Latest KFF Health News Stories
Electronic Health Records Breed Digital Discontent For Some Docs
Two years and $8.4 billion into the government’s effort to get doctors to take their practices digital, some unintended consequences are starting to emerge. One is a lot of unhappy doctors.
One-On-One With A 2-Year-Old Cancer Patient
Child life specialist Liz Anderson of Children’s National Medical Center explains how she uses play to help 2-year-old Jade Tukan, a cancer patient, understand her medical care.
Hospitals Offer Wide Array Of Services To Keep Patients From Needing To Return
Free scales, diet tips and home visits from nurses all aim to curtail readmissions.
The Best Medicine For Fixing The Modern Hospital
The latest medical breakthrough is the hospital room itself.
Four NYC Hospitals Still Closed By Hurricane Sandy
Displaced patients and doctors are a challenge for some nearby hospitals and an opportunity for others, as the city’s safety net tries to deal with the disruption.
Doctors’ And Nurses’ Licenses Snagged By New Immigration Law In Georgia
The law requires everyone, no matter where they were born, to prove citizenship or legal residency to renew a license. But with too few staff to process the extra paperwork, hundreds of licenses for doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health professionals are expiring.
Hospitals Gamble On Urgent Care Clinics To Keep Patients Healthy
Urgent care clinics are part of a growth strategy for some hospital chains. But some analysts wonder if hospitals will be able to provide good customer service at the clinics.
Safety-Net Hospitals Brace For Cut To Federal Subsidies
Because more people are supposed to be insured, the health law trims funding that is used to defray the expenses of treating a large number of uninsured and poor patients.
Hospitals Need Networks To Prevent Readmissions
The federal government wants many hospitals to adopt a model like Denver Health, which keeps readmissions low through its own network of neighborhood clinics.
The Next Frontier For Elite Med Schools: Primary Care
Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York is now one of the only top medical schools to offer family medicine as a specialty for its students.
Q&A: What’s The Difference Between A Doctor And A Nurse Practitioner?
Michelle Andrews answers a reader question about the differences in practice and qualifications between doctors and nurse practitioners. She discusses the movement to require nurse practitioners to have a clinical doctoral degree although the 2015 timeframe she describes is a goal, rather than a requirement.
‘Child Life Specialists’ Help Sick Kids Be Kids
Child life specialists help sick children and their families navigate difficult medical situations emotionally and psychologically while in the hospital.
Hospitals’ Readmissions Rates Not Budging
Medicare data show little improvement in curbing the number of beneficiaries who are readmitted despite threats of financial penalties to hospitals.
Health Law Deadlines Under Pressure
The Supreme Court ruling shifts the focus to states. But between 20 and 40 may be unable to set up new online insurance markets by fall 2013.
Hospitals Celebrate Decision, But Threats Remain
The decision to let states opt out of the Medicaid expansion means hospitals serving the poor could still be stuck with unpaid care.
Top Paid Medical Apps for iPhones (from the iTunes store)
There are 40,000 medical applications available for download on smartphones and tablets. Here’s a list of the most popular medical apps for iPhones in the iTunes store.
FDA Seeks To Tame Exploding Medical App Market
The market has been something of an unregulated Wild West; for doctors and patients alike, it is difficult to know which apps actually live up to their health claims or provide accurate information.
Catholic Hospital Leader Defends Split With Obama Administration On Contraceptives
Catholic Health Association chief Sister Carol Keehan, a key ally of President Obama on the health law, said last week that the organization could not support a compromise on the free birth control provision of the law.
Workplace Clinics Are Expanding Focus Beyond Injuries, Preventive Care
Some big employers are beefing up their clinic offerings with a host of new services, including physical therapy, dental and vision exams, mental health counseling and even acupuncture and massage.
Uncertainty Over Law Casts Shadow Over Health Care Innovations
Under the 2010 health law, the government has invested in a decade’s worth of ideas on how to improve patient care and change the ways doctors and hospitals function — changes could be halted if the Supreme Court throws out all or part of the law.
