2/1/2010 12:30:00 PM - A Commonwealth Fund–supported study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine investigated the extent to which racial and ethnic disparities can be attributed to differences within physician practices—meaning they are potentially related to discrimination or differential treatment—or to differences between practices, an indication that minority patients tend to receive treatment in low-performing practices.
Literature Abstract
2/1/2010 11:30:00 AM - Rather than “lifting all boats,” some market-based policies may exacerbate disparities in the quality of long-term care, according to a Commonwealth Fund–supported study published in Medical Care Research and Review.
Literature Abstract
1/15/2010 1:58:00 PM - A new Commonwealth Fund survey of safety-net clinic patients in New Orleans finds that, despite being disproportionately low-income and uninsured, these patients had fewer problems affording care and fewer instances of medical debt and inefficient care than most U.S. adults. The findings suggest that the locally based clinics could serve as a model for delivering primary care to vulnerable populations elsewhere.
Fund Report
11/16/2009 10:38:00 AM - 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
11/13/2009 2:51:00 PM - 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
9/25/2009 11:51:00 AM - Patient focus groups provide further evidence that many health care providers need to learn more about the expectations of their minority patients, these patient' specific needs and preferences, and their satisfaction with care received. In this Commonwealth Fund-supported Study, researchers at conducted focus groups with 37 black and Hispanic men and women to explore racial and ethnic differences in patients' experiences with hospital care.
Literature Abstract
8/13/2009 4:33:00 PM - 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
7/31/2009 12:30:00 AM - This Commonwealth Fund report profiles five safety-net hospitals that made improvements to curb emergency department crowding, reduce long waits, and lower the number of hours spent on ambulance diversion.
Fund Report
5/11/2009 12:00:00 AM - Rising health care costs coupled with eroding health care benefits are having a substantial effect on Americans' ability to get needed health care, with women particularly affected. Women experience cost-related access problems and medical bill problems more often than men.
Issue Brief
4/21/2009 12:30:00 AM - A Commonwealth Fund-supported study in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that Medicare coverage reduces racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in heart disease and diabetes outcomes. The authors suggested that providing health coverage to those under age 65 may reduce such disparities among all adults.
In the Literature
3/26/2009 12:00:00 AM - Even after controlling for socioeconomic characteristics, uninsured breast cancer patients at a large safety-net hospital system were more likely than their insured counterparts to be diagnosed with advanced disease requiring more extensive and costly treatment, according to this Fund-supported study.
In the Literature
2/5/2009 12:00:00 AM - A Commonwealth Fund-supported study of overweight and obese patients found disparities in how patients of different racial and ethnic backgrounds perceive the health effects of their weight. Health care providers can play an important role in helping patients understand the often serious implications.
In the Literature
2/2/2009 12:00:00 AM - A comparison of the histories of patient centeredness and cultural competence in health care delivery reveals that, despite some differences, these quality initiatives share many of the same core concepts.
In the Literature
1/14/2009 12:00:00 AM - A Commonwealth Fund-supported study found a patient tracking and feedback registry used by a group of New York City hospitals for treating breast cancer patients improved outcomes and eliminated racial disparities in treatment.
In the Literature
1/12/2009 12:00:00 AM - A new Commonwealth Fund report examines the impact recent citizenship documentation rules have had on the stability of health insurance coverage for low-income children covered by state public programs. It finds that getting and keeping coverage has become more difficult for many families.
Fund Report