Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Lawsuit: University Of Louisville Health Shared Patient Data With Facebook
The Courier-Journal: Lawsuit Says UofL Health Shares Patient Data With Facebook Parent Meta
In a lawsuit that could become a class action, the mother of a pediatric psychiatric patient alleges U of L Health shares personal health information of patients with Meta ― Facebook’s parent company ― in violation of federal privacy laws. The suit claims the data includes prescription drug histories and diagnoses, and that the information is automatically sent to Meta through computer code known as the Meta Pixel, embedded into U of L Health’s website. (Wolfson, 3/24)
In other news from the health care industry —
Bangor Daily News: Northern Light Ends Some Eye Surgeries At Bangor Hospital
Northern Light Health has eliminated cataract, glaucoma and oculoplastic surgeries at a Bangor hospital, leaving patients hanging after their procedures were suddenly canceled. The decision, made earlier this month at Eastern Maine Medical Center — one of the system’s 10 hospitals around the state — does not affect pediatric eye care or retina medical care and surgeries, spokesperson Amy Kenney said. (Royzman, 3/26)
San Francisco Chronicle: Lack Of Cantonese Services Creates Health Care Obstacles In S.F.
Mei-wa Yeung trudged up Pacific Avenue, complaining about the steep incline as she carried grocery bags filled with celery and onions. Despite being frequently dissatisfied with conditions within San Francisco’s Chinatown, the sight of the Chinese Hospital one block away reminded the 71-year-old why she does not think she will ever move. (Li, 3/24)
The New York Times: You May Need That Procedure. But Do You Really Need An Escort?
Robert Lewinger is tired of being berated by his gastroenterologist because he’s overdue for a colonoscopy. He’s perfectly willing to have one. And he’s more than ready for cataract surgery on his second eye. The problem: Mr. Lewinger, 72, a retired lawyer who lives in Manhattan, can’t schedule either of these procedures, which involve anesthesia or sedation, unless he supplies the name and phone number of the person taking him home afterward. Otherwise, clinics and outpatient surgical centers refuse to make appointments. (Span, 3/25)
KHN: Banning Noncompete Contracts For Medical Staff Riles Hospitals
Dr. Jacqui O’Kane took a job with a hospital in southern Georgia in 2020, as the lone doctor in a primary care clinic in a small town that’s a medically underserved area. She soon attracted nearly 3,000 patients. But she said the hospital pressed her to take more new patients, so she had to work nights and weekends — not ideal for the mother of two young daughters. She thought about opening her own practice in town, which would give her more control over her schedule. (Meyer, 3/27)
KHN: Obamacare At 13: Biden And A KHN Reporter Remember
I was back in the crowded East Room of the White House on Thursday, as I was 13 years ago, this time standing under a portrait of first first lady Martha Washington, when President Joe Biden entered for a lunchtime event focused on the Affordable Care Act. The room looked much the same as it did on March 23, 2010, when I had rushed over to the White House to witness President Barack Obama signing his historic health bill into law. I knew from that moment — standing under a portrait of President Teddy Roosevelt, who was the first chief executive to espouse a need for national health insurance — that my life as a health journalist would never be the same. (Galewitz, 3/24)
