November 17, 2009 - For this Fund-supported study in The Permanente Journal, researchers explored the options for disseminating a model of well-child care that is parent-centered and team-based and includes developmental and preventive visits.
In the Literature
November 17, 2009 - Understaffing is a major source of stress for nurses and nursing assistants in the long-term care setting, finds this Commonwealth Fund-supported study. The lack of support raises concerns about the quality of care delivered to an estimated 1.6 million nursing home residents.
In the Literature
November 16, 2009 - Fund-supported researchers reported in Inquiry that minority patients in the New York City area are significantly less likely than whites to be treated at high-volume hospitals for services for which high volume is associated with better outcomes.
In the Literature
November 13, 2009 - Access to doctors and use of mammography, cholesterol testing, and other preventive services improved for both white and Hispanic patients nationally from 1991 to 2004, Fund-supported researchers reported in the journal Medical Care. Gaps in access to care, however, widened between whites and Hispanics in individual states, including Texas and Florida.
In the Literature
November 9, 2009 - A Commonwealth Fund–supported study in the journal Inquiry found that workers employed by small businesses are less likely than those in large ones to be offered health insurance. Administrative costs are a major reason why so many smaller firms do not offer health benefits to their employees.
In the Literature
November 5, 2009 - A new Commonwealth Fund survey of primary care physicians in 11 countries reveals that the United States lags far behind other countries in key areas of access, quality, and use of health information technology—undermining doctors' efforts to provide timely, high-quality care.
In the Literature
October 8, 2009 - The Commonwealth Fund-supported study in Annals of Internal Medicine looks at primary care practices in Massachusetts and finds a strong association between clinicians' frequent use of advanced electronic health records and higher practice performance on quality-of-care measures.
In the Literature
October 5, 2009 - A new Commonwealth Fund-supported study from researchers at Harvard Medical School demonstrates that expanding health coverage might not cost as much as policymakers assume. Mainly due to untreated chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes, individuals who were uninsured before becoming eligible for Medicare at 65 had significantly higher spending than did those with coverage prior to Medicare enrollment.
In the Literature
October 1, 2009 - This Commonwealth Fund-supported study of the state's health reform finds that employer-based coverage in Massachusetts has increased, as has the scope and quality of coverage as assessed by workers. However, some employees in small firms have seen a significant rise in premiums and out-of-pocket expenses.
In the Literature
September 22, 2009 - Commonwealth Fund–supported articles published in the September issue of Pediatrics examine well-child care visits from two perspectives: those of pediatric clinicians and parents. Both groups recognize the need for a greater emphasis on developmental and behavioral issues, as well as the challenge of balancing families' individual needs with the need to cover the topics recommended in pediatric guidelines.
In the Literature
September 21, 2009 - A Commonwealth Fund-supported 10-nation study examines how the provision of pediatric developmental services is apportioned among different types of health care providers--pediatricians, general practice physicians, and nurses. In doing so, the researchers shed light on the uniquely broad role that U.S. pediatricians play in delivering child health care.
In the Literature
September 9, 2009 - Long-term care specialists—including consumer advocates, providers, public officials, and policy experts—who participated in a national survey generally agreed on the need for long-term care reform. Key groups supported the establishment of government-sponsored financing strategies, a shift toward home- and community-based care, offering payment incentives to improve quality, and more effective regulation of nursing homes, home health care agencies, and assisted living facilities.
In the Literature
August 13, 2009 - This Commonwealth Fund-supported study finds that the quality of care at safety-net hospitals—which serve many poor, publicly insured, and uninsured patients—varies depending on the criteria used to identify such hospitals.
In the Literature
August 6, 2009 - Americans enrolled in deductible-based health insurance plans are more likely than those with no deductible to alter their care-seeking behavior, according to a Commonwealth Fund-supported survey. Complex benefits design plays a role, the authors say.
In the Literature
July 17, 2009 - Three-quarters of key decision-makers from a diverse group of California-based health care organizations believe that cost-effectiveness criteria should be used when making insurance coverage decisions, according to this Commonwealth Fund-supported study. However, payers and the legal and policy communities would need to explore ways of reducing the litigation risk associated with cost-effectiveness analysis, the authors say.
In the Literature