Latest California Healthline Stories
Box’s Image Sharing Solution Approved By FDA
Now, with the Food and Drug Administration-approved DICOM Viewer, someone from a hospital in Los Angeles could potentially get images like X-rays from someone on the East Coast, the company says.
Blue Shield Of California Lays Off 460
Of the jobs being cut, 152 “are being refilled to best implement our strategy,” the company said.
Legislature Approves Health Plan Tax Package
The bills, which will go to Gov. Jerry Brown for his signature, close a $1.1 billion gap in the Medi-Cal budget and increase funding for agencies that serve people with developmental disabilities.
Poll: Americans Rate Own Care High, But Are Less Satisfied With Health System As A Whole
Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, says the system’s built-in processes — filling out forms, dealing with co-pays, running from one specialist to the next — are what people find difficult, even if they rate the quality of care they are receiving as high. In other national news, insurance firms’ losses raise concerns over the viability of health law marketplaces, The New York Times looks at the effort to revive H.M.O.s, the administration’s concerns grow over a ruling on federal agency vacancies, and a top pharmaceutical lobbyist faces the heat.
All Eyes On Kennedy As Both Sides Gear Up For Oral Arguments In Texas Abortion Case
Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, which will be heard on Wednesday, concerns a Texas law that requires doctors who perform abortions to obtain admitting privileges at nearby hospitals and requiring clinics to meet the standards of ambulatory surgical centers. Supporters of the regulations say they protect women’s health, while opponents contend they are aimed at limiting abortion access.
Small Group Of Sonoma Foster Families Trained To Take On Substance-Exposed Newborns
Of the 68 licensed foster homes in Sonoma County, only nine have the specialized training to look after these infants. In other news, hundreds of walkers gathered on Sunday for an event to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s, and the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology receives a $5 million grant from Pfizer.
Murder Charges Could Jolt California’s Drug And Rehab Industry
A drug and alcohol rehabilitation center has been indicted on murder charges following the death of a man who sought help with a drinking problem. Deputy Atty. Gen. Joel Samuels argued that the company, in its drive for profits, accepted a client it was not prepared to care for. In other news, two Glendale men are convicted of laundering $1 million generated from fraudulent billings to Medicare.
Mental Competency Cases In LA County Surged Nearly 50 Percent Last Year
Officials do not know what is driving the increase. Defense attorneys who believe their clients are too mentally ill to stand trial can request a competency hearing. In other public health news, media outlets report on the benefit of HIV testing at California prisons and the lack of heart disease awareness among women.
First Of New Generation ‘Gamma Knife’ To Target Brain Tumors Installed At Sutter Health
The 21-ton machine is able to more precisely and quickly use radiation beams than earlier models. Sutter spent $5 million on the equipment and $2 million to build a bunker for it at its Sacramento campus. In other cancer news, Vice President Joe Biden discusses the “moonshot” initiative in the Bay area.
Second Pregnant Woman In Los Angeles Infected With Zika
She contracted the virus while traveling outside of the country. Overall, nine pregnant women in the U.S. have Zika, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms.