Author: Elizabeth B

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — The Kern County Public Health Department has announced the first confirmed case of West Nile Virus (WNV) in Kern County in 2024.According to public health officials, WNV is a disease spread by mosquitoes and is most common during the summer and early fall, when mosquitoes that carry WNV are most active.”While many mosquito-borne diseases, such as WNV, cause only mild symptoms in most people, some infections can cause severe illness and, in rare cases, death,” the public health department said in a statement.Up to 20 percent of people infected with WNV experience symptoms such as fever,…

More than 5 million children have lost Medicaid coverage since states began the process of winding up Pandemic Continuation Insurance Protections. And recently released National Health Insurance Survey (NHIS) data for the first quarter of 2024 further intensified concerns that children are losing access to the health care they need to succeed. According to the NHIS, the number of uninsured children increased by one percentage point to 5.2%, which equates to 800,000 children. As my colleague Joan Alker tweeted, NHIS data for the first quarter of a given year typically reflects the highest coverage rates for that year. If past…

This fall, South Dakotans are being asked to vote for the third time on whether to approve recreational marijuana use (medical marijuana use was approved in 2020). In the past, the proposition has been approved, declared unconstitutional, and then rejected by voters. So what should we think? What are the facts? Is marijuana safe? Does marijuana use lead to hard drugs? What about smoking marijuana during pregnancy? Does marijuana use increase the risk of other diseases? On each of these questions, we have information and many opinions. Unfortunately, the reality is that there are no clear answers. Despite decades of…

Global law firm K&L Gates LLP advised Lehigh Valley Health Network and Jefferson Health on the merger that will create a new $15 billion health system serving Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The merger marks a significant milestone in health care, combining the strengths and resources of both organizations to enhance patient care and expand services throughout the region. The new health system will serve as a leading provider of comprehensive health care services with a focus on innovation, quality and accessibility. The combined organization will have a strong network of hospitals, outpatient facilities and specialty care centers, ensuring patients receive…

New President and COO of Interim HealthCare Interim Healthcare, a Florida-based home care franchise company, has appointed Lexanne Domico as its new president and chief operating officer. In his new role, Domico will oversee the regional field support teams as well as the company’s clinical quality, operational excellence and growth and development departments. He is also an operating partner at The Vistria Group, a private equity firm with a track record of investing in home health and hospice companies, according to his LinkedIn profile. He previously served as CEO of HomeFree Pharmacy Services. “We are excited to welcome Lexan to…

Kind female doctor’s hand holding the hand of a patient lying in bed for encouragement, empathy, cheering and support during a medical examination. Bad news relief, compassion, trust and ethics concept IVX Health announced Wednesday the recent opening of two new infusion centers in Southern New Jersey, in Cherry Hill and Mount Laurel, and the national health center said it plans to add additional locations in the state in the coming months. The newest South Jersey center brings IVX Health’s national location count to 108, with 12 of those locations in the northeastern region of New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware and…

It was at a conference on hunger in September 2022 where President Joe Biden scanned the crowd and called out, “Jackie, are you here? Where’s Jackie?” No response. “I think she was… she was going to be here.”Jackie Walorski, one of the conference organizers, had died in a car crash the previous month. After her death the White House sent condolences in Biden’s name, saying how he “appreciated her partnership” in setting up the conference.Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary, explained Biden’s asking for Jackie by saying that she was “top of mind” for the president at the conference. She…

As Pittsburgh parents finish up their back-to-school shopping, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging families to put vaccinations on their preparedness list. Federal agency Director Mandy Cohen visited the South Hills YMCA on Thursday as part of a national tour to promote routine immunizations and mental health programs for students.As children return to school, Cohen said he wants families to remember the importance of health, because “if kids don’t come to school healthy, they’re not going to be able to come to school healthy.”As Pittsburgh Public Schools welcomes students back to class next week, Cohen advised parents…

Pickleball’s popularity is only growing. The sport is not only popular among high school students, but also among seniors. The good news is that, like other sports, playing pickleball improves both physical and mental health. This is undoubtedly encouraging for the millions who currently play and those on the sidelines who are considering joining. What are the health benefits of pickleball? “Exercise is medicine,” says Edward R. Laskowski, MD, emeritus director of physical medicine and rehabilitation and sports medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. “And pickleball gives you exercise that’s beneficial for your health.” Physically, the sport offers benefits…

Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez said she believes lawmakers will be more flexible in considering whether Wisconsin will be the last state to embrace federal Medicaid expansion as a new Legislature elected under Wisconsin’s new voting maps takes office in January. Dr. Nathan Grunewald, a urologist who grew up in Sauk County and returned to practice at Sauk Prairie Healthcare, spoke with Rodriguez in January about concerns about recruiting and retaining health care workers. (Eric Gunn/Wisconsin Examiner) Governor Tony Evers’ Healthcare Workforce Task Force released recommendations Monday to address the state’s health care workforce challenges now and…