Health – Dominican Today

Former Health Minister Wilfredo Hidalgo accused of embezzling over 300 million pesos

Santo Domingo.- The Public Prosecutor’s Office has presented a report from the Comptroller General of the Republic as evidence in the Second Collegiate Court of the National District, highlighting irregularities in payments exceeding 310 million pesos related to purchasing processes during Wilfredo (Freddy) Hidalgo Núñez’s time as Minister of Public Health in 2013.

Santo Domingo.- The Public Prosecutor’s Office has presented a report from the Comptroller General of the Republic as evidence in the Second Collegiate Court of the National District, highlighting irregularities in payments exceeding 310 million pesos related to purchasing processes during Wilfredo (Freddy) Hidalgo Núñez’s time as Minister of Public Health in 2013. Hidalgo is accused of being part of a corruption scheme that misappropriated over 4,500 million pesos, uncovered during Operation Pulpo.

Prosecutor Ernesto Guzmán Alberto indicated that Hidalgo improperly requested payment exemptions from the then-Comptroller General, Rafael Germosén. Auditor Amisael Félix Vicioso testified that the payment releases lacked the required signatures and did not comply with Law 340-06 on Purchases and Contracts. Irregularities included a lack of public bidding, improper timing of purchase authorizations, and no formal contracts for the transactions.

Witnesses, including auditors Rosa Iris Fanis and Carmen Magalys Baltazar Carpio, noted significant legal violations in the purchasing processes. The court has scheduled the next hearing for October 7, where the defense will continue cross-examining the witnesses.

9 months 1 week ago

Health, Local

PAHO/WHO | Pan American Health Organization

Telehealth key to accelerating equitable access to health in the Americas

Telehealth key to accelerating equitable access to health in the Americas

Cristina Mitchell

3 Oct 2024

Telehealth key to accelerating equitable access to health in the Americas

Cristina Mitchell

3 Oct 2024

9 months 1 week ago

PAHO/WHO | Pan American Health Organization

PAHO Member States approve strategy to enhance early detection of health threats

PAHO Member States approve strategy to enhance early detection of health threats

Cristina Mitchell

3 Oct 2024

PAHO Member States approve strategy to enhance early detection of health threats

Cristina Mitchell

3 Oct 2024

9 months 1 week ago

Health Archives - Barbados Today

Preparations ramp up ahead of Walk for the Cure

Activity surrounding the largest walk-for-a-cause in the Eastern Caribbean is intensifying, as plans are confirmed for the Walk for the Cure.

 

Activity surrounding the largest walk-for-a-cause in the Eastern Caribbean is intensifying, as plans are confirmed for the Walk for the Cure.

 

Interest is high from corporate sponsors and their staff who are ready to take part in the walk, as well as the numerous vendors who will be on hand for the expected 20 000 people who will be either walking or running for the Breast Screening Programme of the Barbados Cancer Society.

 

Many of the sponsors and vendors were on hand for a recent site visit to see where they would physically set up their tents and banners and also get a final briefing on the route which starts at Warrens again this year.

(PR)

The post Preparations ramp up ahead of Walk for the Cure appeared first on Barbados Today.

9 months 1 week ago

Health, Local News

PAHO/WHO | Pan American Health Organization

Countries of the Americas agree to improve integrated surgical, intensive, and emergency care

Countries of the Americas agree to improve integrated surgical, intensive, and emergency care

Cristina Mitchell

3 Oct 2024

Countries of the Americas agree to improve integrated surgical, intensive, and emergency care

Cristina Mitchell

3 Oct 2024

9 months 1 week ago

STAT

STAT+: Ron Renaud, biotech’s serial CEO, is ready for a new assignment — and maybe another deal?

This story first appeared in Adam’s Biotech Scorecard, a subscriber-only newsletter. STAT+ subscribers can sign up here to get it delivered to their inbox.

This story first appeared in Adam’s Biotech Scorecard, a subscriber-only newsletter. STAT+ subscribers can sign up here to get it delivered to their inbox.

When it comes to delivering shareholder value through M&A, Ron Renaud is a biotech investor’s best friend. Over the last 10 years, all three of the companies he has helmed were sold to Big Pharma for a combined $16 billion. 

With that track record — and the financial windfall it brings — no one would have begrudged Renaud, 55, had he desired to spend more time with his Cape Cod fishing buddies. But he can’t quit biotech. Weeks after overseeing the close of Cerevel Therapeutics’s $8.7 billion acquisition by AbbVie, Renaud is back as CEO of Kailera Therapeutics, a newly formed company with a pipeline of weight loss drug candidates.

