Boston Medical Center Press Releases
113 BMC Physicians Recognized as "Top Docs"
(Boston) – Dec. 26, 2018 – Boston Magazine has released its annual "Top Docs" list for 2019, which recognizes 113 Boston Medical Center (BMC) physicians in 43 specialties as being "tops" in their respective fields.
Urine Drug Testing May Be Important in Early Phases of Addiction Treatment
(Boston) - A new study performed by Boston Medical Center (BMC) and faculty at the Boston University School of Medicine shows that urine drug testing can be a useful tool to treat patients with opioid use disorder in a primary care setting. The analysis revealed that patients are less likely to disclose drug use earlier in treatment, and although the study was not able to identify reasons for this, the authors believe that it may be related to fear of discharge from a treatment program and stigma related to relapse. Published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, the study indicates the need to develop interventions for patients who have positive urine drug tests in order to keep them engaged in care.
Editorial: Stop Allowing Beliefs to Get in the Way of Treating Opioid Use Disorder
There is a breadth of academic research demonstrating that there are three medications that successfully treat opioid use disorder (OUD): methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. However, patients face unnecessary barriers to evidence-based treatment from government regulations as well as providers’ own beliefs that are not grounded in science, researchers from the Grayken Center for Addiction at Boston Medical Center (BMC) said in an Annals of Internal Medicine editorial.
Natalie Joseph, MD, MPH Recognized for Contributions to HPV Vaccination
BOSTON– Natalie Joseph, MD, MPH, a pediatrician and adolescent medicine specialist at Boston Medical Center (BMC), has been named Massachusetts’ “HPV Vaccine Is Cancer Prevention Champion” for outstanding efforts to protect adolescents from cancers caused by HPV.
Bristol-Myers Squibb and Boston Medical Center Announce Research Collaboration to Investigate Markers of Immuno-Oncology Response and Resistance
(New York and Boston) - Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY), and Boston Medical Center, a private, not-for-profit, academic medical center, today announced a multi-year joint research study to identify and analyze potential sensitivity and resistance markers in patients treated with standard-of-care checkpoint inhibitors. The comprehensive, multi-dimensional study will place an emphasis on uncovering mechanisms associated with lack of response to Immuno-Oncology (I-O) therapies, with the ultimate goal of identifying prognostic and potentially predictive I-O biomarkers in a variety of cancers.
The Possible Project, Madison Park Technical Vocational High School and Boston Medical Center Launch Job Training and Educational Program for Students
(Boston) - Students who are dual-enrolled in The Possible Project and Madison Park Technical Vocational High School’s Allied Health Vocation Program will now be able to do more than just study a career in health care: they will gain hands on training in clinical assistant and support services roles at Boston Medical Center and can apply for jobs at the hospital at the end of the academic year.
Study Finds Sexual Trauma Survivors Have Clear Preferences in Obstetric Care
BOSTON— One in five women in the United States will experience sexual trauma, yet no evidence-based guidelines exist to treat these women during pregnancy and childbirth. Researchers at Boston Medical Center (BMC) surveyed women with a history of sexual trauma and found that they have clear preferences regarding how they communicate their history with providers as well as certain aspects of their treatment plan. Published in Obstetrics and Gynecology, these results can help inform providers on best practices when caring for these women.
Targeted Hepatitis C Testing Misses Substantial Number of Cases in Correctional Setting
BOSTON— Results from a new study led by Boston Medical Center (BMC) found routine Hepatitis C testing identified a significant number of cases that would have been missed by targeted testing among a population of individuals in Washington State prisons. Published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the authors recommend routine testing in correctional facilities to best identify and treat the disease as part of the national strategy to eliminate Hepatitis C transmission.
New, More Accessible Staging System Developed to Predict Survival for Patients with Light Chain Amyloidosis
(Boston) – A new staging system developed with a more accessible test to predict the chance of survival in patients living with light chain (AL) amyloidosis. Led by researchers from the Amyloidosis Center at Boston Medical Center (BMC) and Boston University School of Medicine, the test incorporates cardiac biomarkers to accurately identify the involvement of the heart in the disease, allowing doctors to predict outcomes of patients with AL amyloidosis.
