Research Library

When physicians integrate with hospitals, the cost of health care rises even though there’s no evidence patients get better treatment, the authors write. Journal of General Internal Medicine: https://bit.ly/2lxd4RY

Freestanding emergency departments in Texas’ largest cities have not alleviated emergency room congestion or improved patient wait times in nearby hospitals, but they can reduce wait times in smaller communities, conclude the authors of this study.

Reforms enacted by the Texas Legislature have allowed Texans to choose their own electricity provider since 2002. In this study, the authors analyze monthly residential billing data to assess the impact of competition on retail electricity prices.

The policy and regulatory frameworks for hydraulic fracturing in Texas and Spain are examined to determine the possible trade-offs between water security and energy security. Environmental Science & Policy: https://bit.ly/2NMr9WY.

The connection between Texas H.B. 810, which allows clinics to provide investigational stem cell treatments to certain patients, and a deregulation movement to increase patient access to unproven stem cell treatments is described in this report.

Fellow Gabriel Collins examines seven different methods of valuing groundwater in Texas. Texas Water Journal: http://bit.ly/2GCKW4x.

Disease and poverty fellow Peter J. Hotez examines the rise of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Texas, arguing that the spread of diseases like chikungunya West Nile, Zika and Ebola has not occurred by accident but instead reflects rapidly evolving changes and shifts in a “new” Texas beset by modern and globalizating forces.

The authors examine adherence to treatment guidelines for colon cancer among elderly patients in Texas.

The author determines that in 2016, freestanding emergency departments in Texas were more likely to be in areas that could yield high profits — i.e., areas with significantly higher household incomes — than in areas of high demand.

A growing number of stem cell clinics treat a variety of illnesses and injuries, yet few have conducted the necessary clinical research to ensure safety and efficacy. The authors highlight the importance of collaboration between scientists, regulators, patients and patient advocates in developing effective policies and practices for unproven stem cell-based intervention clinics.