Press Room

by Tami Luhby, July 28, 2015: After years of historically slow growth, health care spending is once again on the rise -- and it's expected to continue to accelerate over the next decade. Thanks in large part to the expansion of coverage under Obamacare, health care spending in the U.S. is projected to have hit $3.1 trillion, or $9,695 per person, last year. That's an increase of 5.5%, according to federal estimates released Tuesday. It's the first time the rate would exceed 5% since 2007.

Stephen Patrick, M.D., MPH, assistant professor of Pediatrics and Health Policy in the Division of Neonatology with the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, recently testified before congress about the rise in neonatal abstinence syndrome. Speaking before the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, Patrick said that the condition — which now accounts for an estimated $1.5 billion in annual health care expenditures — is tied to the growing number of prescription opioids being used in the United States.

A new study led by Vanderbilt University Medical Center investigators found new diagnoses of prostate cancer in the U.S. declined 28 percent in the year following the draft recommendation from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) against routine PSA screening for men. The new research, led by first author Daniel Barocas, M.D., MPH, assistant professor of urological surgery and medicine, was posted online in the June 15 issue of The Journal of Urology in advance of publication.

by Matt Batcheldor | Monday, Jun. 22, 2015 New Vanderbilt-led research shows hospitals are doing a better job of using antibiotics less commonly associated with antibiotic resistance to treat children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Dr. Carlos Grijalva is quoted.

The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) has appointed William Schaffner, MD, as its new medical director.  Schaffner will continue to serve as professor of preventive medicine and infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. From 2010 to 2012, Schaffner served as president of NFID. In his new role, he will succeed Susan J. Rehm, MD, who has served as NFID medical director since 2004. 

By Holly Fletcher: The juncture where patients are discharged from hospitals to skilled nursing facilities for rehabilitation is pinpointed by a new study as a place where greater focus could prolong lives and reduce costs. Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Massachusetts Institute of Technology analyzed claims data from more than 1.5 million Medicare patients across every zip code in the country who needed emergency hospital care for injuries such as hip or femur fractures or intercerebral hemorrhage stroke.

By Janice Neumann (Reuters Health) - The rate at which infants are suffering withdrawal after being born to mothers on opioid pain killers has increased five-fold since 2000, according to a new U.S. study. "I think the scope of the problem is staggering," said Dr. Stephen Patrick, a neonatologist who led the research. "It really calls into question, are we using these opioid prescriptions too much and should we be using them more appropriately in pregnant women."

Newswise — 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. The Department's John Graves is a co-author and is quoted. 

by Christina Echegaray | Thursday, May. 7, 2015, 10:32 AM Surgically treating “tongue tie” in infants may be associated with improved breast-feeding and reduced nipple pain, as reported by mothers, but much more research is needed on best practices for treating the condition, according to a newly published systematic review.