Boston Medical Center Press Releases
BEST-CLI Clinical Trial Indicates Optimal Treatment for Patients with Limb Threatening Ischemia
More than 200 million people worldwide have peripheral artery disease (PAD) and more than 1-in-10 have a severe form of PAD known as chronic limb threatening ischemia (CLTI), putting them at risk of leg amputation, cardiovascular disease and death.
CRISPR Technology Highlights Genes That Contribute to the Development of Emphysema and COPD
Study findings improve understanding of the disease at a cellular level and will aid development of future therapies.
Tracey Dechert Appointed Chief of Acute Care and Trauma Surgery at Boston Medical Center
BOSTON – Tracey Dechert, MD, FACS has been appointed Chief of Acute Care and Trauma Surgery at Boston Medical Center (BMC) and will assume her new role on July 1. Dechert is believed to be the first woman to be named surgical trauma chief at a Level 1 adult trauma center in Massachusetts.
Project RED Reduces Hospital Readmissions for Patients with Depressive Symptoms
BOSTON - Results from a new study at Boston Medical Center show how transition support and post-discharge depression treatment reduce unplanned hospital readmissions for individuals with depressive symptoms. Published in Annals of Family Medicine, researchers discovered a 70 and 48 percent reduction in hospital re-admittance at the 30- and 90-day mark following post-discharge care by an adapted version of the Re-Engineered Discharge (RED) Program, a nationally disseminated readmission reduction program, amongst adherents to the program. The adapted version is named RED for Depression (RED-D).
Bridge Clinic Model for Methadone Initiation Leads to High Linkage and Retention in Opioid Treatment
BOSTON – According to a new study from Boston Medical Center’s Grayken Center for Addiction, methadone administration for opioid withdrawal with direct opioid treatment program admission under the “72-hour rule” is possible in an outpatient bridge clinic and resulted in a high number of completed referrals to opioid treatment programs, along with high one-month retention rates. The findings in Drug and Alcohol Dependence show that a hospital-based bridge clinic model of care has the potential to improve methadone access amid the highest rates of opioid overdose death in U.S. history.
Community-Focused Strategy Improves Vaccine Uptake in Black and Latino Communities
BOSTON – New research from Boston Medical Center (BMC) shows how intentionality and partnership between community leaders and medical health centers can improve COVID-19 vaccination uptake in Black and Latino communities. Published in Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers analyzed the impact that a community-focused model led by BMC and its community partners had on improving equitable access to vaccination.
Almost 1 in 4 Physicians Experience Workplace Mistreatment, Mostly from Patients and Visitors
BOSTON – According to new research from Boston Medical Center and Stanford University School of Medicine, almost a quarter of physicians who responded to a survey at Stanford Medicine experienced workplace mistreatment, with patients and visitors being the most common source.
CHAMPS Decreases Racial Inequities in Mississippi Breastfeeding Rates through Public Health Program
BOSTON – New research from Boston Medical Center assesses the impact of a statewide effort to improve breastfeeding rates in Mississippi, using an evidence-based strategy to evaluate the Communities and Hospitals Advancing Maternity Practices (CHAMPS) program. Published in Maternal & Child Nutrition, this study uses the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework to assess the impact of the program for improving breastfeeding rates in birthing hospitals and the community. RE-AIM has been used to assess the impact of public health programs applied across a range of settings, but no national breastfeeding programs in the U.S., like CHAMPS, have been assessed using an established implementation science framework.
Inflammation markers associated with COVID-19 during pregnancy may signal adverse impacts to long-term infant health
BOSTON – New research results demonstrate how inflammation from a COVID-19 infection during pregnancy could potentially impact long-term infant health, including infant growth and brain development. Published in the Journal of Perinatology, a new study from Boston Medical Center describes how infants of mothers who had a COVID-19 infection during pregnancy had significant elevations in inflammatory blood markers, also known as cytokines, at the time of delivery.
Surgeon and Anesthesiologist Satisfaction Found to be an Unreliable Indicator of Patient Satisfaction during Ocular Surgery
New research findings suggest that providers are poor predictors of patient satisfaction with anesthesia and perioperative comfort.
Antibody function antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) may help prevent the transmission of HIV from mother to child during breastfeeding
BOSTON – According to new research from Boston Medical Center, the antibody function known as antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and the ADCC sensitivity of HIV strains may influence the transmission of HIV from mother to child during breastfeeding. These data imply that enhancing ADCC, through a vaccine, for example, may not be sufficient to prevent transmission because chronically infected individuals can harbor ADCC-resistant strains. Published in JCI Insight, the findings provide novel insights about immunologic characteristics that a vaccine may need to elicit to help block HIV transmission.
