AUGUST 2015 EDITION
 
New tool may help predict veteran suicide risk
 
A new tool developed by University of Michigan and VA scientists is able to identify groups of individuals within the VHA's patient population with very high, predicted suicide risk -- most of whom had not been identified for suicide risk by clinicians. In a July 22 House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing, VA Secretary McDonald discussed the database and research as a VA "breakthrough." The new methods uncovered in the study can help the VHA target suicide prevention efforts for patients at high risk, and may have more wide-ranging benefits. 

Further reporting on this study can be found in the New York Times and 
 
 
 

Seniors get mental health drugs at twice the rate of younger adults, but see psychiatrists less, study finds

Older Americans receive prescriptions for mental health medications at more than twice the rate that younger adults do, a new study finds. But they're much less likely to be getting their mental health care from a psychiatrist, the results also show.   The new findings, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society by a team from the University of Michigan Medical School and VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, come from the first study to compare overall outpatient mental health treatment in adults over age 65 with that of younger adult patients. 

 
 
IHPI team finds doctor appointment availability went up after Michigan Medicaid expansion 

Getting access to health insurance, and getting access to a doctor, are two very different things. A University of Michigan study suggests that the two have gone hand-in-hand in the state of Michigan, despite a rapid influx of hundreds of thousands of newly insured people under the state's expansion of Medicaid.  In fact, the research shows that the availability of primary care appointments actually improved for people with Medicaid in the first months after the state launched the Healthy Michigan Plan under the Affordable Care Act.
 
 
 
U-M Roundtable discussion on 50th anniversary of Medicare: Photos, video and news coverage
On August 11, IHPI and the U-M Ford School of Public Policy held a special event to discuss Medicare's past, present, and future and to honor the 50th anniversary of Medicare (July 30) and 80th anniversary of Social Security (August 14). In addition to a panel of U-M faculty who have studied these two systems or used data from them in their research, the event featured special guests U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell and former U.S. Rep. John Dingell, who helped create the original Medicare legislation.

  IHPI Director John Ayanian, M.D., MPP; U.S. Rep. Debbie      
  Dingell, former U.S. Rep. John Dingell, Ford School D ean 
  Susan Collins and IHPI Deputy Director Matt Davis, M.D., 
  MAPP



 
 
Macy named Crain's Health Care Hero finalist
As a champion for child passenger restraint usage in Michigan, Michelle Macy, M.D., M.P.H., University of Michigan assistant professor of pediatric emergency medicine, was named Physician Finalist for Crain's 14th annual Health Care Heroes awards. Macy was seeing a fair share of children injured in car accidents in her work as an ER doctor at Mott's Children's Hospital. In many cases, parents were not following booster and car seat safety recommendations. 
Watch Dr. Michelle Macy explain her passion for research on child passenger safety.

She is currently conducting a clinical study at U-M and the Hurley Medical Center in Flint with 350 parents on the best way to educate families on the use of auto seat restraints and booster seats for their children. The goal is to develop an ER-based intervention to talk with parents about safe child restraint use.



 
  NEWS
 
 
Tdap booster vaccine rates triple at family care clinics using automated reminders
 
Vaccination rates for a critical booster shot tripled after clinics began using electronic prompts alerting them of patients needing the Tdap vaccine that protects against tetanus, diptheria, and whooping cough, according to a new study from the University of Michigan Health System. The electronic prompt-and-reminder system resulted in 76 percent of 31,195 patients ages 19-64 and 85 percent of 3,278 patients aged 11 to 18 being up-to-date on their immunization. That compares to 59 percent of similarly aged adults up-to date on the vaccine during the same time period in clinics within the same health system that did not use the automated prompts. 

 
 








 
 

The Institute brings great minds together to address healthcare's biggest challenges. More than 450 investigators come to IHPI from U-M's top-ranked schools of medicine, nursing, public health, engineering, social work, law, business, and public policy, among others, as well as members of affiliated local research organizations. 

 
 
Lepkowski named to U.S. Justice Department Science Advisory Board  
James Lepkowski, Ph.D., professor at the U-M Institute for Social Research, has joined the Department of Justice's Science Advisory Board. The board consists of 25 experts and scholars appointed by the Attorney General from the fields of criminology, statistics, sociology, criminal and juvenile justice, and provides the Office of Justice Programs with guidance and recommendations for research, statistics and grant programs to policymakers and practitioners.

