Malpractice Litigation’s Effect on Electronic Medical Records (EMR) Adoption — Catherine Tucker

MIT Sloan Assoc. Prof. Catherine Tucker

In the last few years there has been a tremendous push by the U.S. government to encourage healthcare providers to transition to electronic medical records (EMR). The 2009 HITECH Act offers incentives of roughly $44,000 per physician to promote EMR adoption. While that has enticed many providers, we are still nowhere near the government’s goal of eradicating paper records in the process of patient care.

In research I conducted with Prof. Amalia Miller of the University of Virginia, we studied EMR adoption by hospitals from 1994-2007 and found that a significant deterrent to EMR adoption is malpractice litigation. Our evidence showed that hospitals located in jurisdictions that facilitate the use of electronic records in malpractice litigation were one-third less likely to adopt EMR.

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Climbing a Wall of Worry — John DeTore

MIT Sloan Sr. Lecturer John DeTore

The U.S. stock market is now at new highs. So why are average Americans continuing to struggle and not feeling this prosperity? What causes this apparent disconnect between market highs and citizen well-being?

As the expression goes, stocks are climbing a wall of worry. And by our estimates, despite economic malaise, the stock market hasn’t peaked, and we’re still on the way up. Here are some reasons why:

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Spender or Saver? The Choice May Not be Yours — Joshua Ackerman

MIT Sloan Asst. Prof. Joshua Ackerman

From Marketwatch

During a recession, why do some people spend money while others save?

Money issues can be grounds for conflict in relationships. One person may be a spender while the other is a saver. Throw in financial stress such as an economic recession and one person’s preference can seem completely irrational to the other.

How can people be so different when it comes to the “right” decisions? Recent research shows that our childhood economic environments have a lot to do with how we make financial decisions and handle financial risk later in life

Read the full post at Marketwatch

Joshua Ackerman is assistant professor of marketing at the MIT Sloan School of Management and co-author of “When the Economy Falters, Do People Spend or Save? Responses to Resource Scarcity Depend on Childhood Environments,” published in the Feb. 8 issue of Psychological Science.

We Are One MIT, One Society, As We Pay Tribute To Officer Sean — Tom Kochan

MIT Sloan Prof. Thomas Kochan

From WBUR, Cognoscenti

“Today, and in the days ahead, we will come together to give new meaning to President Rafael Reif’s call to be ‘One MIT.’ The many comments of students who had gotten to know Officer Sean Collier as a friend, peer, and respected professional are heart-warming and a tribute to him and to our community-of-one culture. By celebrating that as we grieve for Sean, his family, and for MIT we might just demonstrate the spirit of solidarity so badly needed in other parts of our society.” Read More »

Where Should You Launch Your Startup? — Charles Kane

MIT Sloan Sr. Lecturer Charles Kane

From Forbes.com

There is a lot of buzz lately about entrepreneurship hotspots across the country. We hear about successful startups in many places, from Austin, Tex., to Reston, Va. What does this mean for entrepreneurs? If you’re launching a startup, does it really matter where you locate?

Yes, it does matter. If you’re starting out, it’s by far best to be in either Silicon Valley or the Boston area. They remain the hottest centers of entrepreneurship and venture capital, so you’ll be in an inherently supportive ecosystem where entrepreneurship is as natural as drinking water. Read More »