SEPTEMBER 2016 EDITION
 
IHPI hosts federal officials to discuss opportunities in Health IT research and innovation

On September 20, IHPI hosted 11 federal visitors from the Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs, Office of the National Coordinator, and Interagency Program Office (DoD/VA office), who met with 15 IHPI members to discuss mutual research interests and share expertise about health information technology. The all-day meeting included sessions about medical device interoperability security, patient engagement with medical devices, SMART on FHIR (data movement), health assessment and big data/predictive analytics, and a tour of the VA COIN-Center for Clinical Management Research. IHPI will continue discussions among this group to further explore research mutual interests and potential collaborations.
 
 
Building telehealth platforms for chronic illness management through Latin American partnerships

One notable program developed through the work of John Piette, Ph.D., M.S., professor of health behavior and health education, utilizes mobile health tools to empower people in Colombia living with diabetes and depression to take greater control of their own health, while also connecting them with sources of follow-up care. The program, known as Llamada Saludable, or "Healthy Call," has found success through a number of public-private international partnerships --- and in building on decades of experience refining the model of delivery across a variety of healthcare settings around the world.

 
 
 
Physicians don't report, treat own mental illness due to stigma

As doctors across America encourage their patients to share concerns about depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions, a new study suggests physicians may be less likely to seek help for these symptoms themselves. In a survey of more than 2,100 female physicians who are also mothers, nearly half believed they met the definition for a mental illness at some point in their careers but had not sought treatment. Two-thirds reported that fear of stigma drove them to keep worries quiet. The study, led by Katherine Gold, M.D., M.S.W., M.S., a U-M assistant professor of family medicine and obstetrics and gynecology, suggests a need for better support for mental health conditions, and a modernization of state licensing standards, since some physicians may fear that seeking help will lead to restrictions on their medical licenses.

 
 
 
Health coverage on the rise for those in the justice system

Millions of people in prison or jail struggle with mental health issues and substance use disorders. And after they get out, those issues can increase their chances of another arrest if they don't receive treatment. But results from a new study based on data from the years after the Affordable Care Act (ACA)'s major insurance provisions went into effect finds that the rate of health insurance coverage rose significantly among people who in the past year had been arrested or were on probation or parole. Those with insurance coverage were more likely to get treatment for serious mental illness or alcohol use disorders, and those enrolled in Medicaid were also more likely to get treatment for depression or illicit drug use.

But the study, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine by Tyler Winkelman, M.D., a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar at IHPI, and U-M colleagues, also finds that 1 in 3 people with recent justice involvement still lack health insurance, and those with private insurance lag in addiction treatment.

 
 
 
IHPI National Advisory Board convenes in Ann Arbor

On September 23, IHPI hosted members of its National Advisory Board at U-M's Ann Arbor campus. The board discussed plans for a number of strategic initiatives under development at the institute and learned about the ways IHPI supports the development of its early career faculty. U-M Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Martha E. Pollack, M.S.E., Ph.D., delivered opening remarks.
 
 
  NEWS
Need for risk adjustment in bundled payment programs

A team of U-M researchers used data from 60 Michigan hospitals to simulate what will happen when Medicare's new way of paying for hip and knee replacements in seniors takes full effect.

The bottom line: hospitals that take the most complex patients will suffer financially, because the new mandatory "bundled payment" program doesn't adjust its formula to account for patient complexity. But the researchers say there's still time to fix the program and avoid penalizing hospitals that care for the oldest and sickest patients. The study, published in the September issue of Health Affairs,was led by Chad Ellimoottil, M.D., M.S., U-M assistant professor of urology, and included IHPI members Brian Hallstrom, M.D., David Miller, M.D., M.P.H., Andrew Ryan, Ph.D., M.A., and James Dupree, M.D., M.P.H.

 
Ellimoottil
 
 
Why dementia burden may be less than feared 

The annual financial burden of dementia care in the United States has been estimated at about $200 billion, and extrapolating the historic dementia rates among older adults projects continuing intimidating rises in dementia cases and costs. However, recent epidemiological data indicate a more encouraging picture of a sharp decline in dementia over the past few decades, which improvements in education and vascular health are likely partly responsible for. The trend may continue if we also address obesity and diabetes, write Ken Langa, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine and health policy, and Roger Albin, M.D., professor of neurology, in a piece for The Conversation.

 

Langa
 
 
Why does dying cost more for people of color?

Dying in America is an expensive process, with about one in four Medicare dollars going to care for people in their last year of life. But for African Americans and Hispanics, the cost of dying is far higher than it is for whites. And despite years of searching for the reason, no one has quite figured out why. A new study by a U-M Medical School team, recently published in the  Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, takes a deep-dive look at this expensive mystery with the most detailed study to date.

