Latest California Healthline Stories
Public Health Officials Urge Vaccinations as Some Childhood Diseases Rebound
Vaccine and epidemiology experts spoke with California Healthline about efforts to raise vaccinations rates. Some public health experts worry that skipped vaccines could lead to a resurgence of measles or other diseases.
Assembly Bills Target Emergency Preparedness, Rent Increases at Assisted-Living Facilities
Assembly members Karen Bass and Lois Wolk, and a spokesperson from the Campaign to Improve Assisted Living spoke with California Healthline about regulation of the assisted-living industry.
Officials Grapple With Physician Substance Abuse as State Diversion Program Nears End
Officials from the Medical Board of California, the Department of Medical Affairs and the California Society of Addiction spoke with California Healthline about drug treatment programs for physicians.
Retail Clinics Catering to Uninsured Hispanics
Some health care advocates question whether retail clinics offer patients comprehensive care, but operators of such clinics say they are providing services that are otherwise inaccessible to some patients.
SPECIAL AUDIO REPORT: Government, Health IT Strengthen Pay-for-Performance Programs
Medicare involvement would bring “a huge amount of energy and focus to performance measurement,” according to Tom Williams, executive director of the Integrated Health Association. Audio.
Kaiser Transplant Program Could Spur More Oversight
The collapse of an organ-transplant program last month at the largest and one of the most highly regarded HMOs in the country is sending ripples of worry through the health care community.
State Oversight of Nursing Homes Draws Criticism
California and the federal government are investigating whether the state agency charged with regulating nursing homes is doing the job adequately. At a time when the state’s elderly population is poised to increase substantially, some advocates are wondering whether the state is prepared for the demographic change.
California Pay-for-Performance Programs Draws National Attention
As outcomes of a pay-for-performance program in California are reviewed this week, CMS and other groups consider the program as a model for similar efforts across the U.S.
Report Compares Confidentiality of Electronic, Paper-Based Records
In an effort to contextualize concerns about the confidentiality of electronic health records, the National Alliance for Health Information Technology this month published a report that compares the security of paper and electronic medical records.
Health Care Costs, Expanding Coverage Expected To Figure in 2006 Legislative Session
Some people are expecting a changed dynamic between Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) and the Legislature in 2006, raising questions about what to expect in health policy this year.