A Stanford Medicine researcher finds that the Affordable Care Act’s insurance subsidies have protected low-income Americans against high medical costs. — By Mandy Erickson The insurance subsidies established under the 2010 Affordable Care Act help protect low-income U.S. residents against high health care costs, a Stanford researcher has found. “Those subsidies did what they were intended to do, which is to make health care costs more affordable,” said Charles Liu, MD…

Sharon Hampton is focusing on patient equity as a nursing leader at Stanford Health Care. Getting to know patients and staff is key, she says. — By Mandy Erickson As a teenager, Sharon Hampton, PhD, a nurse leader at Stanford Health Care, wanted to be a biology teacher. But her mother, who worked at a hospital, said, “No, you’re going to be a nurse.” Hampton’s mother, a Black woman who began her career working in a…

Throughout pandemic, Stanford Medicine’s infection prevention team has risen to the challenges of COVID-19, ensuring the safety of staff and patients. — By Tracie White Sasha Madison, an expert in infection prevention, has fought against the spread of disease in hospitals since 1978. She’s battled the AIDS epidemic and led teams through the H1N1 flu, the SARS epidemic and Ebola outbreak. …

Euan Ashley, professor of medicine and genetics, tells the stories of his patients with rare or mystery diseases through his new book, The Genome Odyssey. — By Hanae Armitage Euan Ashley is a self-proclaimed Sherlock Holmes enthusiast. And given his love for (medical) mysteries, one could go so far as to say that Ashley, MB ChB, DPhil, and Holmes are kindred spirits of sorts. A seeker of truth and acutely aware of fine details easily overlooked…

In response to the pandemic, one determined Stanford Medicine team built on its online expertise to reimagine palliative care learning. — By Jan DeNofrio Last March, when it looked like medical students would not be able to complete an in-person palliative medicine clerkship, one of the clinical rotations offered during the final two years of medical school, Laura Lundi, who coordinates the program, had an idea.

This Voices of COVID story features Ricky Hansra, MD, who has found a way to reassure, empower, and advocate for patients’ families from a distance. — By Daphne Sashin Each day, after Ricky Hansra, MD, visits his patients in intensive care, he settles in for another round of check-ins, which he’s grown accustomed to doing by phone. He reserves a couple of hours to call the family members of each of his 15 or so patients…

A program that trains barbers to coach Black men about their health and wellness helps bridge health equity gaps by tapping into built-in community bonds. — By Tracie White Yusef Wright, who owns and runs a barbershop in downtown Oakland, does a lot more than just cut basketball star Stephen Curry’s hair. …

People who have their first colonoscopy between the age of 45 and 49 halve their risk of subsequent colorectal cancers, a Stanford Medicine study has found. — By Krista Conger “You’re only as old as you feel” isn’t really applicable to routine medical screening, I’m finding (somewhat ruefully). Lately it seems that each birthday comes with a new, ever-more-fun, recommendation from my doctor. Most recently we discussed colonoscopy. Although it’s probably safe to say that they aren’t…

In this Voices of COVID story, Stanford Children’s Health physician Alan Schroeder, MD, talks about his work caring for kids with COVID-19 symptoms. — By Erin Digitale In children, respiratory symptoms of COVID-19 are rare. Since the pandemic began, most of the children hospitalized at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford with the SARS-CoV-2 virus are asymptomatic and being treated for other medical problems.