Criminalizing health care professionals’ mistakes dodges the real problem | Opinion

Posted on February 21, 2019 by Philadelphia Inquirer

I am a critical care nurse. I know mistakes happen in medicine — sometimes due to miscommunication, lack of vigilance, and fatigue, but more fundamentally, due to lack of accountability from hospital leadership and flawed systems. As nurses, we take an oath to “do no harm.” So when…

Facing another year of stagnant state funding, nursing homes warn of potential closures

Posted on February 21, 2019 by Penn Live, Patriot-News

There were plenty of winners in the budget unveiled by Gov. Tom Wolf this month. If enacted by the General Assembly, Wolf’s budget would bolster funding for schools, colleges and the state police. There would be no increases to state sales or income taxes. But nestled in the fine print was at least one clear loser:…

Pa. Lottery on track for a record year; yet challenges it faces may threaten its support for senior programs

Posted on February 21, 2019 by Penn Live, Patriot-News

2018 was a transformational year for the Pennsylvania Lottery as it expanded its portfolio of games to include iLottery, Keno and virtual sports – and the lottery’s profits are showing it. As of the end of December, lottery officials say profits amounted to $50…

EDITORIAL: County short on specifics for paying for new care center management company

Posted on February 21, 2019 by Meadville Tribune

When the Crawford County commissioners announced last week the approval of a new management company for the county-owned nursing home, some numbers stood out. Affinity Health Services, the company now managing the Crawford County Care Center, will be paid $300,000 this year, $306,000 next year and $316,710…

Department of Health highlights 2018 Nursing Home Inspection and Sanction Information

Posted on February 20, 2019 by DuBois Courier-Express

HARRISBURG – During 2018, Pennsylvania Department of Health surveyors conducted 4,716 surveys at Pennsylvania nursing homes, issuing 169 sanctions and finalizing civil penalties totaling more than $1.5 million, according to Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine….

Hospitals welcome foreign nurses, doctors to fill personnel shortage

Posted on February 19, 2019 by Sunbury Daily Item

As the health care industry faces shortages in doctors and nurses, local providers are increasing recruitment efforts that include bringing in more employees from outside the United States. Geisinger is in its first year partnering with Medefis, a vendor management…

For the elderly and others, drugs are available that aid sexual experience. But insurers and Medicare won’t pay for them.

Posted on February 19, 2019 by Washington Post

For some older people, the joy of sex may be tempered by financial concerns : Can they afford the medications they need to improve their experience in bed? Medicare and many private insurers don’t cover drugs that are prescribed to treat problems people have engaging in sex. Recent…

Switching gears to the booming field of nursing

Posted on February 18, 2019 by Wilkes-Barre Times Leader

WILKES-BARRE — Katrina Organ (yes, she introduces herself by saying “like a heart or liver”) and Kyle Poray already had degrees and jobs in chosen fields. She graduated in International Studies, spent two years in the Peace Corps in Ecuador and five years working with a…

Governor, think about all the implications of raising the minimum wage | PennLive letters

Posted on February 17, 2019 by Penn Live, Patriot-News

Gov. Tom Wolf is once again renewing his push to raise the minimum wage. At first he wants $12/hour and increasing that to $15 over a short period. “Pennsylvania has to be a place where hard work is rewarded,” he says, adding that too many people are working harder but can’t afford…