Hospital Charity Care — Effects of New Community-Benefit Requirements Sayeh S. Nikpay, Ph.D., M.P.H., and John Z. Ayanian, M.D., M.P.P. N Engl J Med 2015; 373:1687-1690October 29, 2015DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp1508605 Full article here

Holly Fletcher, 10 a.m. CDT October 25, 2015 - Bill Frist wants you to know the poor health of Nashvillians is going to imperil the city's ability to sustain its white-hot growth. The former senator wants you to look at a group of kids on a playground and think about this: nearly one out of three lives in poverty. That's going to drag down the city's future workforce. Department Chair Melinda Buntin is quoted. 

Principal Findings Medicaid expansions significantly increased health insurance coverage and reduced out-of-pocket spending on mental health services for low-income adults. Effects of expanded Medicaid eligibility on out-of-pocket spending were strongest for adults with psychological distress. Expanding Medicaid eligibility did not significantly increase the use of mental health services. Authors: Ezra Golberstein Ph.D.1,* and Gilbert Gonzales M.H.A.2

October 13, 2015 - Congratulations to Dr. William Schaffner for receiving the Levi Watkins Jr Faculty Award this week. The faculty award is presented annually to at least one member of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine faculty or administration who has made outstanding contributions to the institution by fostering opportunities for underrepresented minorities in our educational and/or research programs. The award also recognizes individuals who have contributed to increasing diversity at VUSM.

Vanderbilt’s Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) program prepares leaders to take on today’s most pressing and complex health challenges. Learn more about our innovative program from M.P.H. faculty members, current students, and program staff at one of our upcoming campus information sessions:             Thursday, October 15 at 4 p.m Buttrick Hall 306 Wednesday, November 11 at 5 p.m. Light Hall 411

(Reuters Health) – - The flu vaccine may help prevent flu-related pneumonia, a study suggests. When researchers looked at patients with pneumonia, those whose pneumonia was related to the flu were more likely to have skipped the flu vaccine, compared to patients with pneumonia from other causes.  Pneumonia can be a serious and common complication of catching the flu, the authors write. 

Abstract