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Study shows that Omicron infections were associated with a substantially reduced risk of progression to severe clinical outcomes relative to Delta infections

Researchers compared COVID-19 severity outcomes among individuals infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron and Delta variants.

13 Jun 2022

Hospice patients with dementia more likely to receive excellent care, study shows

While the hospice program was originally designed for patients with cancer, who are expected to die within six months, currently close to half of older adult hospice enrollees have a diagnosis of dementia.

6 Jun 2022

COVID-19 pandemic increased the number of cancer-related mortality in the U.S., study shows

According to a new study led by researchers at the American Cancer Society (ACS), the COVID-19 pandemic increased the number of cancer-related deaths by 3.2% in the United States from 2019- 2020.

31 May 2022

The impact of NSAIDs on COVID-19 severity

Researchers examine potential correlations between NSAID use and COVID-19 severity.

18 May 2022

Study shows massive variations in prescribing of “comfort kit” medications by hospice agencies

When a person nearing the end of their life enters hospice care, their hospice agency's doctors may prescribe a "comfort kit" of small amounts of medications that their caregivers can give them in case of urgent, distressing symptoms such as severe anxiety, agitation, delirium, nausea and more.

13 May 2022

New guideline provides guidance on the use of radiation therapy to treat patients with brain metastases

A new clinical guideline from the American Society for Radiation Oncology provides guidance on the use of radiation therapy to treat patients with brain metastases.

10 May 2022

Insight into Neurological Diagnosis in Children

In this interview, we speak to Amy Brin, MSN, MA, PCNS-BC, CEO of the Child Neurology Foundation, about the current landscape of neurological diagnosis in children and the importance of helping patients and their families through the diagnosis and treatment process.

6 May 2022

New laws let visitors see loved ones in health care facilities, even in an outbreak

Jean White’s mother has dementia and moved into a memory care facility near Tampa, Florida, just as coronavirus lockdowns began in spring 2020. For months, the family wasn’t allowed to go inside to visit.

8 Apr 2022

Northwestern scientists continue to advance the understanding of COVID-19

As the COVID-19 pandemic enters its third year, Northwestern Medicine scientists continue to help advance the understanding of the disease and its impact, from investigating antibody protection against COVID-19 reinfection to elevating women in academic research and highlighting racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 hospital mortality in Illinois.

28 Mar 2022

Biden’s blanket statement — ‘no more surprise billing’ — doesn’t quite cover it

During a Feb. 10 speech about lowering health care costs, President Joe Biden made a sweeping declaration that Americans would no longer need to worry about surprise medical bills.

1 Mar 2022

Researchers analyze the use of palliative care for hospitalized patients with both AKI and COVID-19

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication of COVID-19 and is associated with a higher risk of death. A new study published in CJASN has examined the use of palliative care in patients with COVID-19 and AKI.

24 Feb 2022

Stroke patients have higher chance of better outcomes when treated at Comprehensive Stroke Centers

When comparing outcomes for acute ischemic stroke patients treated at various levels of stroke centers, patients who received care at Comprehensive Stroke Centers (CSC) or Thrombectomy-capable Stroke Centers (TSC) were more likely to receive rapid treatment with clot-busting medication and/or mechanical clot removal and be discharged home or to rehabilitation centers than patients treated at Primary Stroke Centers, according to preliminary research to be presented today at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2022.

12 Feb 2022

Study examines how neighborhoods influence older adults' pandemic experience

How have older adults adjusted to living under the pandemic? There's no one-size-fits-all experience, according to University of Michigan researchers.

25 Jan 2022

Harrowing deaths are too common in most parts of the world, survey shows

Among the most troubling scenes from the COVID-19 era are the images of patients dying in isolation, unable to be with loved ones during their final moments. But even before the pandemic, harrowing deaths were all too common in most parts of the world, a new survey of end-of-life care shows.

18 Jan 2022

Black-owned hospice seeks to bring greater ease in dying to Black families

This time, it didn’t take much persuading for Mary Murphy to embrace home hospice. When her mother was dying from Alzheimer’s disease in 2020, she had been reluctant until she saw what a help it was. So when her husband, Willie, neared the end of his life, she embraced hospice again.

10 Jan 2022

New website launched to support people in advance care planning

Research conducted in the Centre for Health and Societyat Aston University has been used to inform the design of a new website to support people in advance care planning.

14 Dec 2021

New California law eases aid-in-dying process

During her three-year battle with breast cancer, my wife, Leslie, graciously endured multiple rounds of horrifically toxic treatment to eke out more time with our two young children.

3 Dec 2021

It takes a team: A doctor with terminal cancer relies on a close-knit group in her final days

The decisions have been gut-wrenching. Should she try another round of chemotherapy, even though she barely tolerated the last one? Should she continue eating, although it's getting difficult? Should she take more painkillers, even if she ends up heavily sedated?

24 Nov 2021

ERs are swamped with seriously ill patients, although many don’t have covid

Inside the emergency department at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, Michigan, staff members are struggling to care for patients showing up much sicker than they’ve ever seen.

29 Oct 2021

6 months to live or die: How long should an alcoholic liver disease patient wait for a transplant?

The night before Brian Gorzney planned to check into rehab for alcohol use, he began vomiting blood. First at 2 a.m. Then 5. And again at 11.

12 Oct 2021