Back Pain Shows Significant Association with Mortality among Older Women
(Boston) - Researchers at Boston Medical Center found that frequent, persistent back pain is associated with earlier death in a study of more than 8,000 older women who were followed for an average of 14 years. After controlling for important sociodemographic and health factors, women who reported frequent, persistent back pain had a 24 percent increased risk of death compared to women with no back pain. Published in The Journal of General Internal Medicine, the study is the first to measure the impact of back pain persisting over time on mortality. The researchers also found that disability measured after back pain helped explain the association.
Study: 4.6% of Massachusetts Residents Have Opioid Use Disorder
(Boston) - A recent study estimates that more than 275,000 people – or 4.6 percent of people over the age of 11 in Massachusetts– have opioid use disorder, a figure nearly four times higher than previous estimates based on national data. Led by researchers at Boston Medical Center, the study involved an analysis of several linked public health data sets, allowing for a more accurate picture of the impact of opioids in the state. Published online in the American Journal of Public Health, the results indicate that better surveillance systems need to be deployed locally and nationally to make more accurate opioid use disorder prevalence data available to better address the epidemic.
BMC to Lead Education Program for Maternity Providers in Mass. on Contraception Counseling
(Boston) – Researchers at Boston Medical Center (BMC) have received a $3.2M grant to educate hospital providers statewide on how best to counsel women about contraception use, particularly long-acting reversible contraception methods like intrauterine devices (IUDs) and implants. The program, funded by the Massachusetts Department of Health and Human Services, will work with the 44 maternity hospitals, with more intensive interventions at the hospitals that serve a patient population with the greatest need, where this training will have the largest impact.
Boston Medical Center, Boston University Receive $1.58M CDC Grant in Efforts to Prevent Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
(Boston) – It is estimated that fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) might affect up to 1 in 20 children in the United States. These catastrophic and irreversible disorders are entirely preventable if no alcohol is used during pregnancy. Reducing the incidence of FASDs is a vital public health goal which highlights the need for public health interventions to specifically address alcohol use among women who are pregnant or might be pregnant. A new collaborative program led by Boston Medical Center (BMC) and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), will train healthcare providers on how to best screen and counsel patients regarding risky alcohol use, including the risks of alcohol use during pregnancy.
Boston Medical Center Releases Tools to Help Employers Tackle Substance Use, Addiction
(Boston) - The Grayken Center for Addiction at Boston Medical Center (BMC) is launching a unique set of free online resources for employers to understand and address substance use disorders (SUD) in their workforce. The Employer Resource Library provides actionable steps that any organization can take to support employees who are dealing with their own or a family member’s issues related to substance use disorders.
Adolescents, Young Adults Not Receiving Medication for Addiction Treatment
Boston – A majority of adolescents and young adults diagnosed with opioid use disorder are not receiving recommended medication to treat their disease, according to a new study led by Boston Medical Center’s Grayken Center for Addiction. The results show that only 24 percent of youths receive one of the FDA-approved medications – methadone, buprenorphine or naltrexone – within three months of their diagnosis. That gap increases for those under the age of 18, with only one in 21 adolescents receiving a medication. Patients who receive medication are more likely to remain in treatment compared to those who only receive behavioral health services. Given the ever-increasing rate of opioid overdoses, the study underscores the need to address why evidence-based medications are underused to treat adolescents and young adults with opioid use disorder.
A New Reality for Beauty Standards: How Selfies and Filters Affect Body Image
(Boston) – With the spread of photo-editing technology through applications like Snapchat and Facetune, the level of physical “perfection” previously seen only on celebrity or beauty magazines is now all over social media. As these images become the norm, people’s perceptions of beauty worldwide are changing, which can take a toll on a person’s self-esteem and can trigger body dysmorphic disorder, argue Boston Medical Center (BMC) researchers in a JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery Viewpoint.
BMC Selects 10 Communities to Strengthen Trauma-Informed Early Childhood Systems and Promote Child Wellbeing
Boston – Boston Medical Center’s (BMC) Vital Village Network is working with communities across the country to expand their model of community building to promote child health and opportunity. Through a $2.2M grant supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), Vital Village has selected ten local communities to form the Networks of Opportunity for Child Wellbeing (NOW) Learning Community to address barriers and develop innovative community partnerships aimed at improving the early childhood experience.
