New federal projections showing opioid deaths across Oregon are in decline for the second year in a row. Todd Korthuis M.D., says, “We shouldn’t rest and assume that the risk has passed, because people are still dying, and they’re dying at rates that are higher than we experienced 10 years ago. This is progress, but we’re not out of the woods.”

Emergency Medicine News shares insight on how emergency departments can prepare for measles exposures, identify and isolate cases quickly, and communicate transparently about vaccination. Beech Burns, M.D., says, “The problem is going to get worse. Good protocols — that your staff is well educated on — will be essential to containing outbreaks of the virus and keeping the folks in your department safe.”

In a Precision Medicine Online story about a clinical trial in the U.K. that failed to show a reduction in late-stage cancers with Grail’s Galleri multi-cancer early detection test, Nima Nabavizadeh, M.D., says he remains optimistic about the potential for early detection tests: “Although [the NHS-Galleri result] is a blow to the field, by no means is it closing the door on these tests.”

OHSU study finds private equity ownership of behavioral health facilities leads to higher prices and more cost cutting. Jane Zhu, M.D., says, “While some PE [private equity] strategies may enhance efficiency, others may change the delivery of care or constrain access, which may be particularly concerning in behavioral health, where treatment supply is limited, quality varies widely and patients are highly vulnerable.”

OHSU study finds private equity ownership of behavioral health facilities leads to higher prices and more cost cutting. Jane Zhu, M.D., says, “While some PE [private equity] strategies may enhance efficiency, others may change the delivery of care or constrain access, which may be particularly concerning in behavioral health, where treatment supply is limited, quality varies widely and patients are highly vulnerable.”

Local media report on the rise of measles cases and public exposure announcements in Oregon, and offer insight from OHSU experts on infection risk and prevention measures.

KGW-TV highlights a new surgical procedure for melanoma being tested at OHSU that uses heat.

The Lund Report covers new federal projections showing opioid deaths across Oregon are in decline for the second year in a row. Todd Korthuis M.D., says, “We shouldn’t rest and assume that the risk has passed, because people are still dying, and they’re dying at rates that are higher than we experienced 10 years ago. This is progress, but we’re not out of the woods.”

Local media report on the rise of measles cases and public exposure announcements in Oregon, and offer insight from OHSU experts on infection risk and prevention measures.

Oregon Public Broadcasting spotlights a documentary by Kent Thornburg, Ph.D., that describes his body of research on how early life environment before and during pregnancy can affect the lifetime risks of chronic diseases.