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The conversation Starbucks is now leading – whether by choice or not – is one that is not, and should not, be limited to your friendly neighborhood coffee juggernaut. It’s a conversation that’s been happening quietly for decades, and in recent years has begun to echo in every corner and industry across the country, and medicine is no exception, but new research is showing that despite the skepticism around the effectiveness of training programs, they may actually have the power to teach humility, empathy, and respect.

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The number of insurance denials for life-saving hepatitis C drugs among patients with both private and public insurers remains high across the United States. Private insurers had the highest denial rates, with 52.4 percent of patients denied coverage, while Medicaid denied 34.5 percent of patients and Medicare denied 14.7 percent.

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A combination of the drugs mifepristone and misoprostol can help bring closure to some women and their families suffering from miscarriage, and reduces the need for surgical intervention to complete the painful miscarriage process. Results of a new clinical trial led by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, show that while the standard drug regimen using misoprostol on its own frequently fails to complete the miscarriage, a combination of misoprostol and the drug mifepristone works much more reliably.

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Hospitals that receive bundled payments for joint replacements either voluntarily or through Medicare’s mandatory programs, vary by size and volume, but not in spending or quality, signaling a need for both programs, according to a new study from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The authors say the results show that voluntary programs tend to engage larger non-profit hospitals, whereas some hospitals with lower volumes and fewer resources might only participate under a mandatory program. The results are published this week in the June issue of the journal Health Affairs.

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About 25 percent of Americans experience acute insomnia each year, but about 75 percent of these individuals recover without developing persistent poor sleep or chronic insomnia, according to a study from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania which will be presented Monday at SLEEP 2018, the 32nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC (APSS).

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Penn Medicine researchers are calling for greater precision in Medicare performance reporting for patients with gastrointestinal bleeding following an evaluation of patients with the condition.

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n a finding that suggests the potential for practice change that would reduce the use of antibiotics in dermatology, researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have found the diuretic drug spironolactone may be just as effective as antibiotics for the treatment of women’s acne.

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Penn study reveals that microRNAs predict differences in cognitive impairment in memory and attention after sleep deprivation

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Penn study finds value in collecting patients’ sexual orientation and gender identity, but cautions medical providers from drawing conclusions based on that information alone

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A new approach pioneered at the University of Pennsylvania’s Abramson Cancer Center may provide a new path towards treating Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) with CAR T cells.

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Rates of inherited mutations in genes other than BRCA1/2 are twice as high in breast cancer patients who have had a second primary cancer – including, in some cases, different types of breast cancer – compared to patients who have only had a single breast cancer.

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Where does a cardiologist go when she has an idea to improve a common medical device? She knows that a pacemaker with a longer lifespan and lighter weight could help improve her patients’ quality of life, but how does she make her idea into a reality? That’s where the Penn Center for Health, Devices, and Technology (Penn Health-Tech) comes in.

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Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s Abramson Cancer Center say a patient treated for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in 2013 went into remission because of a single CAR T cell and the cells it produced as it multiplied, and has stayed cancer free in the five years since, with CAR T cells still present in his immune system.

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Genetic counseling for cancer patients has become standard of care at academic medical centers, but patients cared for at community-based medical practices across the United States may not have access to these resources. Video and phone sessions can close that gap and bring genetic counseling to patients who would not otherwise have the chance to receive it.

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Early-life seizures prematurely switch on key synapses in the brain that may contribute to further neurodevelopmental delay in children with autism and other intellectual disabilities, suggests a new study from researchers at Penn Medicine.

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A radiotherapy drug that treats the rare neuroendocrine cancers pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma can be both effective and safe for patients, according to the findings of a multi-center trial led by researchers in the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania.

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Writing in a new Perspective published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers from Penn Medicine’s Center for Health Care Innovation argue that Electronic Health Records should be restructured from mere digital remakes of their old pen and paper ancestors into platforms that allow doctors to “subscribe” to their patients’ clinical information to receive real-time updates when an action is required, similar to social media feeds and notifications.

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Free smoking cessation aids, such as nicotine patches and chewing gum, are a staple of many corporate wellness programs aimed at encouraging employees to kick the habit. But, new research shows that merely offering such aids for free does not help employees quit, whereas supplementing them with financial incentives is three times more effective. The study also provides the first large-scale evidence that offering e-cigarettes to known smokers is not effective at helping smokers stay smoke-free.