Emergency Departments Can Be an Effective Venue for Hepatitis C Virus Testing
(Boston) - Boston Medical Center has shown that testing for the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) outside the typical high-risk population can be successfully implemented in an emergency department setting, resulting in more patients being screened, diagnosed and treated who might not have been otherwise. The new study, published in Academic Emergency Medicine, is the first report of a large-scale emergency department program, which increased the monthly rate of HCV screening by more than 6,000 percent by testing regardless of patients’ perceived risk for the disease.
BMC’s Nonpharmacologic Approach to Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Wins 2018 Gage Award
(Boston) - Boston Medical Center’s (BMC) efforts to improve treatment for infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome were recognized by America’s Essential Hospitals with their 2018 Gage Award for Quality. The award is presented annually in recognition of a hospital’s activities to improve the quality of care delivered or that eliminate harmful events for individuals or groups of patients.
Boston Medical Center, John Hancock Celebrate $5M Raised Through Boston Marathon Non-Profit Program
(Boston) – Boston Medical Center (BMC) is pleased to announce that Team BMC has raised $5 million through their partnership with John Hancock’s Boston Marathon Non-Profit Program. To commemorate the milestone, the institutions will unveil a 40-foot mural at the hospital depicting Team BMC runners on Tuesday, July 10, 2018 at 11:15 a.m.
Methadone Should Get a Home in Primary Care
(Boston) -Physicians and public health officials are calling on Congress to update the laws that regulate methadone prescribing to help reduce barriers to a treatment proven to be effective for opioid use disorder. According to a newly published New England Journal of Medicine Perspective, allowing methadone to be prescribed and dispensed in primary care practices would increase access and get the medicine into the hands of an at-risk patient population.
Methadone and Buprenorphine Decrease Mortality After Nonfatal Overdose
Boston – A new study out of Boston Medical Center’s Grayken Center for Addiction on opioid overdose survivors indicates that two FDA approved medications to treat opioid use disorder save lives, but only three out of 10 overdose survivors receive them. Using a novel public health dataset from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the researchers found that those who received methadone or buprenorphine had significant reductions in all-cause and opioid-related mortality after surviving an overdose compared to individuals not taking medication. In addition, the results underscore the missed opportunities to identify individuals with opioid use disorder and engage them in treatment when and wherever they enter the health care system with opioid-related harms.
Grayken Center for Addiction, Partnership for Drug-Free Kids Announce New Statewide Resources for Families in Crisis
The Grayken Center for Addiction at Boston Medical Center (BMC) and the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, the nation’s leading nonprofit dedicated to helping families whose son or daughter is struggling with substance use, are collaborating to close a gap in desperately needed support for parents.
Stronger Alcohol Policies Help Reduce Alcohol-Related Crash Deaths in U.S.
(Boston) – Stronger alcohol policies, including those targeting both excessive drinking and driving while impaired by alcohol, reduce the likelihood of alcohol-related motor vehicle crash deaths, according to a new study from Boston Medical Center and Boston University. The findings, published in JAMA Internal Medicine and based on national data, demonstrate that policies involving alcohol consumption and drinking and driving contribute to lower rates of alcohol involvement in car crashes, indicating the need for more comprehensive policy approaches to be developed and implemented nationwide.
BMC to Test Childhood Anxiety Therapy Treatment with $13.5M Funding
(Boston) - Boston Medical Center has been approved for a $13.5 million award by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to test the efficacy of two different methods of delivering cognitive behavioral therapy – face to face or online – to children with anxiety. This novel multi-site study will be conducted in both urban and semirural communities that serve primarily racial and ethnic minority children, and therapists connected with the pediatricians will deliver cognitive behavioral therapy face-to-face using the Cool Kids manual or facilitate use of the Cool Kids Online program.
Marketing to Physicians by Opioid Pharma Companies Leads to More Opioid Prescriptions
(Boston) – A new study shows the significant impact that even a meal or two paid for by a pharmaceutical company can have on prescribing rates, despite a national decline of opioid prescribing rates. Researchers from Boston Medical Center’s Grayken Center for Addiction examined pharmaceutical payments from 2014, ranging from consulting fees to meals, and found that doctors who received any opioid pharmaceutical marketing increased their prescribing in 2015, writing nine percent more opioid prescriptions than doctors who received no marketing. Published in JAMA Internal Medicine, the study authors recommend that opioid pharmaceutical manufacturers consider voluntarily decreasing or ceasing marketing to physicians and that federal and state governments should also consider setting legal limits on the number and amount of payments that can be made to physicians.
