Deirdre Fernandes
The Boston Globe
Boston, MA, United States
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Past articles by Deirdre:
Growing scrutiny of a quality standard that may influence end-of-life decisions for heart surgery patients
A widely-tracked statistic used to assess a cardiac surgeon’s skills — if their patients die within 30 days — is viewed by some clinicians as creating perverse incentives for doctors to prolong artificial life support and delay comfort measures. → Read More
Catholic Medical Center trustees hire a firm to investigate its operations after Globe Spotlight investigation
Facing criticism from patient families, their own medical staff, and state legislators in the wake of the stories about Dr. Yvon Baribeau, CMC’s trustees announced on Thursday that Horty, Springer & Mattern would conduct an “independent, external review.” → Read More
Brother of patient who died at New Hampshire hospital slams state regulators
After a Globe investigation into a celebrated surgeon’s track record of malpractice settlements and lawsuits, the state created a legislative subcommittee to investigate the Board of Medicine. → Read More
New Hampshire keeps patients in the dark about their doctors’ malpractice, disciplinary records
Patients and families in New Hampshire have no reliable way to learn crucial information about a doctor because the state’s medical board is one of the least transparent in the nation. → Read More
N.H. hospital promises review after revelations about doctor with 21 malpractice settlements
State legislators are also calling for an independent investigation. → Read More
Future of affirmative action in higher education in limbo as Supreme Court agrees to hear Harvard case
The Supreme Court’s new conservative majority could mean that for the first time, the plaintiffs will find sympathy on the bench. → Read More
How Brigham Health helped create a Chinese hospital for elites — and almost nobody came
“Unfortunately, the Evergrande hospital was not a business success for its owners,” said Brandon Eldredge, the chief new clinical business officer for parent company Mass General Brigham, in a striking understatement. → Read More
Supreme Court asks Biden administration for views on Harvard affirmative action case
The Supreme Court on Monday asked the US acting solicitor general to file a brief in the case involving Harvard University’s use of race in college admissions. → Read More
Harvard urges Supreme Court to sit out affirmative action case
Four justices must agree before the case is taken up by the full court. → Read More
Growing calls for BC president Leahy to step down after allegations of sexual assault surface about former priest
Boston College’s president, the Rev. William P. Leahy, is facing growing criticism that he mishandled student complaints about inappropriate behavior by a priest in the late 1990s who has recently been accused of sexual assault. → Read More
Colleges are starting to require student vaccinations
But while vaccine mandates could ease students’ and parents’ worries about returning to campus and appeal to those eager for a semblance of normalcy, they also could prompt legal challenges and risk alienating students and families who object to the mandates. → Read More
The pandemic has upended college admissions with more surprises and more wait lists
Many selective colleges have admitted a more racially and economically diverse first-year class. But they have also rejected more students than ever before. → Read More
With more applications than ever, Harvard admits slightly a more diverse class
After a record number of applications forced Harvard University to delay admissions decisions, the college on Tuesday announced that it had admitted 1,968 first year students to its class of 2025. → Read More
Community colleges will receive a lifeline in new stimulus package
Across Massachusetts, community colleges are hoping the latest and largest infusion of aid — the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan recently signed by President Biden — will serve as incentive to keep students in school and bring back many of those who have walked away from their degree programs. → Read More
The state board of higher education is pushing community colleges to offer more in-person classes this fall
The Massachusetts Board of Higher Education is pushing the state’s 15 community colleges to plan for significantly more in-person and on-campus classes this fall to curb plunging enrollments among Black and Latino students and reengage younger learners who may be turned off by virtual classes. → Read More
Harvard is studying its ties to slavery, but is that enough?
Harvard University owns some stark images of an enslaved father and his daughter, a victory that the college says will allow it to find an appropriate home for the controversial daguerreotypes and ensure that they are more accessible to the public. But the case is far from resolved. Calls from students and scholars for Harvard to make restitution for its ties to slavery and the financial and… → Read More
Harvard could receive $25 million from recent stimulus plan
Harvard University could receive more than $25 million from the recent COVID economic relief plan passed by Congress and hasn’t decided yet whether to accept the money. → Read More
UMass expected to freeze tuition for the second year in a row
UMass President Martin Meehan will recommend a freeze on in-state tuition rates for a second year in a row, a nod to the continuing financial strains that many of the system's students face in the pandemic. → Read More
Becker College’s financial woes could make it the next school to close
The 1,500-student college has been struggling for several years, but the pandemic has deepened its financial woes, like many tuition-dependent schools with small endowments and shrinking enrollments. → Read More
Nobel Prize winners and other scientists come to defense of Harvard professor Charles Lieber
Dozens of scientists are publicly questioning the federal government’s prosecution of Lieber, suggesting that US scientists are becoming increasingly vocal in opposing the government’s crackdown on academics with financial and research ties to China. → Read More