Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
State Highlights: Health, Safety Violations Rampant At Washington's Largest Psychiatric Hospital; Sanders Backs Vermont Nurses Union Ahead Of Negotiations
The Associated Press: AP Exclusive: Washington Psychiatric Hospital Called 'Hell'
Behind tall brick walls and secure windows, hundreds of patients at Washington state's largest psychiatric hospital live in conditions that fail U.S. health and safety standards, while overworked nurses and psychiatrists say they are navigating a system that punishes employees who speak out despite critical staffing shortages. "They don't have enough staff to protect patients, or provide them with the bare minimum of care," said Lisa Bowser, whose mother spent two years at Western State Hospital and suffered dozens of falls and assaults. (7/6)
The Associated Press: Sanders: Nurses' Contract Negotiation Is About Priorities
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders threw his support behind University of Vermont Medical Center nurses ahead of union negotiations Friday, saying hospital administrators need to increase wages and avert a scheduled strike. Sanders railed against the "exorbitant" salaries paid to hospital administrators, including over $2 million paid to hospital network's CEO John Brumsted. (7/6)
The Associated Press: Family Of Ohio State Doctor Says It's Cooperating In Probe
The family of a former Ohio State University team doctor accused by athletes of sexual misconduct says it is "shocked and saddened" by the allegations and is cooperating with the school's independent investigation. The Columbus Dispatch in a story published online Saturday said the statement was emailed by Scott Strauss. He's the son of the late Dr. Richard Strauss, who killed himself in 2005 at age 67. The statement said Strauss' family learned from news reports about the allegations that athletes were fondled by Strauss during medical examinations. The allegations date back to the 1970s. (7/7)
KQED: California’s Push To Make People Healthy—And Save Taxpayers Money
That idea is at the heart of the state’s effort over the past two decades to revamp its system for delivering health care to the neediest. The strategy has included a shift to managed care, meshing mental health services with physical care and creating programs specifically to coordinate an array of services so patients don’t have to hunt them down one at a time. (Gorn, 7/8)
Politico Pro: Houston’s Biggest Jail Wants To Shed Its Reputation As A Mental Health Treatment Center
The Harris County sheriff’s office doesn’t want its jail to be the largest mental health facility in Texas anymore — but first it needs to find somewhere else to accommodate patients before they get swept up in the criminal justice system. (Rayasam, 7/8)
WBUR: 5 Takeaways From The First Ever 'Cancer In Boston' Report
Massachusetts is one of 22 states where cancer regularly beats out heart disease as the leading cause of death. In Boston, cancer actually causes more deaths than stroke and heart disease combined — a trend that holds across all races and ethnicities. (Kaplan, 7/6)
Dallas Morning News: Feds Say Kickbacks And Bribes Forced Surgical Patients To Travel Long Distance To Dallas Hospital
They were so motivated by money, the doctor and chiropractor were willing to make patients travel long distances from West Texas to a Dallas hospital for surgeries — a five-hour drive, federal court records say. Shawn Henry, a Fort Worth spine surgeon, was “aggressive” in recommending surgeries at Forest Park Medical Center, the court records said. But what the Midland patients didn’t know was that Henry was being paid by the hospital’s owners for referring them there, according to prosecutors. Those are the allegations in newly-released court records related to another plea deal in the $200 million federal bribery and kickback case against 21 people associated with the bankrupt Forest Park Medical Center. (Krause, 7/7)
Austin American-Statesman: Mental Health Calls, Some Deadly, A Growing Challenge For Austin Cops
Police, community leaders and mental health advocates agree that most patrol officers aren’t always the best suited to treat the nation’s mentally ill, despite often being the first ones responding to those in crisis. (Wilson, 7/6)
The Star Tribune: Little-Known Exception For Studies Gains Attention In Ketamine Debate
Ethics concerns over a Hennepin Healthcare clinical trial have raised public attention to a federal rule permitting research on patients in emergency situations without their initial consent. While little known, the rule has been commonly used in the Twin Cities for studies of everything from resuscitation equipment to breathing tubes to medications to slow bleeding at emergency scenes. U.S. Food and Drug Administration since 1996 has allowed “exceptions” from the usual process of gaining consent before performing experimental treatments on patients — but only in studies involving emergency treatments that couldn’t be accomplished any other way, and only if they propose to improve practices that are unproven or substandard. (Olson, 7/7)
Arizona Republic: Valley Fever: What You Should Know
Those dust storms can kick up dirt and soil that carry fungal spores called Coccidioides, or cocci. Found in Arizona desert soil, they can cause valley fever, a potentially serious lung infection. (Fish, 7/6)
Sacramento Bee: Dignity Health Lab Workers Plan Informational Picket July 9
Union representatives for more than 200 laboratory scientists and technologists at Dignity Health say they plan informational picketing Monday at their employer's facilities in Woodland, Stockton and Carmichael, having rejected the company's latest contract offer for wages and benefits. Michael Aidan, assistant executive director of Engineers and Scientists of California Local 20, said a mediator from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service will begin working with company and union contract negotiators on Monday to try and reach common ground. (Anderson, 7/9)
The Oregonian: Savings Plan Helps Oregonians With Disabilities Save Money And Keep Benefits
Money saved in the special accounts must be used for living expenses or costs relating a disability, such as education, housing, transportation and medical costs not covered by insurance. But that definition is broad. It can be used to pay rent, buy groceries, pay for college, purchase a wheelchair-accessible van and take a vacation -- as long as it "helps maintain or improve the health, independence, or quality of life of the person living with a disability," state guidelines say. Oregonians with disabilities can deposit up to $15,000 a year in such an account and accumulate up to $100,000 without affecting their benefits. They can deposit an extra $12,000 if they are employed and stay covered under Medicaid, although they may lose other benefits. Family members or friends can contribute too. (Voorhees, 7/6)
Denver Post: At Least 30 Colorado School Districts And Charter Schools Allow Teachers To Carry Guns, But No Statewide Training Standards Regulate Them
Colorado is one of at least nine states where teachers may arm themselves in the classroom if their districts or charter schools allow it. Thirty school districts or charter schools in the state have done so — though which districts do is less clear. There is no statewide training standard for school employees who carry guns, no standard use-of-force policy like the kinds intended to advise police officers and little guidance for school districts other than what their liability insurers provide. The result is that the arming of teachers in Colorado is a local issue not subject to debate, questioning or review by state regulators or lawmakers. That’s likely the way many rural districts prefer it, but even some ardent gun-rights supporters have sought a more uniform approach. (Hernandez, 7/8)
Arizona Republic: Valley Cities Eye Sober Living Home Regulations
This spring, state legislators passed a law requiring sober living homes to secure licensing with the Arizona Department of Health Services. But that agency still has about 18 months of work left to get a licensing system up and running, according to Mesa Mayor John Giles. (Altavena, 7/7)