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Penn Medicine researchers found a statistically significant relationship between teen and young adult alcohol related social media engagement and both alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems.

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A new discovery about how the immune system responds to common sinus infections and asthma could explain why patients develop these issues in the first place and ultimately may lead to improved targeted therapies.

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Medical students seldom learn much about the real-life problems (hunger, joblessness, addiction) their patients face outside the clinic walls. Yet, these problems are at the root of poor health in many low-income communities. A new article published today in the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved describes a new approach to educating medical students about the real world. The course, developed by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, apprentices medical students to community health workers (CHWs) in inner city Philadelphia. CHWs are trusted laypeople who come from the local community, hired and trained by healthcare organizations to support high-risk patients.

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Dogs born June through August are at higher risk of heart disease than those born other months, rising in July to 74 percent higher risk, according to a study published this week in Scientific Reports from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. A correlation to outdoor air pollution may be the culprit.

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In January, Philadelphia magazine’s Be Well Philly blog rolled out the “Sweat Diaries,” what they’ve described as a “look at the time, energy, and money people invest in pursuit of a healthy lifestyle in Philly.” So far I’ve read about a woman training for an Ironman while following a vegan diet, a gym marketer who practices physical and mental health, and a full-time Barre, Yoga, and Pilates instructor who’s career is built on staying fit. While the “Sweat Diaries” seem to shine the spotlight on those who work in the fitness and nutrition fields—presumably because folks (myself included) want to know what it takes to look and feel fit ever day—I was left wondering what the more “average” person might have to say about their food intake and fitness, particularly here in Philadelphia.

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An antibody used to treat the skin disease psoriasis and other chronic autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease has no effect on aortic inflammation – a key marker of future risk of major cardiovascular events – unlike other antibodies that target different aspects of the immune system.

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Cancer, like so many other overwhelming or life-altering situations, can really stick with a person. For many, the end of treatment is met with a flood of emotions that can make it difficult to get back to normal life. Learning how to recognize and live with a cancer diagnosis is a struggle that can last for years even after being given a clean bill of health. For Penn patient Catherine Hagele, the end of treatment was simply the end of one chapter in her journey, and the beginning of another.

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A targeted therapy that has shown its power in fighting ovarian cancer in women including those with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations may also help patients with aggressive pancreatic cancer who harbor these mutations and have few or no other treatment options. An international team of researchers led by the Perelman School of Medicine and the Basser Center for BRCA at the University of Pennsylvania reported their findings this week in JCO Precision Oncology.

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Given the complex and rapidly evolving health care system in the United States, medical schools must focus their efforts on training more physician leaders to master the diverse skills needed to navigate emerging challenges in the field, urge leaders from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in a new Perspective piece published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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The battle between the human immune system and long-term, persisting infections and other chronic diseases such as cancer results in a prolonged stalemate. Over time battle-weary T cells become exhausted, giving germs or tumors an edge. Using data from multiple molecular databases, researchers have found nine distinct types of exhausted T cells, which could have implications for fighting chronic infections, autoimmunity, and cancer.

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By integrating data on the function of essential metabolic enzymes with genetic, protein, and metabolic abnormalities associated with “clear cell” renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), researchers have determined that enzymes important in multiple pathways are universally depleted in ccRCC tumors.

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Different Parkinson’s-related brain disorders are characterized by misfolded proteins embedded in cells. Researchers found that the type of brain cell afflicted dictates which pathological form of α-synuclein protein becomes the disease culprit.

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When the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced controversial policies inviting states to establish work requirements as a condition to receive Medicaid, many in the medical community opposed it. If these measures continue to be approved – as is the case in Kentucky, Indiana, and Arkansas – CMS should act to minimize the potential harms they could cause to Medicaid recipients, two Penn Medicine experts in law and ethics argue in a new JAMA Viewpoint published this week, that lays out basic safeguards to help guide the states. “Promoting health, after all,” the authors note, “is the goal of Medicaid.”

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The Melanoma Research Foundation is honoring two Penn clinicians for their tireless work in caring for patients.

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James Eberwine, PhD, the Elmer Holmes Bobst Professor of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics is part of an international team of researchers, who will receive $1.25M over the next three years to better understand oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos), a biological system that plays a key role in the production of energy, generation of free radicals, and cell death.

