Kara Gavin
Research and Policy Media Relations Manager
Gavin draws on more than 25 years of experience in communicating about science, medicine and health policy. She focuses mainly on the health services research done by members of the U-M Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, who work to understand and improve the safety, quality, equity and affordability of health care. As part of the Michigan Medicine communication team, she has lead responsibility for primary care and mental health topics. Contact: [email protected]; Twitter: @Karag
News Release
Michigan physicians save Medicare nearly $54 million, while improving care for Michiganders
Thanks to teamwork among a group of Michigan physician organizations, approximately 40,000 Medicare participants across the state received better care in 2019, even though their care cost tens of millions of dollars less than predicted, according to new data just released by the federal government.
Health Lab
Loneliness Doubled for Older Adults in First Months of COVID-19
Loneliness and social isolation increased among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, but connections with neighbors and healthy habits helped.
News Release
Research on aging expands at U-M with $15M in new grants
New grants totaling more than $15 million will amplify the University of Michigan’s ability to conduct research on aging and to help identify and address issues facing older adults today and into the future.
Health Lab
The Power of Caring: Forming a Circle of Support Around Suicidal Teens
In a TEDMED 2020 talk, a teen suicide expert describes findings about the important role adults have in supporting young adults at risk.
News Release
Fueled by $10 million in gifts, U-M Precision Health and bipolar disorder research team will work to improve care
Nearly 6 million Americans have bipolar disorder, a complex mental health condition that can send them on a roller coaster of manic highs and depressed lows. Finding a treatment that steadies their mood, even with the help of an experienced treatment team, can take time and a little bit of luck.
News Release
Food for health: Michigan Medicine hosts new community-wide food drive to help neighbors in need
Last spring, when Michigan Medicine needed help gathering protective gear for its front-line staff during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, the community stepped up, bringing millions of masks, gloves and other items to a drive-up donation site. This helped keep staff safe at the University of Michigan’s hospitals and clinics when normal supply chains were disrupted.
News Release
Beyond the Hill: How U-M medical care and education spread across Michigan
For 100 years after the dawn of medical care at the University of Michigan, patients who wanted to have their ailments treated by the university’s illustrious physicians had to come to downtown Ann Arbor.
Health Lab
Pandemic Hitting You in the Wallet? How to Find Health Coverage or Low-Cost Medical Help
Lost jobs and wages due to COVID-19 mean a lack of health insurance and access to healthcare for many, but lower-cost options are available if you look.
Health Lab
Which OCD Treatment Works Best? New Brain Study Could Lead to More Personalized Choices
For people with OCD, or obsessive compulsive disorder, a new brain imaging study may help personalize treatment including exposure therapy.
Health Lab
Too Many COVID-19 Patients Get Unneeded “Just in Case” Antibiotics
A new study shows the need for faster in-hospital testing for coronavirus (COVID-19) and other bacterial infections, which could reduce overuse of antibiotics.
Health Lab
Mail Delays May Affect Medication Supply for Nearly 1 in 4 Americans Over 50
Data from National Poll on Healthy Aging show reliance on delivery of medications, often because of insurance requirements.
Health Lab
Primary Care at a Crossroads: Experts Call for Change
Even before COVID-19 struck, general practitioners faced unsustainable demands; the pandemic offers a chance to change.
Health Lab
These Drugs Carry Risks and May Not Help, But Many Dementia Patients Get Them Anyway
From opioids and antipsychotics to antidepressants and anxiety medicines, study looks at prescriptions among community-dwelling older adults with dementia.
Health Lab
Telehealth Visits Skyrocket for Older Adults, but Concerns and Barriers Remain
Telehealth visits by older adults increased dramatically during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet some adults still have concerns about telemedicine and some face barriers.
Health Lab
Many Medical “Rainy Day” Accounts Aren’t Getting Opened or Filled, Study Finds
People with high-deductible health plans aren’t using health savings account option as intended.
