Latest California Healthline Stories
Effort To Standardize U.S. Hospitals’ Use of Color-Coded Wristbands on Patients Underway
Jan Emerson of the California Hospital Association, Beth Feldpush of the American Hospital Association and Niraj Sehgal of UC-San Francisco spoke with California Healthline about the pros and cons of the project.
California Lobbies CMS Over Changes in Family Planning Program
Family planning advocates say federally ordered changes in California’s Family Planning, Access, Care and Treatment program will harm patients and cost the state and federal governments more money in the process.
Robotic Telemetry Expands Patient Care Options for Small Hospitals Throughout California
Jim Gude, an intensive care physician in Northern California, Ben Kanter of Pomerado Hospital in Escondido, Valerie Takes of Palm Drive Hospital in Sebastopol and Yulun Wang of InTouch Health discussed the trend with California Healthline.
California Falls Far Short of Federal Guidelines for Nurse-to-Student Ratios in Schools
Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.), Linda Davis-Alldritt of the state Department of Education, Nancy Spradling of the California School Nurses Association and Mary Jean Schumann of the American Nurses Association discussed the shortage.
Dental Advocates Fear Dentist Exodus From Denti-Cal
California dentists are increasingly questioning their involvement in Denti-Cal, the state’s dental and oral care program for Medi-Cal recipients. Lower reimbursement rates are part of the problem, but dentists say the program’s uncertainty and mountains of paperwork also are factors.
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.