Latest California Healthline Stories
Fresno’s Four Major Hospitals Generate $625M Per Year for Local Economy, Report Finds
The Fresno area’s four major hospitals generate $625 million annually for the local economy, supporting industries such as construction and retail, according to a recent report, the Fresno Bee reports.
San Francisco Business Times Examines Physician Exodus from Managed Care Networks
The San Francisco Business Times this week looks at the increasing number of physicians who are refusing to accept new patients with managed care coverage and how that trend will affect the already “fractured health care system.”
Blue Cross of California, Scripps Clinic End Contract Because of Reimbursement Dispute
Blue Cross of California on Jan. 1 plans to end its HMO and point-of-service contracts with Scripps Clinic in San Diego County because the insurer could not reach an agreement with the medical groups over reimbursements, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Whooping Cough Cases in Orange County, Other Parts of Southern California on the Rise
The number of whooping cough cases in Orange County is “up sharply” this year, with 96 cases through Nov. 29, compared to 15 cases in the same period last year, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Many California Children Overweight, Unfit, Study Finds
More than 25% of California children are overweight and about 40% are not physically fit, according to a statewide study of fifth-, seventh- and ninth-graders, the Los Angeles Times reports.
FDA Commissioner McClellan To Improve Enforcement of Rx Drug Ad Rules
New FDA Commissioner Dr. Mark McClellan yesterday said he plans to increase enforcement of federal regulations against “deceptive” pharmaceutical advertisements, the New York Times reports.
GAO Expands Investigation of HHS Inspector General Rehnquist
The investigation of HHS Inspector General Janet Rehnquist beyond its initial focus on “widespread” personnel changes within the office, the Washington Post reports.
Los Angeles County Supervisors Order ‘Corrective Action Plan’ for King-Drew Medical Center
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday ordered the county Department of Health Services to prepare a “corrective action plan” by Jan. 7 to “ensure the maintenance” of graduate education and residency programs at Martin Luther King-Drew Medical Center, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Doctors, Public Disagree on Medical Error Causes, Solutions, Survey Finds
While 35% of doctors and 42% of patients say they or a family member have experienced a preventable medical error, physicians and the public disagree on the causes of medical errors and what should be done when such mistakes occur, according to a new survey, the Washington Post reports.
Los Angeles Times Examines Tenet’s ‘Aggressive Corporate Culture’
The Los Angeles Times today examines Tenet Healthcare’s business model, which may have encouraged its hospitals to “practice more aggressive medicine,” leading to federal investigations into the company’s practices.