Continue to STAT+ to read the full story…

9 months 1 week ago

Adam's Take, Biotech, biotechnology, Obesity, STAT+

Health News Today on Fox News

Johnny Depp visits children’s hospital dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow in ‘magical moment’

An impromptu visit from Captain Jack Sparrow was a surprise treasure for some young cancer patients.

Actor Johnny Depp, who was in Spain for the San Sebastian Film Festival, dressed as the famous character from the popular "Pirates of the Caribbean" film series and dropped into the Osakidetza Donostia University Hospital.

Depp visited the pediatric and oncology wards, where he interacted with the delighted children and their families.

CHILDREN ONCE HELD HOSTAGE STILL WORKING THROUGH TRAUMA: 'ARE THEY COMING FOR US AGAIN?'

A spokesperson from the hospital described the actor’s visit as "exciting, endearing and unforgettable."

"Both the children admitted to the hospital and their families and professionals who were working at that time welcomed him with great enthusiasm and affection," the spokesperson said. 

"In a situation of illness, anyone, but especially children, greatly appreciates a distraction of this magnitude. It was a breath of fresh air, a magical moment in which they forgot about their illness and were transported to the magical world of pirates."

The entire hospital team, the admitted children and their families are all "enormously grateful" for Depp’s visit, the spokesperson said. 

"It has been a pleasure and an honor to have Jack Sparrow with us, a great pirate."

Harpreet Pall, MD, chair of pediatrics at K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, confirmed that a celebrity role model visiting a children’s hospital can have a "meaningful impact" on the patients’ emotional health.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

"Some of the psychological benefits include improved self-esteem and confidence, distraction from illness, improved optimism and a morale boost," Pall told Fox News Digital. 

"A celebrity visit can create excitement and decrease some of the stress of being in the hospital."

The visit can also increase children’s engagement with their health care team, the doctor said, leading to better adherence to the treatment plan. 

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

Pall added, "In addition, having a positive outlook and social interaction promotes healing for hospitalized children."

9 months 1 week ago

Health, childrens-health, lifestyle, health-care, johnny-depp, good-news

Health – Dominican Today

3rd Latin American Digital Health Congress gains strong public and private support

Santo Domingo.- The event, organized by Arium Salud Digital and the Communication and Public Relations firm AF Comunicación Estratégica, will feature participation and support from various public and private institutions.

Santo Domingo.- The event, organized by Arium Salud Digital and the Communication and Public Relations firm AF Comunicación Estratégica, will feature participation and support from various public and private institutions.

The third edition of the Latin American Digital Health Congress, titled “Creating the Health of the Future,” will take place on October 9 and 10 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Santo Domingo. This event has received significant backing from stakeholders in the health sector’s digital transformation.

The Ministry of Public Health, Seguros Reservas, Inmotion, Koneksi, TCA, Madih, Farmaconal, Amadita Clinical Laboratory, Hospital Metropolitano de Santiago (HOMS), Humano Seguros, Unión Médica del Norte, Referencia Clinical Laboratory, and CEMDOE are among the sponsors of this edition of the congress.

Additionally, SKYTEL, IntraCare, Global Medica, General Hospital of Plaza de la Salud, Rehabilitation, UNITRADE, Grupo SID, Wellmed, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Médico Express, Mallen, Fortinet, Farmacia Carol, MAPFRE, CEDIMAT, ARS Futuro, INTCOMEX, and New York Presbyterian are supporting the event.

Regarding the support received, Fedor Vidal, CEO of Arium Salud Digital, stated that thanks to events of this magnitude, the Dominican Republic is taking a step forward in contributing to the digitalization of the health sector. The event will provide data on learnings and best practices, showing where the country stands compared to others, what needs improvement, and, most importantly, where it is heading as a nation.

Similarly, Amelia Reyes Mora, president of AF Comunicación Estratégica, highlighted the importance of the media in promoting and broadening the reach of this prestigious event, expressing gratitude to those who have joined the effort, such as: Listín Diario, Resumen de Salud, Medihealth, Technology, Revista Contacto, Factor de Éxito, Diario de Salud, RCC Media, Dia 91 FM, Dominican Today, and Revista GBLAM.

Thanks to the prestige gained in its previous two editions, the event will also have the endorsement of the Dominican Association of Health Tourism (ADTS), the American Chamber of Commerce of the Dominican Republic (AMCHAMDR), Cámara TIC, the Dominican Institute for Quality (INDOCAL), Iberoamerican University (UNIBE), the Digital Agenda 2030, and the Dominican Health Association, ASADI.

