Latest California Healthline Stories
Hospitals in Calif., Other States Make Progress on Safety, Care Quality
A recently released Leapfrog Group survey of hospitals in California and other states finds that 71% have met early elective delivery standards, 43% have adopted approved computerized physician order entry systems and 41% of intensive care units complied with the group’s standards for decreasing mortality. FierceHealthcare, Leapfrog survey.
On Tuesday, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 6-4 to place a measure on the November ballot that would implement a 2-cent-per-ounce tax on sugary drinks. A recently released report by the city’s Chief Economist Ted Egan said that the tax would likely raise soda prices by 23% to 36% and would encourage residents to purchase less soda, which could improve public health.
Marin Melanoma Rates 60% Higher Than Rest of California
Melanoma rates in Marin County are 43% higher than other San Francisco Bay Area counties and 60% higher than rates in California overall, according to a report by the Cancer Prevention Institute of California. The findings were based on data in the California Cancer Registry from 1988 to 2011. San Francisco Chronicle.
More Than 50% of Sacramento-Area Providers Work for Practices Affiliated With Large Health Systems
Fifty-two percent of doctors in the greater Sacramento region work for medical groups affiliated with large health care systems, such as Dignity Health, Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health or UC-Davis Health System, according to new research. In 2004, 39% of doctors in the area worked at such practices. Sacramento Business Journal.
U.S. HIV Diagnosis Rates Fell 33% From 2002 to 2011
The annual rate of new HIV diagnoses in the U.S. fell by about 33% between 2002 and 2011, according to a new report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The researchers found that the rate fell from 24.1 diagnoses per 100,000 people in 2002 to 16.1 diagnoses per 100,000 people in 2011, which is about a 4% drop per year. Reuters.
Irvine-Based Drugmaker Allergen Will Cut 13% of Workers
On Monday, Irvine-based drugmaker Allergen announced plans to reduce its research efforts and cut about 1,500 employees, or 13% of its workforce. The company said the cuts will result in about $475 million in pretax savings in 2015. AP/U-T San Diego, Wall Street Journal.
Appeals Court Strikes Down ACA Subsidies for Federal Exchanges
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in a 2-1 decision has ruled that federal subsidies for individuals who purchase coverage through the Affordable Care Act’s federal health insurance exchange are illegal. The ruling could mean that millions of U.S. residents will not receive subsidies to offset the cost of coverage. Washington Post.
Nearly 5,400 Whooping Cough Cases Reported in California
The California Department of Public Health has declared a whooping cough epidemic in the state, with about 5,400 cases reported in 2014. The highest rates of the disease have been reported in Marin, Napa and Sonoma counties, and 90% of cases occurred in individuals under age 18. Los Angeles Examiner et al.
VA Secretary Nominee To Go Before Senate; VA Reform Bill Stalls
President Obama’s nominee for Department of Veterans Affairs secretary, Robert McDonald, is scheduled to appear before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee today. Meanwhile, progress on a bill to address wait times at VA medical centers has stalled while lawmakers debate how the measure will be funded. AP/San Francisco Chronicle et al.
Calif. Medical Prison Resumes Admissions After Six-Month Hiatus
The California Health Care Facility, the nation’s largest medical prison facility, resumed admissions yesterday after being shut down because of unsanitary conditions and inadequate care. The federal official in charge of prison medical care said that supplies, staff and training at the facility have all increased. Stockton Record et al.