Organization:The Lown Institute

The Lown Institute, formerly the Lown Cardiovascular Research Foundation, is a non-profit organization founded by Dr. Bernard Lown. The organization was renamed The Lown Institute in 2012 to reflect a shift from primarily cardiovascular research toward a broader focus on medical overuse and underuse.

The Lown Institute addresses the growing crisis in healthcare in the USA, marked by overtreatment, undertreatment, and mistreatment through research, clinical programs, and convenings. The Institute holds an annual conference, where the newest research on overuse and underuse is presented, and where like-minded clinicians and patient advocates can share ideas. The Institute also sponsors clinical programs to address overuse such as the Right Care Educators program, Right Care Rounds, and the Right Care Vignette Competition. The Lown Institute is currently conducting research on risk adjustment methods for evaluating patient outcomes.

Among participants in the leadership of the Lown Institute are Nassib Chamoun, Dr. Vikas Saini, Shannon Brownlee, Dr. Thomas Graboys, Professor Joseph Brain, Elizabeth Gilbertson, James Joslin, Dr. Aretha Davis, Dr. David Bor, Dr. Michael Fine, Breck Eagle, and others.

The Right Care Alliance (RCA) is the sister organization of the Lown Institute and the advocacy wing. The Right Care Alliance brings together clinicians, patients, and community members into a grassroots movement advocating for a universally accessible, affordable, safe, and effective health care system. The RCA is organized into specialty councils and regional chapters that organize on topics specific to their specialty or region. The RCA holds a week of action every year, in which members organize activities that demonstrate compassionate, patient-centered care, such as engaging the broader community in listening and storytelling.

The Steering Committee of the RCA is chaired by Vikas Saini and Shannon Brownlee, and members include Poppy Arford, Dr. Maia Dorsett, Casey Wilson, Dr. Selwyn Rogers, Dr. Jonathan Jimenez, Jane Muir, Theresa Ojala, Stuart Fisk, Marlene Beggelman, Kim DiGioia, and Dr. Surafel Tsega.