Latest California Healthline Stories
Public Health Campaign In Sacramento Focuses On Police Shootings And Violence
The California Endowment funded a billboard that calls attention to issues facing communities of color. Leaders at the foundation said that the fact people of certain demographics are more likely to face and be victims of violence is a public health issue.
Familiar Double Helix DNA Strands Aren’t The Only Ones That Show Up In Human Cells
Scientists have found DNA structures that more resemble a tangled knot — and they seem like they may be fairly common in cells.
Reimbursement Rates To Independent Pharmacists Are Within Industry Norms, Medi-Cal Commissioners Say
The battle in Ventura County over reimbursement rates has been raging for months, with the pharmacists saying the current rates will eventually force many out of business.
San Diego’s Sharp Hospital Receives Fourth-Straight ‘A’ From Safety Report As Others’ Scores Falter
UC San Diego Health’s Hillcrest and La Jolla hospitals both got Cs after receiving As just one year ago. The safety grades for Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla and Scripps Green Hospital in Torrey Pines both fell from A to B.
Nurses Ratify New 5-Year Contract With Kaiser Permanente That Includes Annual Wage Increases
Kaiser also agreed to hire 150 registered nurses to ensure proper staffing as the company integrates a new computerized patient classification system.
California Must Move Toward Single Payer To Avoid Fiscal Emergency, Gubernatorial Candidate Says
The issue of whether California should move toward a single-payer health system is proving to be a litmus test for candidates in the gubernatorial race. While some support it despite what they say are its flaws, others blast it as costly and unrealistic.
VA Nominee Working Hard Behind Scenes To Quell Senators’ Skepticism Before Hearing
While Dr. Ronny Jackson is well liked by many, there are lawmakers who question his lack of managerial experience. “He’s got a great bedside manner you feel comfortable with,” says Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio). “But it doesn’t mean he will be a good leader of the VA.”
San Diego County Jail Slashes Opioid Prescription Rates
The jail has seen a 98 percent drop from the beginning of 2013, when nearly 1,000 inmates were prescribed more than 77,000 narcotic painkiller pills. But officials also say they’re seeing an uptick in attempts to smuggle heroin in to prisoners.
Patients With Eating Disorders Crying Out For Help, But In Bakersfield Services Are Scarce
Residents are having to go to different parts of the state to get comprehensive services. In other public health news: wildfires and heart attacks; decoding a baby’s DNA; driving while under the influence; and STD testing.
Audit Recommends Single Entity To Oversee California’s Homelessness Crisis
The state audit said a 2016 state law that created the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council was a good start in providing oversight, but it has no permanent staff.