Non-Pharmacologic Approaches Improve Outcomes for Infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
(Boston) – A quality improvement (QI) initiative at Boston Medical Center that focused on using non-pharmacologic approaches to care for infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) yielded positive short-term outcomes for both the mothers and infants. The results, published in the Journal of Perinatology, showed a decrease in medication use, length of stay, and health care costs.
Boston Medical Center Leads Study on Peer Recovery Coaches for Opioid Use Disorder
(Boston) - Boston Medical Center (BMC)’s Grayken Center for Addiction is leading a study on the impact of peer recovery coaches on patients with substance use disorder (SUD), including focusing on providing support to patients and helping them achieve sustained recovery.
Researchers Optimize Lung Stem Cell Engineering Process
(Boston) – The Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM) at Boston University and Boston Medical Center has engineered two new categories of lung epithelial cells in vitro using pluripotent stem cells. Published in Stem Cell Reports, CReM researchers detailed their use of single cell RNA sequencing, a state-of-the-art technique they employed to generate the most comprehensive profile to date of air sack-like (alveolospheres) and airway-like (bronchospheres) cells derived from pluripotent stem cells. These profiles are new components associated with the Center’s Open Source stem cell repository and can be used to create lung tissue in vitro enabling the testing of new drug treatments for a variety of lung diseases.
Patients with Medicaid Have Limited Access to Physical Therapy in Massachusetts after ACL Surgery
(Boston) - Patients with Medicaid in Massachusetts have limited access to reimbursable physical therapy (PT) after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery, according to a new study. Researchers at Boston Medical Center found that only slightly more than half of PT clinics in the metropolitan Boston area accept Medicaid, and patients with Medicaid insurance have to wait longer for their initial PT appointments compared to those with private insurance. The authors note the importance of providers working with their patients with Medicaid earlier on in the process to establish a postoperative treatment plan to avoid PT treatment delays.
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Review: Additional Research Needed to Develop Optimal Assessment, Treatment Standards
(Boston) – A recent JAMA review article stresses that more clinical studies on neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) are needed in order to develop and implement optimal assessment, diagnosis and treatment guidelines. Researchers from Boston Medical Center’s (BMC) Grayken Center for Addiction led a review of published studies on NAS assessment tools, and pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatment approaches.
Expanding Hepatitis C Testing to All Adults Is Cost-Effective and Improves Outcomes
Findings could be considered for future Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations
A New Strategy to Address the Opioid Epidemic: Collaborations between Public Safety and Public Health Agencies
Boston Medical Center, Social Science Research and Evaluation, Inc., and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health found four types of collaborative programs have emerged
Stigma, Social Media, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Potential Misinformation Cycle
(Boston) - It’s not news gastroenterologists want to hear. In one of the first analyses of its kind on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), researchers at Boston Medical Center and Boston University found that the general public is neither very aware, nor very knowledgeable of IBD, but does harbor a high stigma for the disease. To make matters worse, individuals who are the most active on social media – through creating and consuming content – were found to have the least knowledge of IBD.
Housing Instability Negatively Affects the Health of Children and Caregivers
New research finds one in three low-income renters face housing instability, at greater risk of poor health and other hardships
Lucy Marcil, MD, MPH, Selected as a TED Fellow
Boston Medical Center pediatrician to take the stage at TED2018, joining newest class of 20 young innovators from four continents.
Did you know that you may need vaccines for your next trip out of the United States?
One of the last things you may consider when you are about to go on a big trip is “Do I need any vaccinations?”
Most are surprised to find that depending on your destination the answer may be “yes.” This is where the Boston Medical Center Travel Clinic comes in. Whether travelling for business or pleasure, a visit to the Travel Clinic can help prevent the contraction of many diseases.
Learn more about our Travel Clinic
Surgeon-in-Chief Named Deputy Editor of JAMA Surgery
(Boston) – Jennifer F. Tseng, MD, MPH, has been named Deputy Editor of JAMA Surgery, effective January 1, 2018.