The 3rd Latin American Digital Health Congress will be a platform where experts will discuss the challenges and future of the health industry, and the impact of digital transformation and artificial intelligence.

For more information and registration, visit congresosaluddigital.com or call 809-563-2663.

9 months 1 week ago

Health, Local, Latin American Digital Health Congress

PAHO/WHO | Pan American Health Organization

Health ministers agree on new policy to strengthen long-term care in the Region

Health ministers agree on new policy to strengthen long-term care in the Region

Cristina Mitchell

2 Oct 2024

Health ministers agree on new policy to strengthen long-term care in the Region

Cristina Mitchell

2 Oct 2024

9 months 1 week ago

PAHO/WHO | Pan American Health Organization

Health ministers agree on new strategy to strengthen information systems for health

Health ministers agree on new strategy to strengthen information systems for health

Cristina Mitchell

2 Oct 2024

Health ministers agree on new strategy to strengthen information systems for health

Cristina Mitchell

2 Oct 2024

9 months 1 week ago

PAHO/WHO | Pan American Health Organization

PAHO presents roadmap for a new strategic plan 2026-2031

PAHO presents roadmap for a new strategic plan 2026-2031

Cristina Mitchell

2 Oct 2024

PAHO presents roadmap for a new strategic plan 2026-2031

Cristina Mitchell

2 Oct 2024

9 months 1 week ago

PAHO/WHO | Pan American Health Organization

Accelerating access to HPV vaccination, screening and ablative treatment of lesions key to addressing cervical cancer in the Americas, PAHO Director says

Accelerating access to HPV vaccination, screening and ablative treatment of lesions key to addressing cervical cancer in the Americas, PAHO Director says

Cristina Mitchell

2 Oct 2024

Accelerating access to HPV vaccination, screening and ablative treatment of lesions key to addressing cervical cancer in the Americas, PAHO Director says

Cristina Mitchell

2 Oct 2024

9 months 1 week ago

Health News Today on Fox News

Hurricane flooding: 3 health warnings about mold growing in your home

The aftermath of Hurricane Helene has brought severe flooding to the southeast.

With excess water in the home, there’s an increased risk of mold growth, which can lead to serious health risks.

The aftermath of Hurricane Helene has brought severe flooding to the southeast.

With excess water in the home, there’s an increased risk of mold growth, which can lead to serious health risks.

As Hurricane Milton heads toward Florida, experts are once again issuing warnings about the dangers of mold exposure.

HURRICANE EFFECTS POSE ‘TREMENDOUS’ HEALTH HAZARDS FOR AMERICANS, DOCTOR WARNS

Mold in your home can look like multicolored spots and can smell musty, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In an appearance on "Fox & Friends," Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel noted that wet walls can lead to mold that might not always be visible.

Siegel called out two "very serious molds" that he’s most worried about: black mold and aspergillus.

FOLLOW THESE STEPS IF YOU'VE FOUND BLACK MOLD IN YOUR HOME TO KEEP YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY SAFE

Black mold can appear as black or dark green splotches, Siegel detailed.

Aspergillus is invasive and can cause aspergillosis, an infection that's usually respiratory, according to Mayo Clinic.

Mold can cause a variety of symptoms, such as stuffy nose, sore throat, coughing, wheezing, burning eyes and skin rash.

Both black mold and Aspergillus can provoke allergy symptoms and infections, as well as conditions like hypersensitivity pneumonitis, an allergic reaction that causes inflammation in the lungs, according to Siegel.

‘SMART MASK’ COULD DETECT ASTHMA, COPD AND OTHER MEDICAL CONDITIONS, RESEARCHERS SAY

Mold can also trigger breathing conditions like emphysema or asthma, the doctor added.

"I’m worried about people who are immunocompromised and have chronic illnesses," he said.

"It can be fatal if you’re immunocompromised or if you’ve had a transplant — you can get a severe case of infection from mold."

People with conditions like chronic lung disease can develop an infection in the lungs, the CDC stated.

Mold can develop in as little as 24 hours, Cleveland Clinic experts reported in a news release.

The sooner water damage is cleared up, the less risk there is for mold to grow, according to Maeve MacMurdo, MD, a pulmonologist for Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

20 WORST PLACES TO LIVE IF YOU HAVE ASTHMA, PER MAJOR HEALTH ORGANIZATION

"Obviously, the sooner, the better, and it’s hard," she said in the release. "People are dealing with a lot, but cleaning up the water and mold remediation is a really big part of it."

