Latest KFF Health News Stories
Nueva estrategia: hospitales internan a pacientes… en sus propias casas
Un enfoque común en Australia, Gran Bretaña y Canadá comienza a cobrar fuerza en el país: internar en sus propios hogares a los pacientes que no tienen condiciones de cuidado crítico.
From The ER To Inpatient Care — At Home
Some health systems are encouraging selected ill emergency department patients who are stable and don’t need intensive, round-the-clock care to opt for hospital-level care at home.
A medida que crecen los centros de cirugía, los pacientes están pagando con sus vidas
Hay más de 5,600 centros de cirugía en todo el país, en donde se realizan procedimientos quirúrgicos menores. Pero una investigación reveló que a veces ocurren complicaciones que hubieran sido prevenibles en un hospital.
As Surgery Centers Boom, Patients Are Paying With Their Lives
An investigation by Kaiser Health News and the USA TODAY Network discovers that more than 260 patients have died since 2013 after in-and-out procedures at surgery centers across the country. More than a dozen — some as young as 2 — have perished after routine operations, such as colonoscopies and tonsillectomies.
Ten ERs In Colorado Tried To Curtail Opioids And Did Better Than Expected
The collaboration known as ALTO, Alternatives to Opioids, set out to reduce opioid doses in the emergency room by 15 percent. It managed a 36 percent reduction instead.
Bad Bedside Manna: Bank Loans Signed In The Hospital Leave Patients Vulnerable
Hospitals increasingly team up with lending institutions to offer low- or no-interest loans to patients to make sure their bills get paid. But critics say the complexity of hospital pricing means consumers should be cautious.
Hospitales ponen en marcha mejores planes luego de enfrentar desastres
Los hospitales se están preparando para enfrentar mejor los desastres naturales y las tragedias que han puesto a prueba su respuesta a emergencias.
Hospitals’ Best-Laid Plans Upended By Disaster
An onslaught of fires, shootings and storms across the country last year tested hospital readiness. Now, leaders are using their experiences to address shortcomings that surfaced amid the chaos.
For Elder Health, Trips To The ER Are Often A Tipping Point
Experts provide tips for older patients and their caregivers to cope with the physical and mental declines associated with emergency room visits.
Wrecked And Retching: Obscure Vomiting Illness Linked To Long-Term Pot Use
Emergency room doctors are seeing a growing number of marijuana users with a mysterious condition that causes extreme vomiting and abdominal pain.
Near Incineration Of Psychiatric Hospital Highlights Gaping Need For More Beds
Fire almost destroyed one of two acute care facilities in Ventura County — wiping out most of the region’s inpatient capacity. In California and nationally, such hospitals are strained by demand — and disasters.
Taken For A Ride? Ambulances Stick Patients With Surprise Bills
Public outrage over surprise medical bills prompted 21 states to pass consumer protection laws. But these laws largely ignore ambulance rides, which can leave patients stuck with hundreds or even thousands of dollars in bills.
Surprise Ambulance Bills: A Consumer’s Guide
What to do if you get hit by an exorbitant ambulance bill — and how to avoid them in the first place.
Hospitals Step In To Help House The Homeless. Will It Make A Difference?
They say it will help reduce unnecessary ER visits and ensure better follow-up care. It’s also good P.R., and helps them meet their obligations to provide benefits to the community in exchange for significant tax breaks.
Tending To Patients As Her New Home Burns
ICU nurse Julayne Smithson had only a few minutes to grab some things from her recently purchased home a block from the Santa Rosa hospital. Then she rushed back to help evacuate patients and has scarcely stopped working since.
Fires Prey On Frail Residents Living On Their Own
The ferocious fires in Northern California underscore the vulnerability of seniors and disabled people whose mobility is limited. Experts recommend basic precautions.
Tragedia de Las Vegas plantea la capacidad de un hospital para atender a las víctimas
En la ciudad hay un solo centro de trauma, especializado en tratar a pacientes con lesiones severas producto de disparos, caídas o accidentes automovilísticos. Qué pasa a nivel nacional
Las Vegas Faced a Massacre. Did It Have Enough Trauma Centers?
Hospitals view adding trauma care as a potential profit tool, but experts say having more centers does not necessarily improve the system’s ability to respond to a mass casualty event.
Hurricane’s Health Toll: A Texas Doctor Taps Lessons From Katrina
After weathering the catastrophe in New Orleans 12 years ago, Dr. Ruth Berggren moved to Texas, where she again finds herself in the center of a hurricane crisis. In a Q&A, she draws parallels between the harrowing events and pinpoints risks in Harvey’s aftermath.
Elder Abuse: ERs Learn How To Protect A Vulnerable Population
An emergency department at New York-Presbyterian Hospital trains staff to recognize signs of elder abuse and help victims.
