Latest California Healthline Stories
UCSF-Led Project on Artificial Kidney Wins $3M in Funding
Researchers at UC-San Francisco’s School of Pharmacy — who are leading a research project with eight other institutions to develop an implantable artificial kidney — have raised $3 million in funding with contributions from NIH and the John and Marcia Goldman Foundation. The group is expected to need to secure an additional $13 million to reach its goal of developing the device and launching clinical trials by 2017. San Francisco Business Times.
UCLA Study Links Bedsores to Higher Risk for Mortality
Seniors who develop pressure ulcers or bedsores in a hospital tend to have higher mortality rates and are more likely to require longer hospital stays or be readmitted within 30 days of their discharge, according to a study by UCLA School of Nursing researchers. The study — published in the October issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society — is believed to be the first of its kind to use patients’ medical records to examine the effects of bedsores. Los Angeles Daily News, Los Angeles Examiner.
Brown Vetoes Long-Term Care Facility Smoking Ban
On Thursday, Gov. Brown vetoed a bill that would have banned smoking in long-term care facilities by eliminating exceptions to the state’s indoor workplace smoking ban. The bill also would have banned some outdoor smoking at nursing homes. Brown said that it would be better “to rely on the locals, in this case the facility and its residents and employees” to develop smoking policies. AP/Sacramento Bee.
GOP Questions HHS on Calif.’s Use of Funds To Promote Exchange
Republican lawmakers have sent HHS a letter criticizing California’s plan to use federal funds to promote its health benefit exchange through television programs. The letter asks HHS to improve oversight of federal health reform grants. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch.”
GAO Raises Concern About Medical Devices’ Vulnerability To Hacking
Medical devices can be affected both by unintentional interference and attacks by hackers, a new report from the Government Accountability Office finds. The report says FDA should identify and investigate security breaches involving such equipment. Bloomberg Businessweek et al.
California Health Care Personnel News Update for September 2012
Elaine Batchlor — chief medical officer at L.A. Health Care Plan — has been named CEO of Martin Luther King, Jr. Medical Center in Los Angeles. Darlene Wetton has been named CEO of Temecula Valley Hospital, which is under construction and is expected to open in fall 2013.
Governor Signs Bill Creating Pensions for Private Workers
On Friday, Gov. Brown signed into law a bill that establishes a state-run retirement savings program for private-sector employees that is funded by an automatic 3% payroll deduction. The law was developed to aid an estimated 6.3 million private employees in California who currently have no pension plan. Brown also signed into law another bill that requires a feasibility study and a final legislative vote before the program can take effect. Sacramento Bee.
CMS Launches Hospital Pay-for-Performance Initiatives Under ACA
CMS is implementing two programs under the federal health law that seek to lower hospital readmission rates and boost quality of care in an effort to reduce costs. The programs are the largest to date that seek to shift hospitals to a pay-for-performance model. Politico et al.
Yosemite To Offer Hantavirus Testing To All Employees
On Thursday, Yosemite National Park officials announced that all park workers will have access to testing to determine if they have been infected with hantavirus. This summer, nine Yosemite visitors were infected with the disease, three of whom later died. According to park spokesperson John Quinley, testing by state health officials will be voluntary and available to all workers of the National Park Service and DNC Parks and Resort. AP/U-T San Diego.
Poll: Support Drops Slightly for Brown’s Tax Hike Plan
Fifty-five percent of registered voters said they support Gov. Jerry Brown’s compromise tax hike plan, down from 59% in May, according to a new University of California Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences/Los Angeles Times poll. The poll found that 36% of voters said they oppose the measure, listed as Proposition 30 on the November ballot. Meanwhile, 34% of registered voters said they support a rival tax hike plan from attorney Molly Munger, listed as Proposition 38 on the ballot. Munger said that she believes her campaign for Prop. 38 ultimately will sway voters, despite being behind in the polls. Los Angeles Times, Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert.”