Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Health Care Job Growth May Be Slowing, August Jobs Report Indicates
Modern Healthcare: August Jobs Report Shows Healthcare Jobs May Be Slowing
Healthcare was one of the few upbeat spots in the most recent jobs report but the shine may be starting to wear off. Labor Department employment data released Friday noted that job gains in healthcare helped offset weakness in other parts of the economy. That said, even in healthcare, the gains aren’t what they once were, as evidenced by new and revised figures. The report comes as the industry’s employers trim jobs up and down the ladder and hold positions open, preparing for the implications of the federal tax bill and uncertainty over tariffs. (DeSilva, 9/8)
Healthcare Dive: More Than 600 Kaiser Workers Hold 1-Day Strike In Northern California
More than 600 certified nurse midwives and certified registered nurse anesthetists employed by Kaiser Permanente held a one-day strike at two facilities in Northern California on Monday. (Vogel, 9/8)
On closures, consolidations, and financial trouble in health care —
CalMatters: North Central California Hospital Faces Closure After Losing Federal 'Critical Access' Status
Absent a Hail Mary, Glenn County, California’s only hospital is set to close its doors in October. Tucked between two national forests, the rural county is home to 28,000 people. Without a local emergency room, they’ll instead have to travel at least 40 minutes to a neighboring county for critical care. One hundred and fifty health workers will lose their jobs; they’re already resigning to seek work elsewhere. (Ibarra, 9/8)
KFF Health News: Instead Of Selling, Some Rural Hospitals Band Together To Survive
Retta Jacobi stepped onto a metal platform that lifted her to an entrance on the side of a custom-designed semitrailer. Once inside, she lay down on a platform that technicians slid into an MRI machine. ... The mobile MRI unit visits Southwest Healthcare Services, the hospital in Bowman, North Dakota, each Wednesday. Without it, the community’s 1,400 residents would have to drive 40 minutes to get to an MRI machine, an expensive piece of medical equipment the hospital couldn’t afford on its own. (Zionts, 9/9)
Minnesota Public Radio: Mayo To Consolidate Services In Southern Minnesota
Mayo Clinic Health System will transition care from several of its clinics to alternate locations by early December. Outpatient clinical services in Belle Plaine, Caledonia, Montgomery, Northridge, St. Peter and Wells will move to nearby Mayo Clinic sites. Elective surgeries and procedures in orthopedics, podiatry, endoscopy, ophthalmology and gynecology will be relocated from Albert Lea to the Austin and Waseca campuses. (Zurek, 9/9)
Modern Healthcare: How CVS' Partnerships With Emory, Rush Aim To Boost Primary Care
CVS Health is tapping into health system partnerships as it rapidly expands primary care offerings. CVS has added primary care services at more than 400 MinuteClinic sites across 12 states and Washington, D.C., in the last year or so, said Dr. Creagh Milford, interim president of retail health at CVS Health and president at CVS-owned Oak Street Health. The goal is to offer primary care at all MinuteClinic sites and build a payer-agnostic network to serve patients, he said. (Hudson, 9/5)
Modern Healthcare: Why Ascension, OhioHealth Are Selling Hospitals, Lab Services
Imminent reimbursement cuts are prompting health systems to look at selling ancillary businesses and real estate, as well as exit certain markets. Providers have increasingly turned to divestitures and joint ventures with companies that specialize in real estate management, long-term care, home health, labs and other services. Hospitals are ramping up these strategies with the hope that increasing cash reserves and simplifying operations will help them weather federal funding reductions under the new tax law. (Kacik and Hudson, 9/8)
Keene Sentinel: Cheshire County Ambulance Service Loses Money On 1 In 10 Calls, Chief Says
Sometimes, when a Cheshire County EMS first-responder rushes to save a life, the department ends up losing money. That’s because the county’s ambulance service responds to every call it receives for support, but may not get paid if the patient is uninsured, or refuses transfer. It’s an issue that Deputy Chief Mark Kreamer has dealt with for years in the departments he’s worked at. (del Castro, 9/8)
On expansion —
North Carolina Health News and The Charlotte Ledger: Duke Health Sets Its Sights On Statewide Expansion
For years, Charlotte’s health care market has been dominated by two names: Atrium Health and Novant Health. Between them, the two hospital systems hold a near lock on the region’s hospitals, a growing share of its doctors and much of its specialty care. Now a third player is muscling into the market. (Crouch, 9/8)
Kansas City Star: State-Of-The-Art KU Cancer Center Planned For Wyandotte
The University of Kansas Cancer Center’s highly anticipated new, state-of-the-art facility has made it through some foundational hoops since its official groundbreaking in May, a representative from the center told Wyandotte County’s governing board. (Zeman, 9/5)
