Health Industry

Latest California Healthline Stories

California Officials Advance Efforts To Rein In Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing Firms

Bonnie Sorensen of the Department of Public Health, Linda Avey, co-founder of a genetic testing company, Gail Javitt of Johns Hopkins University and Matthew Daynard of the Federal Trade Commission discuss genetic testing for consumers.

California Lacks Health Professionals Other Than Doctors, Nurses

A new survey shows that a shortage of allied health professionals barely registers on the public radar. The California State University system is gearing up to address those shortages and fill new training needs.

Tobacco Foes in California Think Globally, Act Locally

At a smoking cessation forum last week in San Francisco, tobacco foes argued for stronger anti-smoking policies, and two large California employers announced new programs to help their workers quit the habit.

New Group Represents Rural Health Clinics in California

Last week, rural health clinic officials formed a new California organization to educate and advocate on behalf of “one of the most misunderstood and overlooked pieces in the health system.” State officials say they are ready to work with the group.

Governor’s Proposed Cuts May Hurt Entire System, Not Just Medi-Cal, Experts Fear

Officials for groups representing physicians and hospitals, and an advocate from the Western Center on Law and Poverty predict that Gov. Schwarzenegger’s proposed Medi-Cal cuts will have a negative impact on the state’s overall health care system.

California Lawmakers Take a Stab at Legislating Healthy Habits

An Assembly bill that would require companies bidding on California state contracts to provide wellness benefits for employees fits in with a national trend of state legislatures encouraging healthy habits.

End-of-Life Care a Pressing Issue as Baby Boomers Age

As society’s approach to end-of-life issues changes, California health care officials and lawmakers are responding with new ways to help society confront mortality. California is one of the first states pursuing a new effort to offer curative and hospice care simultaneously to terminally ill children.

Aging Population Could Push Major Changes to Health Care

An Institute of Medicine report released last week called for major changes in the health care system to meet the needs of an aging population. One of the report’s authors said changes could be of the same scale as those that came out of the emergence of HIV/AIDS.