Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
California Rebuffs 'Hero Pay' For Health Care Workers
Los Angeles Times: Healthcare Worker Bonuses Fizzle In California Legislature
California Assembly members declined Thursday to vote on a bill that would have awarded “hero pay” to healthcare workers who helped steer the state through the pandemic, effectively killing the $7-billion effort for the year. Assembly Bill 650 by Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi (D-Rolling Hills Estates) would have required hospitals, clinics and skilled nursing facilities to pay medical professionals $10,000, with smaller bonuses for those who work part time. (Gutierrez, 6/3)
USA Today: Covid-19 Vaccines Refused By A Surprising Number Of Hospital Workers
USA TODAY surveyed some of the largest hospital networks and public hospitals in the country. At the nine networks that responded, fully vaccinated rates ranged from 53% to 72%. Rates among 15 of the nation’s largest public hospitals ranged from 51% to 91%. The survey encompassed 276 hospitals, or about 4.5% of the nation’s hospitals. Most fell below President Joe Biden’s goal of 70% by July 4. Staff included ranged from workers with medical training, such as doctors and nurses, to those in support roles, such as cafeteria workers. (Heath, 6/3)
In other health care industry news —
CIDRAP: Dental Workers Found To Be At Increased COVID-19 Risk
UK dental professionals were at heightened occupational risk for COVID-19 infection early in the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an observational study yesterday in the Journal of Dental Research. A team led by University of Birmingham researchers obtained blood samples from 1,507 dentists, dental nurses, and dental hygienists in the Birmingham, England, region in June 2020. They found that 16.3% of participants had SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, compared with an estimated 6% to 7% of the general population. Dental receptionists who don't have direct patient contact, however, were no more likely than community members to have coronavirus antibodies, at 6.3%. (Van Beusekom, 6/3)
NPR: With Roots In Civil Rights Era, Community Health Clinics Fight Pandemic
In the 1960s, health care for Black residents in rural Mississippi was meager. Most health systems were segregated. Although some hospitals did serve Black patients, they struggled to stay afloat. At the height of the civil rights movement, young Black doctors decided to launch a movement of their own. "Mississippi was third-world and was so bad and so separated," says Dr. Robert Smith, "The community health center movement was the conduit for physicians all over this country who believed that all people have a right to health care." In 1967, Smith helped start Delta Health Center, the country's first rural community health center. They put the clinic in Mound Bayou, a small town in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, in the northwest part of the state. (Chatlani, 6/3)
Modern Healthcare: UPMC Spins Off AI Company That Analyzes EHR Data
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center on Thursday launched Realyze Intelligence, an artificial-intelligence company that analyzes electronic health record data. Realyze Intelligence's tools use natural language processing and other types of AI to analyze clinical notes and data held in patients' health records, from which it can identify patients with cancer, diabetes, chronic kidney disease and other chronic conditions who are at high risk for poor health outcomes. Ideally, clinicians will apply the findings to prioritize care for those high-risk patients. (Kim Cohen, 6/3)
Dallas Morning News: Christus Health Sets Out To Create A Permanent Irving Hub For Its Multinational Health Care System
A decade ago, Christus Health moved 600 employees from four offices throughout Texas into rented space in Irving. With a corporate workforce now totaling more than 2,200, the Catholic health care system is putting down permanent roots. It’s preparing to begin construction of a 15-story corporate office to manage its sprawling collection of hospitals, clinics, outpatient centers and long-term care facilities. The project has an estimated cost of $107 million, according to planning documents filed with the state. Irving is providing Christus with nearly $4.9 million in economic incentives. (Gonzales, 6/3)
Stat: Verily’s New Hire, Amy Abernethy, On Her Plans To Transform Clinical Trials
As personnel moves go, the hiring of Amy Abernethy by Verily is about as big as it gets in digital health care. It signals the Alphabet-backed company’s ambition to fundamentally reshape clinical research, making participation easier and drugs more effective. Abernethy, an oncologist by training, is credited with modernizing the way the Food and Drug Administration uses and manages data as the former number two at the agency. She essentially helped the FDA catch up, setting up standards for the use of real-world evidence and moving data in the cloud. (Ross, 6/3)