For those who have regained power in their home, Siegel recommends plugging in a dehumidifier or air conditioner to dry out the space.

"Even if it’s cool outside, you want air-conditioning because you want to get rid of the humidity," he said. "The humidity is where mold grows."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

The doctor also recommends using bleach or vinegar to wipe down mold spots on walls – or hiring a professional to detect and remove mold.

"There are professional organizations that can spot the mold that’s hiding in the nooks and crannies," Siegel said.

For mold prevention, the CDC recommends keeping humidity levels at no higher than 50% in the home.

Air should "flow freely," helped by exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom, according to the same source.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

Fixing leaks in the roof, walls and plumbing will help ensure that no moisture in the home turns into mold, experts advise.

The CDC also recommends not using carpet in rooms where there is more moisture, such as bathrooms and basements, and replacing carpets and upholstery that have been soaked.

When cleaning mold spots, never mix bleach with ammonia or other cleaners, the agency warned, as this will produce a poisonous gas.

It is best practice to follow the manufacturer's instructions on the bleach container's label, open windows to provide fresh air, and wear rubber boots, gloves and goggles during cleanup, experts advise.

People with persistent symptoms should seek medical attention, MacMurdo urged. 

While the flu season will bring temporary viruses, mold symptoms will continue to linger.

9 months 1 week ago

Health, allergy, respiratory-health, hurricanes, Weather, Florida, floods, disasters, asthma, lifestyle

KFF Health News

Vance-Walz Debate Highlighted Clear Health Policy Differences

Ohio Republican Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz met in an Oct. 1 vice presidential debate hosted by CBS News that was cordial and heavy on policy discussion — a striking change from the Sept. 10 debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. 

Ohio Republican Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz met in an Oct. 1 vice presidential debate hosted by CBS News that was cordial and heavy on policy discussion — a striking change from the Sept. 10 debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. 

Vance and Walz acknowledged occasional agreement on policy points and respectfully addressed each other throughout the debate. But they were more pointed in their attacks on their rival’s running mate for challenges facing the country, including immigration and inflation.

The moderators, “CBS Evening News” anchor Norah O’Donnell and “Face the Nation” host Margaret Brennan, had said they planned to encourage candidates to fact-check each other, but sometimes clarified statements from the candidates.

After Vance made assertions about Springfield, Ohio, being overrun by “illegal immigrants,” Brennan pointed out that a large number of Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are in the country legally. Vance objected and, eventually, CBS exercised the debate ground rule that allowed the network to cut off the candidates’ microphones.

Most points were not fact-checked in real time by the moderators. Vance resurfaced a recent health care theme — that as president, Donald Trump sought to save the Affordable Care Act — and acknowledged that he would support a national abortion ban.

Walz described how health care looked before the ACA compared with today. Vance offered details about Trump’s health care “concepts of a plan” — a reference to comments Trump made during the presidential debate that drew jeers and criticism for the former president, who for years said he had a plan to replace the ACA that never surfaced. Vance pointed to regulatory changes advanced during the Trump administration, used weedy phrases like “reinsurance regulations,” and floated the idea of allowing states “to experiment a little bit on how to cover both the chronically ill but the non-chronically ill.”

Walz responded with a quick quip: “Here’s where being an old guy gives you some history. I was there at the creation of the ACA.” He said that before then insurers had more power to kick people off their plans. Then he detailed Trump’s efforts to undo the ACA as well as why the law’s preexisting condition protections were important.

“What Sen. Vance just explained might be worse than a concept, because what he explained is pre-Obamacare,” Walz said.

The candidates sparred on numerous topics. Our PolitiFact partners fact-checked the debate here and on their live blog.

The health-related excerpts follow.

The Affordable Care Act:

Vance: “Donald Trump could have destroyed the [Affordable Care Act]. Instead, he worked in a bipartisan way to ensure that Americans had access to affordable care.”

False.

As president, Trump worked to undermine and repeal the Affordable Care Act. He cut millions of dollars in federal funding for ACA outreach and navigators who help people sign up for health coverage. He enabled the sale of short-term health plans that don’t comply with the ACA consumer protections and allowed them to be sold for longer durations, which siphoned people away from the health law’s marketplaces.

