Workplace Violence Nearly 5 Times More Likely For Health Care Workers
Federal data show that health care workers are 4.9 times more likely to experience workplace violence than private industry workers, due in part to staff and resource shortages. Meanwhile, Walgreens continues with layoffs, cutting 3.6% of its support center team employees.
Axios:
Hospitals, Clinics Among America's Most Violent Workplaces
Hospitals and clinics remain among the most violent workplaces in America, continuing to strain health workers in the aftermath of the pandemic experience. The situation is bad enough that the American Hospital Association and the FBI last week announced that they're collaborating on resources to help hospitals make threat assessments and work to mitigate risks. (Goldman, 10/30)
Crain's Chicago Business:
Walgreens Layoffs Hit 256 Workers In Another Round Of Cuts
Walgreens Boots Alliance is laying off more employees in another round of corporate personnel cuts.The struggling pharmacy chain is laying off 256 employees, or 3.6%, of its support center team employees and cutting about 215 open and unfilled roles, Walgreens spokesman Fraser Engerman confirmed Tuesday in a statement to Crain’s. (Davis, 10/29)
Modern Healthcare:
CVS To Offer MinuteClinic For Primary Care To Aetna Members
CVS Health's MinuteClinic is becoming an in-network primary care provider for select Aetna plan members. Aetna commercial, individual and family health plan members in San Antonio, Houston, Atlanta and south Florida have the option to use MinuteClinic as an in-network primary care provider, with members in North Carolina becoming eligible in the coming weeks, said Dr. Creagh Milford, retail health president at CVS Health. (Hudson, 10/29)
Sacramento Bee:
Health Insurance For $10 Or Less? Sacramento Leaders Trumpet ‘The Best Deal In Town’
If you don’t have health insurance, you should know that there’s a place you can go starting Nov. 1 to shop and find “the best deal in town” on a health insurance policy. That place is Covered California, and two-thirds of the 5.9 million state residents who have signed up for a health plan at the site pay a monthly premium of $10 or less for a health plan that covers them if their families experience unexpected medical challenges. That monthly payment of $10 or less buys peace of mind, said U.S. Rep. Ami Bera, a physician and Elk Grove Democrat who’s had to counsel patients who didn’t have insurance. (Anderson, 10/30
Modern Healthcare:
Prospect Medical Holdings Sued Over Crozer Health Management
Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry filed a civil lawsuit Tuesday against Prospect Medical Holdings for its alleged mismanagement of Crozer Health facilities. The attorney general's office is seeking a preliminary injunction to preserve existing service lines and the appointment of a receiver to manage Crozer's facilities until a new owner is secured, Henry said at a Tuesday press conference. (Hudson, 10/29)
Modern Healthcare:
Scrub Capital Aims To Bring Clinician Perspective To Investing
A group of clinicians brought together over an interest in venture capital has evolved into a full-fledged investment firm. Scrub Capital, a digital health-focused venture capital firm, publicly launched on Tuesday after six months of operating quietly. The firm, which has 650 clinician members, is setting the target for its first fund at $10 million and will invest in digital health and medical device companies. (Turner, 10/29)
KFF Health News:
Florida Medical Device Maker Exactech Declares Bankruptcy
Exactech, a Florida device manufacturer that faces more than 2,000 state and federal lawsuits from patients who allege the company sold defective hip and knee implants, filed for bankruptcy protection Tuesday. The Gainesville-based company said in a statement it was restructuring and would be sold to an investor group of private equity and “alternative asset” firms, which would provide about $85 million in financing to fund the company’s operations. (Schulte, 10/29)
KFF Health News' Bill of the Month:
Toddler’s Backyard Snakebite Bills Totaled More Than A Quarter Million Dollars
This spring, a few days after his 2nd birthday, Brigland Pfeffer was playing with his siblings in their San Diego backyard. His mother, Lindsay Pfeffer, was a few feet away when Brigland made a noise and came running from the stone firepit, holding his right hand. She noticed a pinprick of blood between his thumb and forefinger when her older son called out, “Snake!” (Fortiér, 10/30)
Also —
NPR:
Sex And Love Addiction Support Groups Are Getting Destigmatized
People struggling with compulsive behavior around love and sex have long been the brunt of sleazy jokes and lurid misrepresentation. TV shows and movies use sad, so-called sex addicts sitting on folding chairs in support groups as punchlines. But cultural stigmas around sex and love 12-step programs are being challenged by a rising generation of young women active in recovery — and on social media. (Ulaby, 10/30)
KFF Health News:
Listen To The Latest 'KFF Health News Minute'
“Health Minute” brings original health care and health policy reporting from the KFF Health News newsroom to the airwaves each week. (10/29)
