CHTI Blog

Distilling the Penn Medicine Nudge Unit’s deep experience implementing behavioral science–informed solutions, the newly released Nudges in Health Care Toolkit is an accessible guide to design, build, and scale nudges. Learn how to develop evidence-based nudges—changes in the way information is presented, or choices are framed, to prompt, guide, or motivate good decision-making—to create impact across entire health care systems.

Kathleen Lee, MD, associate chief transformation officer and associate vice president at the University of Pennsylvania Health System, was recognized by City & State PA for her leadership in health care, driving new care models and platforms that improve outcomes for patients, health care workers, and the health system.

Read Way to Health updates including recently launched programs, new features and enhancements, and bug fixes.

A Penn Medicine Nudge Unit initiative increased naltrexone prescribing for patients with alcohol-related conditions – from 0.2 percent up to 3 percent – in emergency departments (EDs), helping more patients access evidence-based treatment before leaving the hospital. The intervention uses behavioral science and EHR-based nudges to make it easier for clinicians to identify eligible patients, prescribe medication, and connect them with additional support. The work has drawn national attention, including coverage in STAT News, as a promising approach to addressing the growing impact of alcohol misuse.

A CHTI-led trial found that automated phone calls help reduce the no-show rate among patients most likely to miss their appointments. When these patients received calls that let them easily confirm, cancel, or reschedule, the no-show rate dropped by 1.7 percentage points. The approach proved effective over time and has since been expanded across the health system using a scalable communication platform.