Human trafficking (HT) is a hidden-in-plain-sight crime—victims walk among the public at large, yet they remain essentially invisible. Lack of education and knowledge on HT and anti-trafficking measures is particularly egregious in healthcare. In fact, the literature shows the majority of people being trafficked access the system without being identified…
Human trafficking (HT) is a global public health crisis and one of the fastest growing criminal enterprises that grosses hundreds of billions of dollars annually, all of which are tax-free profits made off the sale of human cargo. And yet, research shows the problem is poorly understood or recognized among…
Editor's Note Extensive training and lower wages lead healthcare workers to accrue more debt than those in other industries, according to a recent analysis published in JAMA Health Forum. Findings were based on 2018-2021 data from U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Income and Program Participation. According to an August 5…
Editor's Note Addressing social determinants of health (SDOHs), strengthening emergency preparedness, and improving maternal heath are among the top priorities of the fiscal year (FY) 2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System (LTCH PPS) rules released April 10. These and other efforts aim to…
Editor's Note Health record codes that track social, environmental, and economic influences on patient health outcomes are vastly underutilized during screening, according a December 19 EurekAlert! report on research from John Hopkins and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Published in Health Affairs Scholar, the study analyzes the…
Editor's Note Supply chain professionals can contribute to a more affordable, equitable health care system by spending more with suppliers in economically disadvantaged areas; expanding distribution into in-home care; and leveraging data and technology. According to a November 28 report in Healthcare Purchasing News, these were among the conclusions of…
Editor's Note An analysis of more than 71,000 shooting incidents in five major US cities has identified lesser-known factors that are linked to increased firearm assaults, according to a September 13 news release from the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Researchers found that fatal and nonfatal firearm assaults were clustered…
Editor's Note The University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies, on September 5, announced that it had been awarded a $23.57 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The grant will be used to fund a project to investigate how stress experienced by parents, and fueled…
Editor's Note This study, led by researchers at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, examines opportunities to improve inequitable postoperative outcomes by evaluating unmet social health needs by race, ethnicity, and insurance type. Outcomes included poor health status (self-reported), socioeconomic status (income, education, employment), and unmet social health needs (food,…
Editor's Note The Joint Commission and Kaiser Permanente on March 15 announced that they are now accepting applications for the 2023 Bernard J. Tyson National Award for Excellence in Pursuit of Healthcare Equity. The award, now in its 3rd year, recognizes a healthcare organization for an intervention that led to…