DECEMBER 2024

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Blood-Based Biomarker Test Access

This fall, Mount Sinai Hospital became the first in the world to deploy blood-based biomarkers (blood tests) and confirmatory tests for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias to patients across primary and specialty care settings—early detection tools that have never before been offered to patients in the clinical setting. This is a significant development that can affect treatment of the disease. However, questions about access and cost remain. Kathryn Phillips, PhD, Grace Lin, MD, MAS, and colleague have looked at the implications of blood-based biomarker tests (BBMTs) for Alzheimer's (AD) diagnosis, which are currently not covered by public or private insurance. They argue that preparing to make informed coverage decisions can help address current disparities in AD diagnosis and treatment, potentially improving outcomes for all patients, particularly those from underserved communities. In looking at how to increase access to BBMTs for cancer diagnosis, Lin and Phillips along with Janet Coffman, PhD, MPP, MA, explored whether legislative mandates would be effective on their own. An increasing number of states are passing laws mandating insurance coverage of biomarker testing to broaden access because equitable access to such testing has important implications for clinical care.

IHPS FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

Renee Mehra, PhD

Dr. Mehra's research focuses on diversification of the perinatal workforce and social and structural factors that influence racial inequities in maternal and infant health. Using reproductive justice and ecosocial frameworks and mixed methods and community-partnered approaches, she conducts research and evaluations on diversifying the midwifery, doula, and community health care workforce. Her research also examines multilevel mechanistic pathways and the impact of programs and policies on reducing inequities in maternal and infant health.

EVENTS

The Economics of Health Equity

IHPS Health Policy Grand Rounds

Darrell J. Gaskin, PhD, MS

William C. and Nancy F. Richardson Professor in Health Policy

Director of the Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions

Department of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Jan 8, 2025, 12 - 1 pm PT

Zoom here

"Is health equity compatible with a market-based health care system? Our current health care system encourages inequities, but it can be modified to promote health equity."

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS

Renee Hsia, MD, MSc and colleagues published Patterns in California Ambulance Patient Offload Times by Local Emergency Medical Services Agency in JAMA Network Open.

Tracey Woodruff, PhD, MPH, and colleagues published Effects of Microplastic Exposure on Human Digestive, Reproductive, and Respiratory Health: A Rapid Systematic Review in Environmental Science and Technology.

Naomi Bardach, MD, Alicia Fernandez, MD, Chuan-Mei Lee, MD, MA and colleagues published Variations in digital health literacy for pediatric caregivers of hospitalized children: implications for digital health equity in the Journal of Informatics in Health and Biomedicine.

Anthony DiGiorgio, DO and colleagues published Strengthening Primary Care Workforce Capacity in Dementia Diagnosis and Care: A Qualitative Study of Project Alzheimer's Disease-ECHO in the Journal of Neurosurgery.

More IHPS Faculty Research

IHPS IN THE NEWS

Cynthia Harper:

Is Contraception Under Attack?

(The New Yorker)

Lena Winestone:

The Role of Social Determinants of Health in Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation: Bridg ing Gaps in Care

(Pharmacy Times)

Follow IHPS on LinkedIn

IHPS has recently begun using LinkedIn. Please follow us at the link below! We will be sharing valuable updates regarding the work the IHPS community is engaged in, insights on current health policy-related matters, and information regarding IHPS-related events regularly.

IHPS LinkedIn

Philip R. Lee Fellowship Fund Endowed

Since its founding 50 years ago, IHPS has been dedicated to training the next generation of leaders in interdisciplinary research to solve our most important health policy issues. In celebration of our 50th anniversary and to honor our founders, Phil Lee and Lew Butler, we established an endowment fund for the Philip R. Lee Fellowship. We are pleased to announce the fund has been endowed! We hope to continue to keep this fund and our fellowship program robust.

Photo: Kim Felder Rhoads, MD, MS, MPH & Fellow for 2007-2008 with Philip R. Lee, MD, Founder of the Institute for Health Policy Studies