With Reports From Nurses, Worries Over Worsening Violence
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports how working at hospitals like Albert Einstein Medical Center is more dangerous since the pandemic. Meanwhile, the Star Tribune reports on a deal to remove nurse hospital staffing regulations from legislation in Minnesota, with a new focus on preventing violence.
Philadelphia Inquirer:
Punched, Kicked, Threatened With Rape: Einstein Nurses Raise Alarm About Dangerous Work Environment
Working at hospitals like Albert Einstein Medical Center has gotten more dangerous since the pandemic. Nurses at Einstein have been spat at, threatened with rape, and punched in the face so hard they needed reconstructive surgery, according to OSHA reports, police records, and interviews with nurses. ... Nurses say staff shortages, inadequate security, and lax training and protocols for emergencies make their environment dangerous. (Whelan and Gantz, 5/23)
The Star Tribune:
Final-Hour Deal Removes Nurse Hospital Staffing Regulations From Legislation
Controversial regulations over nurse hospital staffing were removed from legislation Monday that will instead focus on preventing violence against nurses and studying the reasons why they burn out and leave the profession. The result was an extraordinary compromise for a bill that was steamrolling through the Legislature, with backing by DFL leaders and the Minnesota Nurses Association, until Mayo Clinic raised objections. It was the final deal struck this session, and both the House and Senate passed the bill with bipartisan support shortly before they adjourned for the year. (Olson, 5/22)
AP:
Over 150 Doctors On Strike At NYC Hospital That Was Once Called Pandemic Epicenter
About 160 resident physicians went on strike Monday over what they called low pay at New York City’s Elmhurst Hospital Center, a public hospital once known as the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.The doctors-in-training at the Queens hospital, who are employed by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, are the first doctors to go on strike in the city since 1990, according to their labor union, the Committee of Interns and Residents local of the Service Employees International Union. (5/23)
AP:
Lawsuit: New York City Hospital Covered Up Abuse By Star Doctor Convicted Of Rape
A major New York City hospital ignored a star physician’s rampant sexual abuse of patients, turning a blind eye to what he was doing to them behind closed exam-doom doors because his thriving pain practice was generating so much money, according to a lawsuit filed Monday. Officials at Mount Sinai Beth Israel in Manhattan knew Dr. Ricardo Cruciani was a serial abuser but failed to report him to law enforcement or licensing authorities for more than a decade, nor did they warn future employers about the threat he posed, 19 former patients allege in court documents. (Rubinkam, 5/22)
In other health care industry news —
Roll Call:
Medicare Advantage Supplemental Health Plans Draw Scrutiny
Medicare Advantage plans lure customers with television ads promising plans with dental, vision and hearing benefits that traditional Medicare doesn’t offer. But in a series of reports, experts and advocates question the actual value of those benefits to enrollees, who often find they still have to pay significant amounts out of pocket. (Hellmann, 5/22)
Modern Healthcare:
Medicaid Redeterminations Drive Insurance Broker Marketing
Health insurance brokers and independent agents are ramping up marketing as states pare the Medicaid rolls for the first time in two-and-a-half years. These salespeople will play a critical role helping former Medicaid beneficiaries enroll in alternate coverage, such as subsidized plans from the health insurance exchanges. About 3 million of the 15 million people projected to lose Medicaid benefits because they no longer qualify are expected to be eligible for subsidized exchange coverage, according to the Health and Human Services Department. (Tepper, 5/22)
Axios:
End Of The Line For FemTec Health
The women's health startup FemTec Health is out of money and winding down operations, according to public legal documents and social media posts seen by Axios. It's a culmination of troubles plaguing FemTec, once envisioned as the launchpad for a one-stop women's health shop. (Brodwin, 5/23)
Modern Healthcare:
Bright Health Finalizes Reverse Stock Split
Bright Health Group completed a reverse stock split Monday, raising its share price above the minimum required to remain on the New York Stock Exchange. The insurtech, which is on the brink of bankruptcy, consolidated its shares by one-to-80, raising the price to $13.57 at the market open. The board of directors intends to reevaluate executive compensation following the reverse stock split. Shares were trading at 21 cents prior to consolidation. (Tepper, 5/22)
KFF Health News:
He Returned To The US For His Daughter’s Wedding. He Left With A $42,000 Hospital Bill.
Last June, Jay Comfort flew to the United States from his home in Switzerland to attend his only daughter’s wedding. But the week before the ceremony — on a Friday evening — Comfort said he found himself in “excruciating pain.” “I tried to gut it out for three hours because of the insurance situation,” said Comfort, a retired teacher and American citizen who has Swiss insurance. (Tribble, 5/23)