Consumer Preferences for Tinted Sunscreen Highlight Lack of Inclusion for People of Color
BOSTON – New research from Boston Medical Center has found that while tinted sunscreens offer protection from certain skin conditions that disproportionately affect people of color, the lack of tinted sunscreen options for darker skin tones may discourage many people from using them. An analysis of consumer preferences of over the counter products found that 62 percent of tinted sunscreen products are only available in one shade. Published in Cutis, researchers found that cosmetic elegance and tone compatibility are the most important criteria for individuals seeking tinted sunscreens, characteristics that physicians should consider when making recommendations for individuals to improve adherence and protect against harmful visible light.
Integrating Behavioral Health in Community-Based Primary Care Improves Access and Treatment for Racially and Ethnically Diverse Children
BOSTON - New research led by Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Public Health found that a model of integrating behavioral health care into pediatric primary care at federally qualified health centers resulted in greater access, more timely care, and higher diagnostic rates of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for children. These results, published in Pediatrics, demonstrate the role that federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) can have in improving equitable care for children of all ages, especially racially and ethnically marginalized children who are more likely to access care at FQHCs.
Researchers Call for Federal and State Policy Changes to Make Naloxone Widely Available
BOSTON – Following a 30 percent increase in fatal overdoses from 2019 to 2020 in the United States, addiction medicine experts at the Grayken Center for Addiction at Boston Medical Center are advocating for increased distribution of naloxone, a life-saving drug that can reverse an overdose. Published in the American Journal of Public Health, researchers suggest a four-step process to expand availability of naloxone to save lives:
New Intervention Decreases Cesarean Rate and Improves Maternal Blood Loss
BOSTON – New research from Boston Medical Center suggests that hourly patient evaluation and documentation of the birthing plan in the second stage of labor decreases the second-stage of labor duration, the rate of cesarean sections, maternal blood loss, and rates of hemorrhage and transfusion. Published in the Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, the team identify hourly second stage documentation as a uniquely non-medical intervention performed proactively before delivery. Current interventions to reduce blood loss are typically done reactively post-delivery and there have been no proven interventions to decrease cesarean rates.
Post-Acute Care Facilities in Northeast Disproportionally Reject Patients with Opioid Use Disorder Despite Federal and State Guidelines
BOSTON – Patients hospitalized with opioid use disorder (OUD) are rejected more than twice as often as patients without OUD when they are referred for placement to a post-acute care facility for continuing care, such as a skilled nursing or sub-acute nursing facility, a new study from Boston Medical Center’s Grayken Center for Addiction has found.
Firearm Injuries Increased During First Year of COVID-19 in Massachusetts
BOSTON – Results from new research suggest that protective measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Massachusetts were associated with an increase in firearm injuries during the first year of the pandemic. Led by researchers at Boston Medical Center (BMC) and Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH), study results show that Black and Hispanic men who were unemployed were more likely to experience firearm injuries, highlighting the disproportionate consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for vulnerable populations.
Boston Medical Center Receives $10,000 Signature Grant From Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation For Autism
Boston, MA – Boston Medical Center is pleased to announce it has received a $10,000 grant from the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism.
Quality Improvement Initiative Increases Breastfeeding Rates in Mississippi
Boston – CHAMPS (Communities and Hospitals Advancing Maternity Practices), a multi-year quality improvement (QI) initiative in the state of Mississippi led by Boston Medical Center (BMC) researchers, has increased breastfeeding rates and reduced racial inequities in breastfeeding. These results, published in Pediatrics, demonstrate that the successful implementation of Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative guidance can lead to increased rates of breastfeeding, skin-to-skin contact for mother and baby immediately after birth, and rooming-in practices (keeping mother and baby together in the same hospital room) while also reducing racial inequities.
Researchers Call for Better Management of Long-Term Heart Disease Risk Following Complicated Pregnancies
BOSTON – Researchers at Boston Medical Center have created a new resource for managing long-term heart disease risk after specific pregnancy complications. Heart disease risk is revealed by several common pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia and preterm delivery. The year following pregnancy is an important time to identify individuals at increased risk for future heart disease, provide counseling, and begin preventive care. However, clinicians lack a single source of comprehensive guidance for managing these risks.