 
 
Adler-Milstein appointed to ONC task force on health IT
Julia Adler-Milstein, Ph.D., assistant professor at the U-M School of Information, will join a short-term task force assembled by the Health IT Policy Committee (HITPC), a federal advisory committee to The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). The HITPIC makes policy recommendations on the development and adoption of a nationwide health information infrastructure, which includes standards for the exchange of patient medical information.


 
  EVENTS
U-M to host Injury Center Sport Concussion Summit

Date: September 24, 2015

Location: University of Michigan Junge Family Champions Center

Webcast Option: Register to view the live webcast on September 24

 

With a balance of in-depth science and thought-provoking discussion led by national experts, this event offers an opportunity to gain a richer understanding of one of today's hottest sports topics. Featured speakers include Grant Baldwin, Ph.D., CDC Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention, Keynote with Brian Hainline, M.D., NCAA chief medical officer, and several other concussion experts from around the country. 

  

Read More
 
 
U-M health care "Vested Interest" conference featuring ABC News Chief Health and Medical Editor Richard Besser, M.D.
Date: October 1-2, 2015
Location: University of Michigan Rackham Graduate School 
 
The Center for the History of Medicine and IHPI are proud to co-sponsor the conference "Vested Interests: Who Really Influences American Medicine, Public Health and Health Policy" on October 1 - 2, 2015 at the Rackham Graduate School. 

The conference will kick off on October 1 with a public keynote talk from Richard Besser, M.D., ABC News chief health and medical editor, followed by a question and answer panel moderated by Jonathan Cohn, senior national correspondent for the Huffington Post. Panelists include:
  • John McDonough, Dr.P.H., M.P.A., professor of the Practice of Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health
  • Christopher Koller, president, Milbank Memorial Fund
  • Nicholas Bagley, J.D., associate professor of law, University of Michigan School of Law
On October 2, four unique RSVP-only academic sessions will convene for focused discussions on vested interests in: 
  • Food Producers/Fast Food Industry
  • Big Pharma and Biotech
  • Environmental Health
  • Universities/Academic Medical Centers & Conflicts of Interest 
 
 
U-M Opioid Overdose Summit
Date: December 1, 2015
Location: University of Michigan, Palmer Commons 
 
Join IHPI and the Injury Center for a day of science-based exploration and learning on an emerging public health issue: overdose injury and death related to opioids (prescription pain medications). Researchers, clinicians, and public health practitioners are encouraged to attend as well as the general public who have an interest in the topic.  
   
 
U-M Institute for Social Research  
The Institute for Social Research (ISR), among the world's largest and oldest academic survey research organizations, and a leader in the development and application of social science methods and education, was established at U-M in 1949. ISR's portfolio of work includes a breadth of research examining the relationships between human health, behavior, and social factors. ISR co-founder Rensis Likert, an organizational psychologist and developer of the Likert Scale, becomes ISR's first director. 

 
Rensis Likert, ISR's first director pictured at left with Angus Campbell, ISR's co-founder and second director. 

 
 
ABOUT IHPI
The Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation is committed to improving the quality, safety, equity, and affordability of health care services

To carry out our ambitious mission, our efforts are focused in four areas:
  • Evaluating the impact of healthcare reforms
  • Improving the health of communities
  • Promoting greater value in healthcare
  • Innovating in IT and healthcare delivery

SUPPORT IHPI

If you are interested in supporting health services and health policy research at the University of Michigan, click here. 


IHPI Informs is published monthly by the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy & Innovation.
 
CONTACT US
U-M Institute for Healthcare Policy & Innovation
North Campus Research Complex (NCRC)
2800 Plymouth Road, Building 16
Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Christina Camilli-Whisenhunt
IHPI Communications Manager
[email protected]
734-764-9782

 

Kara Gavin

IHPI Research & Policy Media Relations Manager

[email protected] 

734-764-2220

 

Eileen Kostanecki

IHPI Government & External Relations Director

[email protected]

202-554-0578

 

Colleen Sherman

UMHS Corporate and Foundation Relations Associate Director

[email protected]

734-615-0040