Altarum Authors
Expert voices from our staff address important health care issues.
Service Area Manager, Altarum Institute
Date: Apr 19, 2012
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Topics: Health Policy | Military & Veterans Health
After a decade of conflict in Iraq, our troops have come home, producing the largest increase in the number of American veterans since the 1970s.
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Altarum Institute Fellow
Date: Jun 14, 2012
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Topics: Health Policy | Obesity | Women & Children
For more than 40 years, the U.S.
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Date: Mar 13, 2012
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Topics: Childhood Obesity | Health Policy | Women & Children
The Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) provides federal grants to states for supplemental foods, health care referrals and nutrition education for low-income, pre
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Publications Manager, Altarum Institute
Date: Jul 12, 2012
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Topics: Aging
The Supreme Court’s recent ruling in favor of requiring all American citizens to have health insurance coverage has eliminated much uncertainty over who will have access to health care, but
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Director, Health Care Quality Research, Altarum Institute
Date: Mar 29, 2012
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Topics: Aging | Care Transitions | Hospitals
According to the Institute of Medicine’s Preventing Medication Errors report, the average hospitalized patient encounters at least one medication error per day.
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Health Policy Associate, Altarum Institute
Date: May 29, 2012
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Topics: Behavioral Health | Community Health | Public Health
In reading Dr.
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Director, Pharmacovigilance, KAI Research, Inc., An Altarum Company
Date: Jan 19, 2012
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Topics: Chronic Disease | Public Health
Due to the rapid increase in prescription drug abuse, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared prescription drug abuse an epidemic. The latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health indicates that over 70 percent of people who abused prescription pain medications obtained them from friends or relatives, while approximately 5 percent got them from a drug dealer or over the Internet. more
Due to the rapid increase in prescription drug abuse, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared prescription drug abuse an epidemic. The latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health indicates that over 70 percent of people who abused prescription pain medications obtained them from friends or relatives, while approximately 5 percent got them from a drug dealer or over the Internet. more
Senior Writer & Editor, Altarum Institute
Date: Feb 21, 2012
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Topics: Behavioral Health
When I began working in the field of social work 25 years ago, a huge distinction existed between working with individuals who suffered from mental health issues or physical ailments and those who
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Senior Analyst, Altarum Institute
Date: Nov 3, 2011
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Topics: Public Health | Public Health Preparedness
In your community, do block groups, farmer’s markets, city planners, community clinics, emergency services, and departments of health work elbow-to-elbow, or do they act in organizational silos? Improving population health was an important aspect of the Affordable Care Act, which led to the emergence of new community-based strategies that were launched in part from the public health campaign. more
In your community, do block groups, farmer’s markets, city planners, community clinics, emergency services, and departments of health work elbow-to-elbow, or do they act in organizational silos? Improving population health was an important aspect of the Affordable Care Act, which led to the emergence of new community-based strategies that were launched in part from the public health campaign. more
HIV/AIDS and Sexual Health Lead, Altarum Institute
Date: May 15, 2012
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Topics: Chronic Disease | Public Health
Today, more Americans are dying from viral hepatitis than HIV/AIDS. more
Today, more Americans are dying from viral hepatitis than HIV/AIDS. more
Date: Apr 26, 2012
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Topics: Chronic Disease
Decent Care Values is an innovative, values-based model supporting transformation of health care at three levels: individual, social and systemic. more
Decent Care Values is an innovative, values-based model supporting transformation of health care at three levels: individual, social and systemic. more
Director, Medical Epidemiology and Health Informatics
Date: May 17, 2012
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Topics: Information Technology | Public Health
The promise of public health surveillance based on near real-time health data is based on the notion that there will be uniform participation among providers, the systems will be easy to utilize,
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Director, Altarum Strategic Innovations for Health Care Reform
Date: Nov 22, 2011
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Topics: Aging | Health Reform
Let’s not capitalize on or mourn the loss of CLASS for too long. We have work to do – and we do not have the luxury of time before forging ahead. more
Let’s not capitalize on or mourn the loss of CLASS for too long. We have work to do – and we do not have the luxury of time before forging ahead. more
Date: Nov 1, 2011
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Topics: Aging | Health Reform | Public Health
The Obama Administration abandoned the Community Living Services and Supports (CLASS) Act last month. This public long-term care insurance program was slated to be the country’s first attempt at dealing with an aging Boomer population that is in denial about what it costs to grow old in America. more
The Obama Administration abandoned the Community Living Services and Supports (CLASS) Act last month. This public long-term care insurance program was slated to be the country’s first attempt at dealing with an aging Boomer population that is in denial about what it costs to grow old in America. more
Date: Jun 16, 2011
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Topics: Health Policy | Health Reform
Addressing three dilemmas: Who defines value and how? How can value be measured? Can a value-based system also respect choice? more
Addressing three dilemmas: Who defines value and how? How can value be measured? Can a value-based system also respect choice? more
Director, Medical Affairs, KAI
Date: May 8, 2012
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Topics: Health Policy
Mini-Sentinel is the Food & Drug Administration’s new tool to assist in monitoring the safety of drugs and medical products after FDA approval.
