increase in maternity deserts and poor access to care is in part due to the closure of obstetric wards. Continue Reading
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31 Jul 2023
National Academies Call for Federal Body on Health Equity
In addition to a health equity body, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine called for better race and ethnicity data collection. Continue Reading
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27 Jul 2023
Postpartum Care Visits Underdeliver on Heart Health Counseling
Although about 90 percent of US women attend a postpartum visit, a new report shows that heart health counseling is lacking for 40 percent of at-risk women. Continue Reading
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27 Jul 2023
Gender-Affirming Care Restrictions Create Travel, Care Access Barriers
The number of kids living an hour away from gender-affirming care nearly doubled after gender-affirming care restrictions went into place. Continue Reading
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26 Jul 2023
Making HIV Testing A Standard of Preventive Care to Boost Equity
Advising all patients on HIV testing as a standard of preventive care may keep traditionally disadvantaged groups from slipping through the cracks. Continue Reading
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25 Jul 2023
Parental Patient Portal Use Rate in Pediatrics Lower than 50%
Parents or caregivers who do use the patient portal use it for appointment scheduling, to view test results, and to complete pre-visit forms. Continue Reading
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20 Jul 2023
SNAP Benefits Miss Mark in 78% of US Counties, Fueling Food Insecurity
Food insecurity is heightened as the cost of a moderately priced meal surpasses SNAP per-meal benefits by 15 percent, an RWJF-funded study found. Continue Reading
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19 Jul 2023
Top Patient Engagement Technologies for Population Health Management
Video visits, RPM, and SDOH screening are key patient engagement technologies for every population health management program. Continue Reading
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17 Jul 2023
54 Hospitals Get Top Marks for Social Responsibility and Care Quality
The Lown Institute’s social responsibility rankings integrated concepts of health equity into rankings for value and patient outcomes. Continue Reading
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17 Jul 2023
How Mount Sinai Took a Data-Driven Approach to Health Equity
Quality metrics, plus race, ethnicity, and language data, have been crucial to informing Mount Sinai’s Roadmap to health equity. Continue Reading
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13 Jul 2023
A Quarter of Patients Face Two-Month Appointment Wait Times
Four in ten patients said they faced appointment wait times that they considered longer than reasonable. Continue Reading
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12 Jul 2023
Racial Discrimination Shows to Affect Childhood Obesity Rates
At least one experience of racial discrimination resulted in an increase in BMI and waist circumference one year later. Continue Reading
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11 Jul 2023
US Has Worst Geographic Health Disparities in Developed World
Rural/urban geographic health disparities were less common in Canada, Norway, and the Netherlands. Continue Reading
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10 Jul 2023
Why Patient Portal Proxy Accounts Are Key for Dementia Patients
Data found that dementia patients who extended patient portal proxy accounts to care partners saw benefits, but using proxy accounts was generally uncommon. Continue Reading
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10 Jul 2023
Produce Prescription Programs Could Cut $40B in Healthcare Spending
The researchers said a produce prescription program could also prevent 296,000 cases of cardiovascular disease. Continue Reading
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05 Jul 2023
Maternal Mortality Doubles in One Decade, Driven by Racial Disparities
The rise in maternal mortality was driven in large part by racial disparities in mortality carried by American Indian/Alaska Native people. Continue Reading
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29 Jun 2023
Leading Types of Food Is Medicine Programs, Interventions
As the food is medicine philosophy takes hold, organizations should consider which food is medicine programs are best for their patients. Continue Reading
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28 Jun 2023
SNAP May Attenuate Racial Disparities in Food Insecurity, SDOH
Black households were more likely to report food insecurity than White households, except when they were enrolled in SNAP. Continue Reading
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27 Jun 2023
MGH Brigham’s Food Is Medicine Program Cut Childhood BMI
Childhood obesity went from 57 to 49% during the year Mass General Brigham hosted a food is medicine program in its Revere food pantry. Continue Reading
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23 Jun 2023
HHS, Upstream Join Forces to Expand Patient Contraceptive Access
Reaffirming HHS’ commitment to tackling reproductive health disparities, the partnership will equip HHS-funded facilities nationwide with the tools to enhance contraceptive access. Continue Reading
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22 Jun 2023
Drug Overdoses Are 3 Times Deadlier for Men, Exposing Gender Disparity
Over 100,000 lives were lost to drugs in 2021, with men facing an undeniably higher overdose mortality risk than women. Researchers say the gender disparity extends beyond greater drug use. Continue Reading