Department of Health Policy

elderly man in wheelchair in skilled nursing facility

April 30, 2015

Study links post-acute care costs with lower survival rates

A nationwide study, “Uncovering Waste in U.S. Healthcare,” from authors at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, finds that spending on post-acute care in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) provides a key signal of inefficiency in the health care system, leading to higher spending and lower patient survival.

By Paul Govern

April 30, 2015

Babies born with drug withdrawal symptoms on rise

The number of infants born in the United States with drug withdrawal symptoms, also known as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), nearly doubled in a four-year period.

By Christina Echegaray

April 13, 2015

Vanderbilt study finds babies exposed to narcotic pain relievers more likely to experience drug withdrawal syndrome

Legally prescribed narcotics taken during pregnancy can lead to neonatal abstinence syndrome, especially in combination with tobacco or SSRIs.

By Christina Echegaray

January 20, 2015

Vanderbilt study finds use of methadone to treat pain carries increased risk of death

Outside the hospital, use of methadone to treat pain carries a 46 percent increased risk of death when compared to the equally effective but more costly alternative, morphine SR (sustained release).

By Paul Govern

October 2, 2014

Traditional healers contribute to HIV care delays: study

If you’re a native of rural Mozambique who contracts HIV and becomes symptomatic, before seeking clinical testing and treatment, you’ll likely consult a traditional healer.

By Paul Govern

September 18, 2014

State public health award named for Schaffner

The Tennessee Public Health Association and the Tennessee Medical Association are collaborating to establish the “William Schaffner, M.D., Public Health Hero Award,” to be presented annually to an individual who has demonstrated extraordinary efforts in the advancement of public health in Tennessee.