Investigators at Mass General Brigham have developed a tool that can identify older adults at increased risk of emergency healthcare needs, rehospitalization or death. The tool measured patient frailty, an aging-related syndrome, by integrating the health records of more than 500,000 individuals collected across multiple hospitals at Mass General Brigham.

The combination of prescribed central nervous system stimulants, such as drugs that relieve ADHD symptoms, with prescribed opioid medications is associated with a pattern of escalating opioid intake, a new study has found.

Seeking mental health help is a significant step, but that first intake session can often feel more like paperwork than progress, and a significant proportion of people “drop out” or never return for a second visit, previous research has shown. 

In a new, first-of-its-kind review, Northwestern University investigators confirmed that single-session interventions (SSIs) can significantly improve mental health outcomes in both youth and adults. Common in other countries but not the U.S., an SSI is a structured program intentionally designed to provide meaningful support, guidance or treatment in just one meeting, recognizing that many patients may not return for a follow-up appointment.