Past Contributions

• KHN: Medicare Cataract Patients Undergo Unnecessary Tests

  By Christine Ayala May 11, 2015

  More than half of Medicare patients undergoing cataract surgery do some form of preoperative test, which experts call unnecessary, according to a recent study. Full Story 

• The Q&A: Scott Walters

  By Christine Ayala May 11, 2015

  In this week's Q&A, we interview Scott Walters, a professor of behavioral and community health at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. Full Story 

• Competitive DFW Market Fosters Growth in Health Systems

  By Christine Ayala May 11, 2015

  Despite constant change and last year's Ebola crisis, not-for-profit health care systems in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are thriving financially in one of the most competitive markets in the country. Full Story 

• IBM Partners With Genetics Experts for Cancer Research

  By Christine Ayala May 11, 2015

  Fourteen U.S. cancer centers are partnering with IBM’s Watson artificial intelligence system to try to speed up the process of formulating treatment options for cancer patients based on volumes of data. Full Story 

• Unnecessary Care Hurts Patients and Wallets

  By Christine Ayala May 11, 2015

  Six years after he explored the high cost of medical care in McAllen in “The Cost Conundrum,” The New Yorker's Atul Gawande returns and finds improvement has been made in cutting Medicare costs in the city. Full Story 

• U.S. Teacher of the Year Got "Master Class in Culture" From Refugees

  By Christine Ayala May 8, 2015

  Texan Shanna Peeples, the 2015 National Teacher of the Year, is an English teacher at Palo Duro High School in Amarillo, which has seen an influx of refugees from countries like Myanmar in recent years. Full Story 

• The Bookshelf: May 6, 2015

  By Christine Ayala May 5, 2015

  In this week's Bookshelf, our content partner Kirkus Reviews highlights The Next Wave. Full Story 

• The Q&A: Antonietta Quigg

  By Christine Ayala May 5, 2015

  In this week's Q&A, we interview Antonietta Quigg, an oceanography professor and associate vice president for research and graduate studies at Texas A&M University at Galveston. Full Story 

• A Seal of Recognition for Bilingual Students

  By Christine Ayala April 29, 2015

  Nine states, including Texas, currently offer a “seal of biliteracy” on high school diplomas for graduates who have demonstrated proficiency in a second language. But experts wonder whether the trend is necessary. Full Story 

• After Baltimore Violence, Obama Stresses Education Programs

  By Christine Ayala April 29, 2015

  After protracted conflicts in the city of Baltimore, President Obama pointed to education programs — particularly those that target children of high-poverty, urban families — as helpful to struggling communities. Full Story