Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Missoulian: Public Health Programs Under Assault In Montana And Nationally
The resignation Sanders County health officer Nick Lawyer continues a trend of public health officials leaving their posts, often under pressure from local governments and civilians in the areas they serve. (Hansen, 9/22)
KTVH: Doctors, Hospitals Sue To Undo Montana Ban On Vaccination Requirements
A coalition of medical providers and patients filed suit Wednesday to invalidate Montana’s law barring them from requiring employees to be vaccinated, saying it violates federal law and the U.S. and Montana constitutions. (Dennison, 9/23)
Montana Public Radio: Montana Hits Covid Case Record. Nobody’s Sure If We’ve Peaked Yet
There are more than 10,000 active covid-19 cases in Montana. About 100 people died from covid in August, double the number of deaths at the same time last year, according to state data. The statewide death toll has grown by more than 100 people so far in September. (Bolton, Monares, 9/23)
Daily Montanan: Hospitals Hit 90 Percent Capacity, Lewis And Clark County Reports 100 Covid-19 Deaths
The Lewis and Clark County Health Department announced Wednesday that 100 county residents have died from covid-19 complications and urged residents to do their part to slow the spread of infections.“ The county's St. Peter's Health is one of eight of large Montana hospitals at more than 70 percent capacity on Monday. Four of the eight report being at more than 90% capacity. (9/22)
Great Falls Tribune: Montana Governor Sends National Guard To Hospitals To Assist With Covid Response
With the 20 Guard troops headed to Benefis Health System in Great Falls, the state had 107 total Guard members assigned to assist with the covid-19 effort. Others have been sent to hospitals in Helena, Billings, Butte, Missoula and Bozeman. (Mabie, 9/22)
Montana Public Radio: Governor's Emergency Rule Could Free Beds In Montana’s Large Hospitals
When a large hospital has a patient who can be discharged but still needs medical care, state regulations require the hospital to first call local nursing homes or other facilities within 25 miles with so-called "swing beds." The new rule allows large hospitals to bypass swing-bed facilities reluctant to take patients and go directly to smaller critical-access hospitals to place patients. (Bolton, 9/20)
Montana State News Bureau: Montana In Discussions With VA To Open Hospital Beds To Non-Veteran Patients
Military veterans and their family members are typically the only people eligible for care at VA facilities, but the state can submit a formal request to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to accept other patients. State officials initiated those discussions over the weekend amid an unprecedented wave of covid hospitalizations (Wilson, 9/20)
Montana State News Bureau: Lawmakers Ask State Health Department Head About Montana's Response To Covid Surge
Director Adam Meier said state’s short-term response involves “leveraging the monoclonal antibody supply that we have because that does prevent hospitalizations” and helping hospitals with staffing issues. Longer term, he said, the state is “continuing to beat the drum on why it's important to get vaccinated.” (Michels, 9/22)
AP: With Hands Tied, Montana Officials Issue Public Health Plea
Health officials in Missoula and Bozeman are begging Montana residents to wear masks indoors and get vaccinated as hospitals face increasing strain and the state remains without any statewide health mandates. (Samuels, 9/17)
AP: Montana County Health Officer Resigns To Ease Conflict
The public health officer in a politically conservative county in northwestern Montana has resigned his post to ease what his resignation letter called “the strife and conflict coming from a minority of people objecting” to his recommendations in responding to the coronavirus. (Hanson, 9/20)
Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Bozeman Health Restricting Visitors At All Care Sites Following Virus Spread At Deaconess Hospital
Bozeman Health will again begin restricting visitors at all of its facilities as the health care system sees high volumes of covid-19 patients after several patients and staff in the medical unit tested positive for the coronavirus after arriving at the hospital. (Sukut, 9/22)
AP: What Are 'Crisis Standards Of Care?'
Crisis standards of care give legal and ethical guidelines to health care providers when they have too many patients and not enough resources to care for them all. Essentially, they spell out exactly how health care should be rationed in order to save the most lives possible during a disaster. (Boone, Samuels, Tanner, 9/17)
KTVQ: Covid Patient Says, 'I Should've Gotten The Shot'
The man admits politics played a major role in his decision to not get vaccinated, but the fear of dying has him now pleading with others. “We all need to put our political and our own personal bias aside and get the shot," he said. (Slade, 9/22)
Montana State News Bureau: Road To Marijuana Legalization Rocky, But Remains On Schedule
Of the state's 386 licensed medical marijuana dispensaries, 362 will open to recreational customers and 24 will remain as medical only providers on Jan. 1. Seven providers will be required to cease operations under the rules set by state lawmakers. (Larson, 9/22)
Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Death Café In Livingston Provides A Space To Talk About Mortality
The purpose of a Death Café is not to focus on the macabre or gruesome aspects of dying. Rather, it serves as a communal space where people can discuss all things death-related, from the immediate feelings of losing a loved one to funeral expenses and the administrative side of death, all while enjoying coffee, tea and snacks. (Miller, 9/20)
Billings Gazette: MSUB Partners With Two Universities To Improve Mental Health In STEM
Montana State University Billings, Montana Tech and University of Montana have been awarded a three-year, $500,000 grant to help institutions design abd implement model strategies to improve graduate students’ mental health in science, technology, engineering and math fields. (Schabacker, 9/20)
Daily Inter Lake: Therapy Goats On The Mend Following Dog Attack
The working farm and school features an educational program for children with autism and other learning disabilities. A paved path helps veterans get to park benches where they can watch the animals, including pigs, a llama, a burro and sheep. (Shindledecker, 9/17)
Montana Free Press: Kalispell Nurses' Union Secure New Labor Contract
The deal includes a stronger voice in staffing decisions and an increase in wages and benefits designed to entice health care workers to stay in an area where housing prices continue to skyrocket. (Franz, 9/20)
Billings Gazette: SCL Health To Merge With Utah-Based Intermountain Healthcare
Intermountain Healthcare is a nonprofit system of 25 hospitals, 225 clinics, 42,000 employees, a medical group, SelectHealth insurance company, and other health services in Utah, Idaho, and Nevada. SCL operates hospitals and clinics in Montana, Colorado and Kansas. (Rogers, 9/16)
KFBB: Nova Health Opens Urgent Care In Great Falls
Nova Health, a health provider with locations in Oregon and Washington, also operates in Bozeman, recently opened a Butte location and plans to expand to Helena by the end of the year. (Collins, 9/18)
