Latest California Healthline Stories
S.F. General Hospital Reduces Waits for Mammograms
San Francisco General Hospital has significantly reduced the wait times for women to receive a mammogram. The wait times, which breast cancer experts called disturbing, stemmed from the departure of two UCSF radiologists. UCSF now is sending fill-in radiologists to San Francisco General until the hospital finds permanent replacements. San Francisco Chronicle.
Fresno County Reduces Services, Eliminates 13 Public Health Positions
In response to projected budget pressures, Fresno County supervisors voted to eliminate 13 public health positions to save an estimated $1 million in the upcoming fiscal year. It is the fifth round of budget cuts that the county Department of Public Health has undergone since October. Fresno Bee.
Insurance Industry Offers More Concessions as Reform Talks Heat Up
The head of the trade group America’s Health Insurance Plans told lawmakers that insurers would accept greater government regulation and stop charging women higher premiums than men. The concessions are widely viewed as an effort to counter calls for a government-run health plan. AP/Chicago Tribune et al.
New Report Shows Ongoing Rise in Health Care Spending
An annual report from the California HealthCare Foundation indicates that health care costs increased by 6.1% in 2007, the smallest increase since 1998. That said, the increase still was greater than inflation. HealthLeaders Media.
Legislation Calls for New Federal Office To Work on Health Care Quality
Sen. Jay Rockefeller put forward a bill that would give the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality more power and create a new federal body to coordinate efforts aimed at improving the quality of health care in federal programs. Politico.
Newsom Tapped To Lead Mayors’ Health Reform Group
Citing his work on the Healthy San Francisco program, the U.S. Conference of Mayors has turned to San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom to lead its Mayors Task Force on Health Care Reform. Newsom is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2010. San Francisco Business Times.
State Report Gives Kaiser Call Centers Green Light to Continue
Kaiser Permanente call centers can continue operations as normal now that a Department of Managed Health Care investigation has determined that Kaiser Permanente is not letting unlicensed staff dole out medical advice. A call center nurse had filed a complaint alleging that the unlicensed staff could hinder Kaiser members’ access to care. Sacramento Bee.
San Francisco-Area Hospitals Begin To Eliminate Jobs
San Francisco-area hospitals are beginning to cut jobs, but at a slower rate than other industries. UC-San Francisco Medical Center plans to cut about 24 jobs out of about 6,000 full-time positions, according to CEO Mark Laret. Meanwhile, California Pacific Medical Center last week announced that it plans to eliminate 200 jobs, most of them non-clinical. San Francisco Business Times.
Santa Clara County Sees Increase in ED Patients
The number of patients seeking care at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center’s emergency department has increased by about 10% since October, increasing pressure on Santa Clara County’s health care safety net. The jump in patients often leads to overcrowding in the facility’s 24-bed ED. San Jose Mercury News.
Education Department Rules on Medical Care for Students
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights ruled that the Clovis Unified School District is responsible for providing medical services for students. The ruling, made public in April, adds that the district must cover expenses of parents who occasionally must accompany their children on overnight school trips. Fresno Bee.