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Senior Policy Associate, Center for Food Assistance and Nutrition
Date: Mar 13, 2012
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Topics: Childhood Obesity | Health Policy | Women & Children
The Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) provides federal grants to states for supplemental foods, health care referrals and nutrition education for low-income, pre
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Senior Policy Analyst, Altarum Institute
Date: May 17, 2012
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Topics: Information Technology | Public Health
The promise of public health surveillance based on near real-time health data is based on the notion that there will be uniform participation among providers, the systems will be easy to utilize,
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Health Economist and Senior Analyst, Altarum Institute
Date: Aug 17, 2009
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Topics: Costs & Economic Analysis | Insurance
Health care should be consumer driven for reasons of both efficiency and ethics. When in possession of adequate information and faced with appropriate incentives, consumers make better choices for their own health than does any third party, regardless of whether that third party is motivated by the most worthy of intentions. more
Health care should be consumer driven for reasons of both efficiency and ethics. When in possession of adequate information and faced with appropriate incentives, consumers make better choices for their own health than does any third party, regardless of whether that third party is motivated by the most worthy of intentions. more
Senior Lean Health Care Coach, Altarum Institute
Date: Feb 2, 2012
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Topics: Information Technology
With all of the discussions of rising health care costs, technology is often cited as being a major potential factor for reversing this crippling trend.
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Altarum Institute Distinguished Scholar
Date: Mar 30, 2010
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Topics: Health Policy | Public Health
What do we know about the levels of population health and the state of medical care and the many other determinants of health across the United States? Despite years of data collection, it has been difficult to gain a comprehensive view of population health. more
What do we know about the levels of population health and the state of medical care and the many other determinants of health across the United States? Despite years of data collection, it has been difficult to gain a comprehensive view of population health. more
Deputy Director for Strategy and Growth, Altarum Institute
Date: Jul 6, 2012
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Topics: Health Disparities | Health Reform
If states turn their backs on Medicaid expansion they leave a lot of federal money on the table. They also leave behind many vulnerable, low income constituents—our friends, families and neighbors—who could receive coverage through Medicaid without purchasing private health insurance (to which they may not have affordable, available options). more
If states turn their backs on Medicaid expansion they leave a lot of federal money on the table. They also leave behind many vulnerable, low income constituents—our friends, families and neighbors—who could receive coverage through Medicaid without purchasing private health insurance (to which they may not have affordable, available options). more
Date: May 31, 2012
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Topics: Consumer Choice | Costs & Economic Analysis | Health Policy
Overuse of health care is moving into the policy spotlight as a critical—and addressable—cost and quality issue.
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Date: Feb 14, 2012
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Topics: Costs & Economic Analysis | Health Policy
Innovation in health care products, services, delivery models and processes has emerged as a popular solution to spiraling U.S.
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Policy Associate, Altarum Institute
Date: Jul 19, 2012
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Topics: Childhood Obesity | Obesity | Public Health
This year, public health stakeholders have launched three key communication pieces to refocus the problem of obesity. Although these pieces are standalone efforts, they show how powerful coordinated efforts between researchers, local public health professionals and the American public can be. Together, these three pieces can give stakeholders at multiple levels concrete actions they can take to combat the problem of obesity. more
This year, public health stakeholders have launched three key communication pieces to refocus the problem of obesity. Although these pieces are standalone efforts, they show how powerful coordinated efforts between researchers, local public health professionals and the American public can be. Together, these three pieces can give stakeholders at multiple levels concrete actions they can take to combat the problem of obesity. more
Date: Jun 21, 2012
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Topics: Childhood Obesity | Community Health | Health Reform
Warm summer days and evenings draw many people outside to enjoy the weather and the extended daylight.
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Date: Feb 23, 2012
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Topics: Childhood Obesity | Women & Children
With the passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, the United States Department of Agriculture will be revising the nutrition guidelines for the Child and Adult Care Food Program for the first
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Deputy Director, Altarum Center for Food Assistance and Nutrition
Date: Jun 14, 2012
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Topics: Health Policy | Obesity | Women & Children
For more than 40 years, the U.S.
