Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
State Highlights: Texas Nursing Homes Braced For Influx Of Residents As Baby Boomers Age; There Was An Exodus Of Medical Professional At Ohio Jail Before Inmates Deaths'
Houston Chronicle: Silver Tsunami Set To Hit Texas Nursing Homes
As Baby Boomers reach retirement, a perfect storm is set to hit nursing homes as a surge in the number of aging Texans, known as the Silver Tsunami, is projected to affect long term care services across the state. More than 12 percent of the Texas population is over 65, and that number is growing. According to the Texas Demographic Center, the over-65 population across the state is projected to increase by more than 262 percent by 2050. (11/27)
Cleveland Plain Dealer: Medical Officials Fled Cuyahoga County Jail As Conditions Worsened, Before And After Inmates Began Dying
Seven inmates died from June 10 to Oct. 2, including three who committed suicide. The U.S. Marshals issued a scathing report Wednesday that said the conditions in the jail are “inhumane” and dangerous for both inmates and corrections officers. The understaffing of mental health providers at the jail has drawn criticism from Cuyahoga County judges and scrutiny from FBI agents, who are looking into possible civil right violations at the jail, according to two people interviewed by the FBI. (Ferrise and Astolfi, 11/26)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Ex-Prison Hospital Doctor Claims Whistleblowing Cost Him His Job
The doctor who publicly criticized the operation of Georgia’s prison hospital when he resigned earlier this year has filed a lawsuit accusing state officials of forcing him out of his job for previously leaking information to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The federal lawsuit filed by Dr. Timothy Young asserts that those responsible for managing Augusta State Medical Prison suspected that he was a source for AJC articles about the facility and made his already “deplorable” working conditions so difficult he had to resign. (Robbins, 11/26)
Texas Tribune: Advocates Say Time Is Right For Independent Oversight Of Texas Prisons
After a recent slew of damning headlines regarding conditions within Texas prisons, reform advocates and lawmakers are hopeful that the timing is right to get legislation passed creating independent oversight of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. State Rep. Jarvis Johnson, D-Houston, and state Sen. Borris Miles, D-Houston, filed identical bills in their respective chambers last week calling for a governor-appointed, independent ombudsman's office to oversee and investigate complaints against the prison agency. (Wiley, 11/26)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Acupuncture Eases Pain Without Using Painkillers, West Allis ER Finds
The West Allis emergency room started offering patients acupuncture as an option in January 2017. The more than 50 percent of patients who accepted acupuncture treatments reported pain reduction of up to 50 percent, said John Burns, manager of acupuncture for the Aurora Healthcare system. That's up there with Oxycodone in terms of effectiveness, although it would take a head-to-head study to do a scientific comparison, he said. (Ford-Stewart, 11/26)
Des Moines Register: Warren County's New Mobile Crisis Response Team Responds To Dozens Of Mental Health Emergency Calls
Warren County's mobile crisis response team responded to 44 cases in its first four months of operation. The unit was launched in July by Central Iowa Community Services, a mental health and disability services agency that operates in 11 counties. ...The team is staffed by therapists, nurses and social workers from Eyerly Ball Community Mental Health Services, who respond to calls for support from local police and family members concerned a loved one might be experiencing a mental health crisis. (Albertson, 11/26)
The Star Tribune: CentraCare Adding Redwood Falls Hospital
CentraCare expects to close in January on a deal that would transfer ownership of Redwood Area Hospital to a subsidiary of the St. Cloud-based health care system, in a transaction that calls for a $60 million capital investment over the next 10 years. First announced earlier this year, the deal for the hospital in the town of Redwood Falls is the latest in a series of transactions that has grown the size and scope of CentraCare, which includes St. Cloud Hospital. (Snowbeck, 11/26)
Iowa Public Radio: Feds Find Kentucky Fails To Meet Standards For Worker Safety
Every year, federal OSHA conducts an audit of all 28 state plans to ensure they are "at least as effective" as the federal agency at identifying and preventing workplace hazards. According to this year's audit of Kentucky, which covered fiscal year 2017, KY OSH is not meeting that standard. In fact, federal OSHA identified more shortcomings in Kentucky's program than any other state. (Kibanoff, 11/26)
MPR: Minnesota Faces Challenge In Halting Deadly Colon Infection's Spread
For years, a bacteria known as Clostridium difficile that can cause intestinal infections, crippling diarrhea and even death was thought to be a problem confined to hospitals and care facilities. But some evidence suggests that more cases of C. diff, as it's more commonly known, are occurring outside of hospital settings, posing a challenge for health care professionals working to prevent its spread. (Marohn, 11/26)
KQED: As Fire Trauma Lingers, Santa Rosa Health Care Center Takes The Long Road
The Santa Rosa City Schools District started the center temporarily in an empty school building during the holidays last year after the Tubbs fire when it was clear families were going to continue to need help during the school break. It's since become a permanent community clinic of sorts, open three days a week after school. (McEvoy, 11/26)
The Star Tribune: Ramsey County To Stop Using Contractors To Manage Health Care For Inmates
Tired of quick turnover and of losing nurses to other employers, Ramsey County will start providing in-house health care for inmates at the county jail and other detention facilities. The county will essentially create a new health division for its four correctional facilities, adding five full-time nurses, three mental health professionals, four clerical workers as well as a part-time physician and part-time psychiatrist to its existing staff. (Stanley, 11/26)
Austin American-Statesman: Austin's ClearData Lands $26 Million In Latest Funding Round
Austin-based technology company ClearData has raised $26 million to help the company continue to modernize health care through its cloud computing platform. ClearData, which moved its headquarters from Tempe, Arizona to Austin in 2016, provides cloud computing services to health care companies, helping them store and protect patient data and other applications. (Cobler, 11/26)
Columbus Dispatch: Cancer Patients Get Education On Healthy Eating Through OhioHealth Foundation Grant
The program at the Delaware Kroger this month was funded by the OhioHealth Foundation Home in Ohio initiative with a $7,000 grant that also funded a cooking demonstration at the OhioHealth Delaware Health Center. The goal was to help cancer patients learn tricks for finding healthy foods that they can make and eat when treatment leaves them underweight, malnourished, fatigued, nauseated or with new sensitivities to smells or tastes, said Maria Tucker, an administrative nurse manager in oncology and infusion care at the Delaware Health Center. (Viviano, 11/27)