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PHILADELPHIA — Penn Medicine has been named #6 on  magazine’s annual “Best Employers in America” list ranking large employers across the nation, up from #7 in 2017. Other organizations listed in the top ten include Google, Trader Joe’s, and the Michelin Group, placing Penn Medicine among some of the most prominent companies in the nation – and first both in Pennsylvania and among all health care employers.

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After eight years of failed treatment for persistent atrial fibrillation (AF), Janet Szilagyi, 78 of Clayton, New Jersey, became the first patient in the United States to undergo cardiac ablation – a procedure in which an electrophysiologist will scar or destroy tissue in the heart that’s allowing incorrect electrical signals to cause an abnormal heart rhythm – using an intraoperative imaging and mapping system recently cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

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Penn Medicine performed the first robot-assisted spinal surgery in a three-part, two-day procedure. The robotic arms made it possible for the multidisciplinary team at Penn to successfully remove a rare tumor from the patient's neck, where the skull meets the spine.

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded approval for a personalized cellular therapy developed at the University of Pennsylvania’s Abramson Cancer Center, this time for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory large B-Cell lymphoma after two or more lines of systemic therapy. Today’s approval includes treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) – the most common form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma – as well as high grade B-cell lymphoma and DLBCL arising from follicular lymphoma.

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Penn Medicine researchers may have found the reason why some patients with advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) don’t respond to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, and the answer is tied to how primed patients’ immune systems are before the therapy is administered.

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PHILADELPHIA – Susan Brozena, MD, FACC, FAHA, an emeritus associate professor of Cardiovascular Medicine in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, received the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Heart Association. This award celebrates a professional who has had a pioneering career and has made an exceptional impact on their patients, the Philadelphia community and the field of cardiology.

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Patients who’ve suffered from traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) have changes in tiny blood vessels in their brains that researchers believe are linked to a range of cognitive symptoms, according to new findings presented at the 2018 AAN Annual Meeting. The findings may help doctors pinpoint specific types of TBIs and tailor personalized therapies.

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PHILADELPHIA – Two biostatisticians from the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics and professors of Biostatistics in Biostatistics and Epidemiology Mingyao Li, PhD, and Sharon Xie, PhD, have been elected fellows of the American Statistical Association, the largest professional organization for statisticians in the United States.

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This award will support Casey Greene's work on the Human Cell Atlas, a global effort to map every type of cell in the human body as a resource for investigating health and disease.

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Penn Medicine researchers have used CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology to isolate a key genetic feature that could cause resistance to PARP inhibitors in patients with ovarian cancer – and they’ve also proven they have a way to see that feature using PET imaging.

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In March 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved ocrelizumab as the first treatment for both relapsing (RMS) and progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), a genetic disease that afflicts approximately 400,000 Americans with an estimated 10,000 new cases every year. This week at the 2018 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, Penn Medicine neurologist Amit Bar-Or, MD, FRCPC, chief of the Multiple Sclerosis division and director for the Center for Neuroinflammation and Experimental Therapeutics, presented findings from two studies that look more deeply into the impact of ocrelizumab in these patients.

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How can dietary changes shape a person’s gut bacteria, and then how do those bacteria shape health and diseases, like obesity, diabetes, and susceptibility to infection diseases?

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Unnecessary emergency department visits and hospitalizations are debilitating for patients with cancer and far too common – and costly – for the United States health care system. To reverse the trend, researchers at the Abramson Cancer Center, the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, and the Wharton School, all at the University of Pennsylvania, have identified the five best practices to reduce unnecessary emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations.

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Teens who admit to texting while driving may be convinced to reduce risky cellphone use behind the wheel when presented with financial incentives such as auto-insurance apps that monitor driving behavior, according to a new survey conducted by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). However, while more than 90 percent of teens surveyed said they were willing to give up sending or reading text messages, almost half indicated that they would want to retain some control over phone functions such as music and navigation.

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TIME named University of Pennsylvania cancer and HIV gene therapy pioneer Carl June, MD, to the 2018 TIME 100, its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

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There’s increasing physiological evidence connecting breathing patterns with the brain regions that control mood and emotion. Now researchers have added neurons associated with the olfactory system to the connection between behavior and breathing. Connecting patterns in these interactions may help explain why practices such as meditation and yoga that rely on rhythmic breathing can help people overcome anxiety-based illnesses.

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A host of nuclear RNA-binding proteins, when misplaced outside the nucleus, form the harmful clumps seen in several brain disorders, including FTD and ALS. Clumps that form from these disease proteins are composed of sticky fibrils that damage nerve cells.