Latest California Healthline Stories
‘Dr. Google’ Meets Its Match: Dr. ChatGPT
With the rise of generative AI, people who once turned to “Dr. Google” to check on medical symptoms are now turning to chatbots. Researchers say the bots are often more accurate, but urge caution in the absence of any regulations.
Journalists Discuss Dangerous but Little-Known Disease, Heat Deaths, and Doctor License Fees
California Healthline ethnic media editor Paula Andalo appeared on Radio Bilingüe to explain why doctors want more done to combat Chagas disease. Contributor Stephanie O’Neill Patison reported an increase in heat-related deaths and a proposal to increase doctors’ licensing fees.
Hollywood’s A-List Health Insurance Is Jeopardized by the Labor Strikes
Hollywood actors and writers who qualify for their union health plans get a very good deal compared with other Americans. But not working during the strike threatens their eligibility in the system.
Californians Headed to HBCUs in the South Prepare for College Under Abortion Bans
As high school graduates prepare to leave states like California that protect abortion rights for historically Black colleges in states where abortion is banned, they’re getting ready to safeguard their reproductive health during college.
California Offers Lifeline to 17 Hospitals, Including up to $52 Million for Madera
California’s new lending program for distressed hospitals will provide Madera Community Hospital with interest-free loans of up to $52 million if it can agree on a viable reopening plan with Adventist Health. The state will offer an additional $240.5 million in interest-free loans to 16 other troubled hospitals.
California’s Medical Board Can’t Pay Its Bills, but Doctors Resist Proposed Fixes
Patient advocates have long alleged the Medical Board of California is ineffective at policing doctors. But a proposal to beef up its budget and overhaul procedures faces stiff resistance from the doctors’ lobby.
Mentioning Suicide in Obits Was Once Taboo. Changing That Can Help Loved Ones Grieve.
Mental health is being talked about more openly than ever, but the word “suicide” has remained largely taboo when describing how someone died. See why that’s slowly changing, what it means for people who grieve those deaths, and how candor can help prevent additional suicides.
Doctors Advocate Fresh Efforts to Combat Chagas Disease, a Silent Killer
Chagas disease, caused by a parasite, affects people primarily in rural Latin America. But an estimated 300,000 residents of the U.S. have the disease, which can cause serious heart problems. Patient advocates call for much more aggressive efforts to fight it.
Médicos abogan por nuevos esfuerzos para combatir al Chagas, un asesino silencioso
La enfermedad de Chagas, causada por un parásito, afecta principalmente a personas en las zonas rurales de Latinoamérica. Pero se estima que 300,000 personas en Estados Unidos viven con la enfermedad, que puede causar problemas cardíacos graves. Defensores de pacientes piden esfuerzos mucho más agresivos para combatirla.
Journalists Talk Madera Hospital Bankruptcy Woes and Savings for Covered California Enrollees
California Healthline senior correspondent Bernard J. Wolfson and Fresno Bee reporter Melissa Montalvo discuss community efforts to save a bankrupt hospital from liquidation. California Healthline contributing radio correspondent Stephanie O’Neill Patison reports how lawmakers won additional Covered California subsidies.