Latest KFF Health News Stories
Can Apps Slay The Medical Bill Dragon?
A handful of Silicon Valley start-ups are trying to usher medical billing into the 21st century by creating smartphone apps to help consumers navigate their health insurance paperwork.
Molina Healthcare, A Top Obamacare Insurer, Investigates Breach Of Patients’ Data
“It’s unconscionable that such a basic, security 101 flaw could still exist at a major health care provider,” says one cybersecurity expert.
In Remote Idaho, A Tiny Facility Lights The Way For Stressed Rural Hospitals
In a region where bears outnumber people, a small medical facility sets a modern example for rural hospitals on life support.
Los Angeles County Scores An E-Success In Managing Specialist Care
An electronic consulting and referral system adopted by the county’s safety net public health system in 2012 has reduced waiting times for appointments with specialists and eliminated the need for such appointments in a significant number of cases, according to a new study in the journal Health Affairs.
Merger May Revitalize California’s Flagging Effort To Pool Medical Records
An Obama administration veteran will take the helm of Cal INDEX as it combines with the Inland Empire Health Information Exchange, creating a database covering nearly 17 million patients.
California Has High Aspirations For Lowering HIV Infections
The state’s five-year-plan — focused on prevention and ensuring rapid and equal access to treatment — is nothing if not ambitious.
Covered California Resolves Pregnancy Snafu
Officials at the state exchange say they have fixed their computer system to stop switching some low-income pregnant women into Medi-Cal without their approval.
Can We Conquer All Diseases By The End Of The Century?
According to the neurobiologist heading a much-publicized effort funded by Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, putting scientists and engineers under one roof will be key.
Licensing Logjam For California Nurses
A big backlog of applications at the state’s licensing board is holding up hiring by hospitals and making it difficult for recent nurse graduates — and experienced nurses from out of state — to work.
Medical Providers Try Uber, Lyft For Patients With Few Transportation Options
Some hospitals and other medical providers are experimenting with ride-hailing services to help patients without access to cars get to their appointments.
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.
California is the first state to begin building an up-to-date database to improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
‘Digital Health’ Not Just For Well-Heeled Fitness Fiends
A small group of advocates and entrepreneurs is using mobile phones and digital scales to make a difference in the health of poor people, too.
In Alameda County, A Big Data Effort To Prevent Frequent ER Visits
Hospitals share patient records of “super-users” to save money and avoid duplicating medical treatment.
Office Chatter: Your Doctor Will See You In This Telemedicine Kiosk
Employers and insurers are installing sophisticated kiosks in more workplaces so that workers can quickly consult a doctor offsite when they take ill at work.
Screen Flashes And Pop-Up Reminders: ‘Alert Fatigue’ Spreads Through Medicine
Electronic health records increasingly include automated alert systems pegged to patients’ health information. In some cases, though, the sheer volume of these messages has become unmanageable.
FDA Eases Paperwork To Help Some Patients Get Experimental Drugs
The Food and Drug Administration has introduced a simplified form that doctors will use to seek FDA approval to treat seriously ill patients with experimental drugs after other options run out.
Pregnant Women Dumped By Covered California Into Medi-Cal, Without Notice Or Consent
The problem won’t be fixed until September, though the state’s congressional delegation calls for quick action.
Hospital Software Often Doesn’t Flag Unsafe Drug Prescriptions, Report Finds
A survey conducted by the Leapfrog Group finds that though many hospitals have computer-based medication systems in place to protect against errors, many still fall short in highlighting possible problems.
Patients’ Assessment Of Their Health Is Gaining Importance In Treatment
As medicine moves to a patient-centered model, doctors and other health providers are slowly adding patients’ self-reports to the other tests and exams they use to determine care.
