Wright studying role FQHCs play in reducing health care disparities

CPH researchers have been awarded a $1.54 million grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities to study the role federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) might play in reducing disparities in potentially preventable hospital-based care among dual-eligibles. Brad Wright, assistant professor of health management and policy, is the principle investigator on the grant. Published August 4, 2017

Ward writes about scalability of telehealth

Telehealth can be a virtual solution to reaching rural residents with health care, but its integration into mainstream medicine is taking longer than expected. CPH Professor Marcia Ward is one of five leaders working to advance telehealth for rural areas who recently shared their thoughts on the changes needed to make telehealth common practice. (The Rural Monitor) Published July 26, 2017

Ward to present CPH Distinguished Faculty Lecture Aug. 30

Marcia Ward, professor and interim head of health management and policy, will deliver the 2017 College of Public Health Distinguished Faculty Lecture at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 30, in Callaghan Auditorium. Ward's presentation, "Telehealth in the Rural Emergency Department: Using Mixed Methods to Explore Benefits," will be followed by a reception in the CPHB atrium. Published July 26, 2017

Mueller discusses rural health care at Georgia task force meeting

Keith Mueller, CPH interim dean and professor of health management and policy, recently spoke at a meeting of Georgia’s Health Care Reform Task Force. He highlighted new ways to rethink how to increase health care access to rural communities, since so many rural areas have seen hospital closings in recent years. (The Tifton Gazette)  Published July 13, 2017

Curry comments on health education to prevent CVD in healthy people

Behavioral counseling provides positive but modest benefits for preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD) in adults without risk factors, a final recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force states. "The Task Force encourages primary care clinicians to talk to their patients about eating healthy and physical activity, and if they are interested and motivated to make lifestyle changes, offer and refer them to counseling," task force vice chair Susan Curry, PhD, said. Curry is interim executive vice president and provost of the University of Iowa, where she also serves as a distinguished professor of health management and policy in the College of Public Health. (Medscape) Published July 11, 2017

Kaskie serving as congressional fellow in D.C.

Brian Kaskie, CPH associate professor of health management and policy, has been in Washington, D.C., since November as part of the American Political Science Association’s congressional fellow program. With his expertise in Medicaid, Medicare, and caring for the elderly, he is assigned to the majority staff of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, which is chaired by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. (Press-Citizen) Published July 5, 2017

Iowa research finds few Medicaid members participate in the state’s incentive program

A study by University of Iowa researchers found that only a small number of Iowa Medicaid beneficiaries knew about and took part in a new incentive program designed to waive health insurance premiums for enrollees who complete certain healthy activities. The research team included CPH assistant professors Natoshia Askelson and Brad Wright. Published July 5, 2017

Study looks at why few Iowa Medicaid members participated in incentive program

Iowa's version of the Medicaid expansion sought to lure more people into receiving preventative care by offering to waive monthly premiums. The trouble was, it didn’t work. About 17 percent of the 64,600 people enrolled in the Wellness Plan completed both an annual physical and risk assessment in 2014, the program’s first year, according to UI researchers who published new findings in a recent Health Affairs article. The study authors included Natoshia Askelson, Brad Wright, Suzanne Bentler, Elizabeth T. Momany and Peter Damiano. Published June 30, 2017

Center for Health Policy and Research releases annual report

The Center for Health Policy and Research (CPHR) is the research arm of the Department of Health Management and Policy and is a University-wide interdisciplinary research collaborative. CHPR recently released its 2016 annual report that summarizes research projects, publications, and presentations. Projects include studies focused on rural health policy, health care delivery and use across the lifespan, telehealth, and communities and workforce.  Published June 28, 2017

Bakken to join MCW Pharmacy School faculty

Alumna Brianne Bakken will join the Medical College of Wisconsin Pharmacy School in August 2017 as assistant director of experiential education and assistant professor. Bakken received a PharmD degree from the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy in 2015 and a Master of Health Administration degree from the University of Iowa College of Public Health in 2017. Published June 28, 2017