To Curb Unintended Pregnancy, States Turn To IUDs — In The Delivery Room
States are contemplating whether access to IUD through post-delivery procedures could be an important step in curbing unintended pregnancies.
Scarcity Of Mental Health Care Means Patients — Especially Kids — Land In ER
Research released by the American College of Emergency Physicians highlights how gaps in mental health care play out in the emergency room with longer stays and difficulties in securing follow-up care.
Got Zika? For Pregnant Women, Lab Constraints Mean It’s Often Hard To Know
Testing people — especially pregnant women — who may have been exposed to the virus is an integral part of the response strategy, but it’s putting a strain on this part of the nation’s public health infrastructure. New congressional funding could change that.
Video Chat? In Rural Areas Combating Drug Addiction, A New Way To Connect With Help
The federal government is supporting efforts to test whether telemedicine strategies can be used to treat Appalachia’s painkiller addiction crisis.
Women And The Zika Virus: Smart Questions And A Few Solid Answers
Here’s a breakdown of what women should know, and what is still unclear, regarding how Zika is transmitted, who is at risk and how to take precautions against it.
Congress Finally Approves Funding To Fight Zika — But What Does This Mean?
Mosquito season may be ending in parts of the U.S., but public health officials say the additional resources will make a difference because the threat will not be measured in one cycle but in years.
Studies: Employer Costs Slow As Consumers Use Less Care, Deductibles Soar
Cost pressures may induce patients to forego needed care, some worry.
How Can Parents, Pediatricians Discuss Guns In The House?
Research suggests pediatricians shy away from the topic, but parents generally are open to discussing firearms in the context of safe storage.
Lack Of Medicaid Expansion Hurts Rural Hospitals More Than Urban Facilities
Researchers writing in Health Affairs report that decisions by 19 states to not expand the program for low-income residents could be hurting the financial stability of rural hospitals.
Experts Say Stepped-Up Monitoring Is Crucial As Zika’s Threat Lasts Beyond A Baby’s Birth
A Brazilian case report indicates the virus may cause brain impairment after a child is born, increasing the need for tracking the development of children who may have been exposed.
Attending To The ‘Human Element’ Is Key To Keeping Patients Healthy
Research to be published in full this fall details how medicine’s “implicit bias” — whether real or perceived — undermines the doctor-patient relationship and the well-being of racial and ethnic minorities as well as lower-income patients.
Did It Hurt Or Help? Researchers Analyze Ohio’s 2011 Abortion Law
A new study finds that women may have suffered more complications and needed more follow-up care as a result of the law. The law’s advocates question the findings.
‘Mental Health First Aid’ — Chirlane McCray On How N.Y.C. Is Fixing The System
“Every city’s not New York City,” but the Big Apple’s first lady hopes that the city’s efforts to address mental health access issues could be replicated across the country.
Preventive Care, Specialists Key To Controlling Kidney Failure Treatment Costs
These findings in JAMA Internal Medicine also note the importance of coordinating care and, some experts say, could provide a model for other diseases.
People With Obamacare Plans Filled More Prescriptions, But Had Lower Costs
A study explores how coverage gains resulting from the federal health law may have changed people’s health care habits and spending.
As States OK Medical Marijuana Laws, Doctors Struggle With Knowledge Gap
State health departments are beginning to require physicians to complete continuing medical education courses to learn how and when this therapy might work for patients.
Race, Ethnicity Affect Kids’ Access To Mental Health Care, Study Finds
An analysis in the International Journal of Health Services finds disparities between white young people and their black and Hispanic counterparts in how often they receive mental health treatment.
Syncing Up Drug Refills: A Way To Get Patients To Take Their Medicine
A study published in Health Affairs concludes that the idea of coordinating prescription refill timelines for people with multiple chronic conditions could improve their medication adherence and health outcomes.
Web Tool Reduced Medical Missteps During Hospital-Shift Changes: Study
Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston concluded that a web-based tool focused on these critical points of the day helped cut the rate of medical errors in half.
CDC Urges Doctors To Aggressively Test Pregnant Women For Zika
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also directs that all pregnant women in the U.S. and its territories should be “assessed for possible Zika virus exposure” whenever they get a prenatal care visit.