Trump’s administration also backed state Medicaid waivers that imposed first-ever work requirements, reducing enrollment. He also ended insurance company subsidies that helped offset costs for low-income enrollees. He backed an unsuccessful repeal of the landmark 2010 health law and he backed the demise of a penalty imposed for failing to purchase health insurance.

Affordable Care Act enrollment declined by more than 2 million people during Trump’s presidency, and the number of uninsured Americans rose by 2.3 million, including 726,000 children, from 2016 to 2019, the U.S. Census Bureau reported; that includes three years of Trump’s presidency.  The number of insured Americans rose again during the Biden administration.

Abortion and Reproductive Health:

Vance: “As I read the Minnesota law that [Walz] signed into law … it says that a doctor who presides over an abortion where the baby survives, the doctor is under no obligation to provide lifesaving care to a baby who survives a botched late-term abortion.”

False.

Experts said cases in which a baby is born following an attempted abortion are rare. Less than 1% of abortions nationwide occur in the third trimester. And infanticide, the crime of killing a child within a year of its birth, is illegal in every state.

In May 2023, Walz, as Minnesota governor, signed legislation updating a state law for “infants who are born alive.” It said babies are “fully recognized” as human people and therefore protected under state law. The change did not alter regulations that already required doctors to provide patients with appropriate care.

Previously, state law said, “All reasonable measures consistent with good medical practice, including the compilation of appropriate medical records, shall be taken by the responsible medical personnel to preserve the life and health of the born alive infant.” The law was updated to instead say medical personnel must “care for the infant who is born alive.”

When there are fetal anomalies that make it likely the fetus will die before or soon after birth, some parents decide to terminate the pregnancy by inducing childbirth so that they can hold their dying baby, Democratic Minnesota state Sen. Erin Maye Quade told PolitiFact in September.

This update to the law means infants who are “born alive” receive appropriate medical care dependent on the pregnancy’s circumstances, Maye Quade said.

Vance supported a national abortion ban before becoming Trump’s running mate.

CBS News moderator Margaret Brennan told Vance, “You have supported a federal ban on abortion after 15 weeks. In fact, you said if someone can’t support legislation like that, quote, ‘you are making the United States the most barbaric pro-abortion regime anywhere in the entire world.’ My question is, why have you changed your position?”

Vance said that he “never supported a national ban” and, instead, previously supported setting “some minimum national standard.”

But in a January 2022 podcast interview, Vance said, “I certainly would like abortion to be illegal nationally.” In November, he told reporters that “we can’t give in to the idea that the federal Congress has no role in this matter.”

Since joining the Trump ticket, Vance has aligned his abortion rhetoric to match Trump’s and has said that abortion legislation should be left up to the states.

Samantha Putterman of PolitiFact, on the live blog

A woman’s 2022 death in Georgia following the state passing its six-week abortion ban was deemed “preventable.”

Walz talked about the death of 28-year-old Amber Thurman, a Georgia woman who died after her care was delayed because of the state’s six-week abortion law. A judge called the law unconstitutional this week.

A Sept. 16 ProPublica report found that Thurman had taken abortion pills and encountered a rare complication. She sought care at Piedmont Henry Hospital in Atlanta to clear excess fetal tissue from her uterus, called a dilation and curettage, or D&C. The procedure is commonly used in abortions, and any doctor who violated Georgia’s law could be prosecuted and face up to a decade in prison.

Doctors waited 20 hours to finally operate, when Thurman’s organs were already failing, ProPublica reported. A panel of health experts tasked with examining pregnancy-related deaths to improve maternal health deemed Thurman’s death “preventable,” according to the report, and said the hospital’s delay in performing the procedure had a “large” impact.

— Samantha Putterman of PolitiFact, on the live blog

What Project 2025 Says About Some Forms of Contraception, Fertility Treatments

Walz said that Project 2025 would “make it more difficult, if not impossible, to get contraception and limit access, if not eliminate access, to fertility treatments.”

Mostly False. The Project 2025 document doesn’t call for restricting standard contraceptive methods, such as birth control pills, but it defines emergency contraceptives as “abortifacients” and says they should be eliminated from the Affordable Care Act’s covered preventive services. Emergency contraception, such as Plan B and ella, are not considered abortifacients, according to medical experts.

PolitiFact did not find any mention of in vitro fertilization throughout the document, or specific recommendations to curtail the practice in the U.S., but it contains language that supports legal rights for fetuses and embryos. Experts say this language can threaten family planning methods, including IVF and some forms of contraception.

— Samantha Putterman of PolitiFact, on the live blog

Walz: “Their Project 2025 is gonna have a registry of pregnancies.”

