988 Pilot Program For LGBTQ+ Mental Health Support Expands To 24/7

USA Today: Mental Health Number 988 Expands Text, Chat For LGBTQ Patients To 24/7
A government-backed 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline's LGBTQ pilot program is now offering text and online chat services 24/7. The 988 lifeline, (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline), is a suicide prevention network of more than 200 crisis centers across the U.S. that provides round the clock service available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. (Neysa Alund, 3/8)

In other health care industry developments —

The Boston Globe: BMC’s Head Of Spine Surgery Identified As Recipient Of Alleged Kickbacks
Six weeks ago, Johnson & Johnson agreed to pay $9.75 million to the federal and state governments to settle allegations that it illegally gave a Massachusetts surgeon free medical devices for operations he performed on patients overseas to encourage him to use more of its products at his own hospital. (Saltzman, 3/8)

Philadelphia Inquirer: Medical Malpractice Lawsuits Rise In Philadelphia After Pennsylvania Supreme Court Rule Change
Late last year, the family of a 9-year-old boy who fractured his jaw at a Nemours Children’s Hospital clinic in Montgomery County was ready to sue for negligent care. Their lawyer waited a few weeks, hoping to maximize their chances of a successful verdict when a change in state rules allowed them to try their case in a Philadelphia courtroom, instead of the county where the injury occurred. (Laughlin and Gutman, 3/8)

AP: Atlanta Hospital Closure Inquiry Sought By Georgia Democrats 
Democratic Georgia lawmakers, local officials and the NAACP are asking federal officials to investigate a health care system that closed hospitals in downtown Atlanta and a southern suburb, claiming Wellstar Health System has illegally discriminated against Black people and violated its tax-exempt status. State Sen. Nan Orrock, an Atlanta Democrat, said Wednesday that she and others filed complaints Tuesday with the IRS and the Office of Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (Amy, 3/8)

Also —

Side Effects Public Media: Family Members Of ICU Patients Could Benefit From More Intentional Chaplain Support
Family members in charge of making decisions when a loved one is in the intensive care unit — known as surrogate decision-makers — often face mental health issues like depression, anxiety or even post traumatic stress. A new study led by the Regenstrief Institute in Indianapolis shows that chaplain support can improve their mental health. (Benson, 3/7)

Modern Healthcare: Healthcare Unions Lead Contract Enforcement To Ensure Compliance
At Mission Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina, nurses won their first contract in July 2021, with language guaranteeing sufficient staffing in each unit based on the number of patients, additional pay for nurses working overtime and extra shifts, and adequate personal protective equipment meeting federal, state and local guidelines. The contract also states nurses can’t be floated to units where they haven't been trained. (Devereaux, 3/8)