Latest California Healthline Stories
Direct Hiring, Physical Therapist Issue Head CMA List
During the California Medical Association’s 37th Annual Legislative Leadership Conference this week in Sacramento, the organization outlined some of the legislation it would fight for this year — and legislation it would fight against.
“Sometimes it feels like Groundhog Day around here,” CMA legislative analyst Jodi Hicks said. “Every year, it seems, we have this discussion about a plan to have some kind of direct hiring of physicians, and what that should look like.”
Last year, three different bills were proposed on the issue. Two new bills have been proposed this year to allow direct hiring of physicians by hospitals, in an effort to increase the number of primary care physicians working in rural and underserved areas in California.
New Bill Would Take Over MRMIP Money
The legislative season has begun, with dozens of bills moving through committees this week.
The Senate Health Committee this week approved a measure designed to increase the number of physicians, nurses and allied health professionals in California — just when demand for those jobs may be at its highest point.
“SB 635 would direct money that is currently going to MRMIP (Major Risk Medical Insurance Program), which is being phased out by national health care reforms,” according to Senate member Ed Hernandez (D-Los Angeles), author of the bill and head of the Health Committee. “The money funding MRMIP can be spent now on the vital job of increasing the health care work force in California.”
Regional Meetings Focus on Work Force Shortages
By the time the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development completes a series of regional focus groups, it should have a good handle on creating a robust health care work force. The 10th meeting is scheduled this week in Ontario.
Regional leaders have been charged with offering suggestions on training, recruiting and retaining quality health care workers, while buttressing the impact of reform.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is bolstering efforts to increase the work force through a variety of provisions addressing the primary care system.
Concierge Medicine Growing in L.A., Orange Counties
Proponents of concierge medicine compare it to buying a first-class seat instead of economy on airplanes. Critics say new, direct models of payment growing in popularity in Southern California widen the gap between the haves and have-nots.
California Colleges, Universities Mulling Ways To Expand Role of Nurses in Primary Care
Bonnie Castillo of the California Nurses Association, John Rowe of Columbia University’s School of Public Health and Heather Young of the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC-Davis spoke with California Healthline about the future of nursing.
Will Assembly Bill Help or Hurt Physical Therapists?
Paul Gaspar is pretty upset.
A physical therapist in the San Diego area and a board member of the California Physical Therapists Association, Gaspar said a bill recently introduced in the Assembly threatens the livelihood of many physical therapists in California.
He said it would promote over-utilization of physical therapy, increase costs and lower quality of care.
Will S.F. Paid Sick Leave Ordinance Spread to Rest of State?
A bill by Assembly member Fiona Ma proposes a statewide version of San Francisco’s city ordinance requiring employers to provide paid sick leave for workers. A new report says the San Francisco ordinance is keeping people healthier and costs down.
States Hurting, But Outlook Still Bright
Economist James Glassman knew it sounded funny. While he was speaking at the annual Health Care Forecast Conference at UC Irvine last week, the California Legislature was in the process of cutting another $12 billion out of its budget — half of that from health-related programs.
But the current bad news in health care and gloomy economic prognostications will not continue, he said.
“In my mind,” Glassman said, “you have to balance what you’re hearing with what’s happening in the market. If it really was so dire, for instance, the bond market would be a disaster.”
How Hospital Transformed Care Model in Tough Economy
Despite low funding and high demand, some public hospitals are not only surviving, but thriving. One county hospital says its success lies in reshaping itself and its image using principles embodied in its Innovative Care Center.
Biomedical Jobs No. 1 in San Diego Health Care Work Force
The recession has brought mixed results for the various sectors of San Diego’s health care labor market. The biomedical industry saw job gains in 2009, while hospitals consolidated or froze jobs. Although nursing graduates are struggling to find work in the region now, hospital officials predict future shortages of nurses and allied health professionals.