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Co-Project Director, Altarum Institute Childhood Obesity Prevention Mission Project
Date: May 6, 2009
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Topics: Health Policy | Obesity | Women & Children
As we begin again to consider health care reform in this nation, the issue of childhood obesity should not be ignored. more
As we begin again to consider health care reform in this nation, the issue of childhood obesity should not be ignored. more
Director, Altarum Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care
Date: Jul 5, 2012
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Topics: Community Health | Hospitals
Given our public interest in safety, one has to wonder how we have become so complacent about preventable illness and injury in medicine. Amazingly, 32 deaths trigger a nationwide recall on melon, but nearly 100,000 annual deaths from hospital infections (more than AIDS, car accidents and breast cancer combined) do not make news. more
Given our public interest in safety, one has to wonder how we have become so complacent about preventable illness and injury in medicine. Amazingly, 32 deaths trigger a nationwide recall on melon, but nearly 100,000 annual deaths from hospital infections (more than AIDS, car accidents and breast cancer combined) do not make news. more
Date: Jun 20, 2012
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Topics: Consumer Choice
At Altarum's Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care, we're working to increase individual involvement in health care decisions.
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Date: May 1, 2012
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Topics: Consumer Choice | Health Policy
“I’m thinking of getting a full-body CT scan,” Jane said.
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Director, Altarum Center for Elder Care and Advanced Illness
Date: May 22, 2012
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Topics: Aging | Community Health | Health Policy
Readers of this blog are familiar with—and mostly supportive of—these two claims: (1) that social and environmental factors are stronger than health care services in shaping the popula
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Date: Mar 29, 2012
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Topics: Aging | Care Transitions | Hospitals
According to the Institute of Medicine’s Preventing Medication Errors report, the average hospitalized patient encounters at least one medication error per day.
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Date: Jan 31, 2012
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Topics: Care Transitions
“Care transitions” is the new buzzword in efforts to improve health, improve care and reduce costs.
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Deputy Director, Altarum Center for Healthy Child and Youth Development
Date: Feb 23, 2012
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Topics: Childhood Obesity | Women & Children
With the passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, the United States Department of Agriculture will be revising the nutrition guidelines for the Child and Adult Care Food Program for the first
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Senior Associate, Altarum Institute
Date: Apr 12, 2012
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Topics: Childhood Obesity | Chronic Disease | Obesity
It’s been in the news and at the forefront of public health policy debates—childhood obesity has tripled in the past 30 years and now represents one of the leading public health threat
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Vice President and Director, Community Health Systems, Altarum Institute
Date: Apr 26, 2012
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Topics: Chronic Disease
Decent Care Values is an innovative, values-based model supporting transformation of health care at three levels: individual, social and systemic. more
Decent Care Values is an innovative, values-based model supporting transformation of health care at three levels: individual, social and systemic. more
Date: Mar 15, 2012
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Topics: Chronic Disease | Health Policy | Public Health
The world’s largest—and most important—conference for bringing together service providers, advocates, policymakers and scientific and social science researchers to learn about and share advances in prevention, treatment, care and policy for an epidemic that counts 34 million living with HIV/AIDS worldwide takes place in Washington, D.C., from July 22 - 27. However, not everyone who could benefit from this conference will be able to enter the U.S. to attend, and it's worrisome that many people here in the U.S. who most need to hear its messages might not pay attention. more
The world’s largest—and most important—conference for bringing together service providers, advocates, policymakers and scientific and social science researchers to learn about and share advances in prevention, treatment, care and policy for an epidemic that counts 34 million living with HIV/AIDS worldwide takes place in Washington, D.C., from July 22 - 27. However, not everyone who could benefit from this conference will be able to enter the U.S. to attend, and it's worrisome that many people here in the U.S. who most need to hear its messages might not pay attention. more
Date: Jun 21, 2011
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Topics: Public Health
Thirty years ago this month, the CDC released a report documenting the first cases of what we now know as the acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS. Unfortunately, the news was not heard or understood by the millions AIDS would touch. In this the 30th year of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, much has changed. more
Thirty years ago this month, the CDC released a report documenting the first cases of what we now know as the acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS. Unfortunately, the news was not heard or understood by the millions AIDS would touch. In this the 30th year of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, much has changed. more
Altarum Institute Fellow
Date: Sep 21, 2009
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Topics: Health Policy | Managed Care | Public Health
Because “prevention accounts for only two to three percent of health care expenditures,” we could achieve significant savings in future health care costs by devoting more money to preventive measures. Unfortunately, this argument is flawed. more
Because “prevention accounts for only two to three percent of health care expenditures,” we could achieve significant savings in future health care costs by devoting more money to preventive measures. Unfortunately, this argument is flawed. more
Evaluating the Obama Health Plan: We Need Both Short-Term Affordability and Long-Term Sustainability
Date: Oct 1, 2008
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Topics: Costs & Economic Analysis | Health Reform
Although there is considerable attention paid to addressing cost growth and investing in public health and prevention, the most noteworthy aspect of Presidential candidate Barack Obama’s health care plan is its focus on attempting to make insurance affordable for all Americans more
Altarum Institute Distinguished Scholar
Date: Aug 31, 2010
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Topics: Costs & Economic Analysis | Health Reform
When administration officials tout the cost savings potential of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in a lead New England Journal of Medicine article (NEJM.org Aug. 12, 2010), one has to wonder if the statute adequately addresses the core drivers of poor health and excessive health care costs in a way which is understandable and actionable by patients and their doctors. more
When administration officials tout the cost savings potential of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in a lead New England Journal of Medicine article (NEJM.org Aug. 12, 2010), one has to wonder if the statute adequately addresses the core drivers of poor health and excessive health care costs in a way which is understandable and actionable by patients and their doctors. more
Manager of Advocacy Partnerships, Altarum Institute
Date: Aug 24, 2011
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Topics: Health Reform | Public Health Preparedness
In our current economic climate, community health centers continue to absorb rising numbers of uninsured patients, providing high-quality and affordable care while generating billions in savings to the health care system. more
In our current economic climate, community health centers continue to absorb rising numbers of uninsured patients, providing high-quality and affordable care while generating billions in savings to the health care system. more
Director of Strategic Communications, Palladian Partners, Inc.
