Testing Sewage Can Provide an Early Warning of COVID-19 Outbreaks

Edward H. Kaplan Jordan Peccia

October 28, 2020

Earlier this year, a team of Yale researchers showed that the concentration of COVID-19 RNA in sewage mirrors the spread of the disease through a population. In a new study, they find that testing sewage can serve as an early indicator of an outbreak relative to hospitalizations.

A transmission electron micrograph of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles. Courtesy of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Coronavirus Update: How Far Has the Virus Spread and What’s Next?

Howard P. Forman
March 08, 2020
Increased testing capacity is key to unlocking greater understanding of COVID-19 and learning how to slow its spread, according to Professor Howard Forman.
Is the U.S. Healthcare System Ready for Coronavirus?

Howard P. Forman
March 01, 2020
We asked Yale’s Howard P. Forman, a practicing radiologist and expert in healthcare management, what’s likely to happen with coronavirus in coming days and whether the U.S. healthcare system is prepared.
New Outbreaks of Coronavirus Can Be Halted with Isolation Measures, According to Study

Edward H. Kaplan
February 20, 2020

Yale SOM’s Edward Kaplan used early reports out of Wuhan to evaluate the likely effectiveness of common tactics, such as isolation of patients and quarantine, in keeping the disease from spreading in new regions.
Study: Pharmaceutical Ads Drive Prescriptions—And Save Us All Money

Michael Sinkinson
February 17, 2020
Yale SOM’s Michael Sinkinson found that fewer people get life-savings statins during primary season, when pharmaceutical ads are displaced by political ads.
Are Electronic Health Records Useful Yet?
February 05, 2020

The story of EHRs serves as a prelude to what we’re experiencing today in almost every facet of our lives: a utopian promise of ubiquitous data tempered by technical challenges and concerns over privacy.
Surprise Billing for Out-of-Network Physicians Costs Billions

Zack Cooper Fiona M. Scott Morton
January 31, 2020
After patients are treated at in-network hospitals, they often receive large, unexpected bills from out-of-network doctors. A new study finds that out-of-network charges from anesthesiologists, pathologists, radiologists, and assistant surgeons increase spending by $40 billion annually.
Under Competitive Pressure, Nursing Homes Appear to Game Rating System

Amandine Ody-Brasier
November 12, 2019
Research co-authored by Yale SOM’s Amandine Ody-Brasier suggests that ratings based on self-reporting may be unreliable, and offers a solution: hide the thresholds for jumping to higher ratings.
A Decision Analysis Approach Points to Better Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer

Arthur J. Swersey
September 16, 2019
A new study led by Yale SOM’s Arthur J. Swersey, using decision analysis techniques, finds that increasing the number of biopsy needles and using probability modeling to analyze the results can help prevent unnecessary treatment while identifying dangerous cancers.
Three Questions: Prof. Vahideh Manshadi on Improving Kidney Donation

Vahideh Manshadi
July 18, 2019
This month, the Trump administration announced a series of steps to overhaul the kidney transplant system. We asked operations expert Vahideh Manshadi if the changes could make a difference for patients.
Kidney Exchange Registries Should Collaborate to Save More Lives

Vahideh Manshadi
May 14, 2019
Yale SOM’s Vahideh Manshadi and her co-authors examined the methodology of kidney exchange registries, and found that registries can find more matches if they collaborate to build a unified database.