Latest California Healthline Stories
UC-Merced, UC-Davis Collaborate on New Virtual Physical Therapy Software
A new version of a gaming system being used for health care applications in the Central Valley may motivate patients, cut costs and deliver efficient care in hard-to-reach situations.
Accelerated Medical School Proposal Could Yield More Physicians, Less Debt
A new Assembly bill proposes a three-year curriculum at California medical schools — a shorter track that could help students by lowering loan debt and help the state by producing physicians faster.
Ruling in Physician Whistle-Blower Case Could Have Far-Reaching Consequences
The California Supreme Court’s ruling upholding a physician’s right to file a whistle-blower lawsuit before exhausting the peer-review process could alter hospital-physician relationships in California, according to some observers.
Obamacare Payment Pilots Are Struggling To Prove They Work. Here’s Why It’s OK.
To slow health spending, the federal government, dozens of payers and thousands of providers are spending time — and money — on pilots that ultimately may not lead anywhere. And that’s OK, experts say.
Central Valley Project To Improve Health Costs, Outcomes Appears To Be Paying Off
A collaboration among the Fresno Unified School District, a primary care physician group and the California Academy of Family Physicians is producing healthier employees and big savings, according to first-year tallies.
New Stewardship Responsibilities, Costs Proposed for Drug, Needle Manufacturers
Dealing with medical waste — unused drugs and used needles and syringes — is generating new policy questions in California: Whose responsibility is it and who pays?
California Works To Help Small Businesses Navigate State Exchange
Rep. Ami Bera from Sacramento County, David Chase of the Small Business Majority, San Francisco business owner Virginia Donohue and Anne Gonzales of Covered California spoke with California Healthline about the growth and benefits for small businesses to enroll in the state’s health benefit exchange.
Los Angeles, Orange Counties Grapple With Shortage of Nursing Instructors
Attracting faculty at nursing schools is a challenge for some schools in Southern California, according to stakeholders. With nursing faculty members in short supply, experts worry that the number of new nurses will not be enough to meet growing demand.
When Health Plans Drop Your Doctor: Are Narrow Networks a Bad Idea?
Many health plans on Covered California and other insurance exchanges exclude some prominent doctors and hospitals. The trade-off — less access for lower prices — has raised concerns and even spurred lawsuits, but experts say it’s the likely direction for the nation’s health system.
Building a New Health Care Workforce
An Assembly committee last week staged a hearing on statewide health care workforce shortages in Bakersfield, where providers are especially scarce, according to legislators.