 
 
 
Medical experts rarely quoted about birth control

 
Moniz  
Patients get much of their information about health and medicine from the media in general, and TV in particular. In a piece for The Conversation, Michelle Moniz, M.D., M.Sc., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and former U-M RWJF Scholar Elizabeth Patton, M.D., M.P.H., described their research findings about media coverage of birth control, which were recently published in the journal Contraception. Their analysis of contraception stories by nightly news programs on ABC, CBS and NBC between January 2010 and July 2014 found that only 11 percent used a medical professional as a source, and fewer than one-third featured any medical information at all.

 
 
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The Institute brings great minds together to address healthcare's biggest challenges. More than 480 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.
 
Stein briefs NIH on disparities in eye care access

Joshua Stein, M.D.
Joshua Stein, M.D., M.S., U-M associate professor of ophthalmology, recently provided an update on access to eye care as the National Institutes of Health conducted a briefing in Bethesda, Md., on health care disparities. Stein's recent research has found that sight-threatening diseases may go underdiagnosed among poor children, and that children in more affluent families tend to use more eye care services than less affluent children even with the same insurance coverage, indicating that families may face barriers beyond insurance that keep children from getting needed eye exams.

 
 
Bohnert presents at Congressional Briefing 

Amy Bohnert, Ph.D., M.H.S., associate professor of psychiatry, joined Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) and the Safe States Alliance for the "It Works! Preventing Injuries & Violence" Congressional Briefing in Washington, D.C. Bohnert was one of three speakers and focused her remarks on overdose prevention, particularly opioid overdose.

Bohnert also served on the Scientific Advisor for Michigan Governor Snyder's Prescription Drug and Opioid Overdose Task Force (2015 -  16), and has been active with the CDC, including on the advisory group that provided feedback for its 2016 opioid prescribing guidelines.
 
 
Cunningham appointed to Michigan commission on opioids

Rebecca Cunningham, M.D., professor of emergency medicine and director of the U-M Injury Center, was appointed to the Michigan Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse Commission.

The 21-member Commission, housed within the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, will review the Report of Findings and Recommendations for Action from the Michigan Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse Task Force and develop and propose policies and an action plan to implement the recommendation from the report.

 
 
  EVENTS
See all upcoming events on our Events page
 
Pain medication take back event: dispose of unwanted, expired or unused medications safely at this free event

Date: October 8, 2016
Time: 10:00 a.m. --- 2:00 p.m.
Location: Ann Arbor Pioneer High School, 601 West Stadium Boulevard, Ann Arbor, MI

Join the U-M Division of Pain Research (Department of Anesthesiology), the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, and the Ann Arbor Police Department to battle prescription drug abuse and overdose by disposing of unused and expired medications.

 
 
Michigan Health Policy Forum: Michigan's Response
to the Opioid Epidemic

Date: October 24, 2016
Time: 1:00  -  4:00 p.m.
Location: East Lansing Marriott at University Place, 300 M.A.C. Ave,
East Lansing, Michigan 48823


The number of deaths due to drug overdose has more than doubled in the United States in the past 15 years. Michigan's drug overdose death rate of 14.6 per 100,000 people ranks it 18th among states. The Michigan Health Policy Forum has convened a panel of experts from the many professions that interface with individuals who are at high risk of drug overdose to examine steps that have been taken and can be taken to address this deadly epidemic. Rebecca Cunningham, M.D., professor of emergency medicine and director of the U-M Injury Research Center, will be featured on the forum panel.

IHPI is a sponsor of the Michigan Health Policy Forum
 
1996---- The Center for Health Communications Research (CHCR) launches at U-M

The Center for Health Communications Research, an IHPI research partner, creates and researches tailored health interventions that use different types of media and technology, covering a wide variety of health topics, and delivered to many kinds of audiences. CHCR integrates behavioral science, technology and art with the goal of inspiring informed health decisions, broadening access to health information, and advancing health communications.

Check out more historic milestones in U-M health professional education, health services research, and health policy through IHPI's interactive timeline.
 
 
ABOUT IHPI
The Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation is committed to improving the quality, safety, equity, and affordability of healthcare 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

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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
camillic@umich.edu
734-764-9782

 

Kara Gavin

IHPI Research & Policy Media Relations Manager

kegavin@umich.edu 

734-764-2220

 

Eileen Kostanecki

IHPI Government & External Relations Director

ekostan@umich.edu

202-554-0578

 

Colleen Sherman

UMHS Corporate and Foundation Relations Associate Director

cols@umich.edu

734-615-0040

 
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