False. 

Project 2025 recommends that states submit more detailed abortion reporting to the federal government. It calls for more information about how and when abortions took place, as well as other statistics for miscarriages and stillbirths.

The manual does not mention, nor call for, a new federal agency tasked with registering pregnant women.

Fentanyl and Opioids:

Vance: “Kamala Harris let in fentanyl into our communities at record levels.”

Mostly False.

Illicit fentanyl seizures have been rising for years and reached record highs under Biden’s administration. In fiscal year 2015, for example, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized 70 pounds of fentanyl. As of August 2024, agents have seized more than 19,000 pounds of fentanyl in fiscal year 2024, which ended in September.

But these are fentanyl seizures — not the amount of the narcotic being “let” into the United States. 

Vance made this claim while criticizing Harris’ immigration policies. But fentanyl enters the U.S. through the southern border mainly at official ports of entry. It’s mostly smuggled in by U.S. citizens, according to the U.S. Sentencing Commission. Most illicit fentanyl in the U.S. comes from Mexico made with chemicals from Chinese labs.

Drug policy experts have said that the illicit fentanyl crisis began years before Biden’s administration and that Biden’s border policies are not to blame for overdose deaths. 

Experts have also said Congress plays a role in reducing illicit fentanyl. Congressional funding for more vehicle scanners would help law enforcement seize more of the fentanyl that comes into the U.S. Harris has called for increased enforcement against illicit fentanyl use.

Walz: “And the good news on this is, is the last 12 months saw the largest decrease in opioid deaths in our nation’s history.”

Mostly True.

Overdose deaths involving opioids decreased from an estimated 84,181 in 2022 to 81,083 in 2023, based on the most recent provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This decrease, which took place in the second half of 2023, followed a 67% increase in opioid-related deaths between 2017 and 2023.

The U.S. had an estimated 107,543 drug overdose deaths in 2023 — a 3% decrease from the 111,029 deaths estimated in 2022. This is the first annual decrease in overall drug overdose deaths since 2018. Nevertheless, the opioid death toll remains much higher than just a few years ago, according to KFF

More Health-Related Comments:

Vance Said ‘Hospitals Are Overwhelmed.’ Local Officials Disagree.

We asked health officials ahead of the debate what they thought about Vance’s claims about Springfield’s emergency rooms being overwhelmed.

“This claim is not accurate,” said Chris Cook, health commissioner for Springfield’s Clark County.

Comparison data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services tracks how many patients are “left without being seen” as part of its effort to characterize whether ERs are able to handle their patient loads. High percentages usually signal that the facility doesn’t have the staff or resources to provide timely and effective emergency care.

Cook said that the full-service hospital, Mercy Health Springfield Regional Medical Center, reports its emergency department is at or better than industry standard when it comes to this metric.

In July 2024, 3% of Mercy Health’s patients were counted in the “left-without-being-seen” category — the same level as both the state and national average for high-volume hospitals. In July 2019, Mercy Health tallied 2% of patients who “left without being seen.” That year, the state and national averages were 1% and 2%, respectively.  Another CMS 2024 data point shows Mercy Health patients spent less time in the ER per visit on average — 152 minutes — compared with state and national figures: 183 minutes and 211 minutes, respectively. Even so, Springfield Regional Medical Center’s Jennifer Robinson noted that Mercy Health has seen high utilization of women’s health, emergency, and primary care services. 

— Stephanie Armour, Holly Hacker, and Stephanie Stapleton of KFF Health News, on the live blog

Minnesota’s Paid Leave Takes Effect in 2026

Walz signed paid family leave into law in 2023 and it will take effect in 2026.

The law will provide employees up to 12 weeks of paid medical leave and up to 12 weeks of paid family leave, which includes bonding with a child, caring for a family member, supporting survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault, and supporting active-duty deployments. A maximum 20 weeks are available in a benefit year if someone takes both medical and family leave.

Minnesota used a projected budget surplus to jump-start the program; funding will then shift to a payroll tax split between employers and workers. 

— Amy Sherman of PolitiFact, on the live blog

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

USE OUR CONTENT

This story can be republished for free (details).

9 months 1 week ago

Elections, Health Care Costs, Insurance, States, Abortion, Children's Health, Contraception, Guns, Hospitals, Immigrants, KFF Health News & PolitiFact HealthCheck, Minnesota, Obamacare Plans, Ohio, Opioids, Substance Misuse, Women's Health

Pages