Date: Jul 17, 2012
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Topics: Behavioral Health | Health Disparities | Public Health
Palladian worked closely with NIDA staff to develop the first-ever, easy-to-read website on drug abuse, designed for adults with low reading literacy (eighth grade or below reading level). more
Palladian worked closely with NIDA staff to develop the first-ever, easy-to-read website on drug abuse, designed for adults with low reading literacy (eighth grade or below reading level). more
Vice President and Director, Altarum Center for Sustainable Health Spending
Date: Jun 7, 2012
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Topics: Costs & Economic Analysis | Health Policy | Health Reform
This is my fourth blog on the topic of sustainable health spending (others are here: 1,
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Date: Mar 5, 2012
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Topics: Consumer Choice | Costs & Economic Analysis | Health Reform
Center for Sustainable Health Spending colleagues George Miller, Ph.D. and Paul Hughes-Cromwick have the following thoughts.
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Senior Writer, Altarum Institute
Date: May 24, 2012
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Topics: Aging
Your 80-year-old mother, who can’t recognize you due to severe Alzheimer’s dementia, has developed pneumonia after being hospitalized with a broken hip.
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Date: Mar 1, 2012
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Topics: Aging | Care Transitions
A few days into my 68-year old father’s hospitalization for sepsis, his doctors determined the strain of bacteria that plagued him: streptococcus.
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Date: Jan 31, 2012
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Topics: Care Transitions
“Care transitions” is the new buzzword in efforts to improve health, improve care and reduce costs.
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Research Director for Innovative Care Delivery, Altarum Institute
Date: Jul 20, 2010
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Topics: Health Disparities | Information Technology | Military & Veterans Health
While there is debate about the precise rate of prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in the population of service members returning from deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan, few would disagree that the sheer number of first and repeat deployments has placed a high demand on the Department of Veteran Affairs and military mental health treatment systems. Compounding the challenge is the key role played by reservists and National Guardsmen in these wars. more
While there is debate about the precise rate of prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in the population of service members returning from deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan, few would disagree that the sheer number of first and repeat deployments has placed a high demand on the Department of Veteran Affairs and military mental health treatment systems. Compounding the challenge is the key role played by reservists and National Guardsmen in these wars. more
President and Chief Executive Officer, Altarum Institute
Date: Jan 8, 2009
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Topics: Public Health
With the Mission Projects Initiative, we are attempting to solve pressing health issues facing our nation, problems that now affect the quality of life of millions of Americans. more
With the Mission Projects Initiative, we are attempting to solve pressing health issues facing our nation, problems that now affect the quality of life of millions of Americans. more
Altarum Institute Distinguished Scholar
Date: Jun 15, 2009
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Topics: Managed Care | Public Health
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America, of which I have served as staff director, recently released its report with 10 recommendations that we believe will allow Americans – particularly those who face the greatest barriers to good health – to lead healthy lives. more
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America, of which I have served as staff director, recently released its report with 10 recommendations that we believe will allow Americans – particularly those who face the greatest barriers to good health – to lead healthy lives. more
Senior Associate & Project Director, Altarum Institute
Date: Mar 27, 2012
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Topics: Behavioral Health
Do you love casinos? How about bingo? Do you bet on the NCAA tournament championship? Do you gamble on the Internet?
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Date: Feb 21, 2012
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Topics: Behavioral Health
When I began working in the field of social work 25 years ago, a huge distinction existed between working with individuals who suffered from mental health issues or physical ailments and those who
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Resource Spotlight
Handbook for Mortals
This new edition of the handbook, first published in 1999, provides practical, straight-forward advice for those dealing with serious illness.
Events
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Resources
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Posted Apr 26, 2012
The professional company orbera provides all the information on weight loss balloon.
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