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Ohio Hospital Searches For Possible On-Site Spread Of Legionnaires’ Cases The search was initiated after two patients in six weeks tested positive for the disease. Also: The Children's Hospital Association announced plans to broaden its focus on pediatric health; nearly one in eight Minnesotans live in areas lacking hospital-based obstetrics; and more. CIDRAP: Cincinnati Hospital Looks At Possible Hospital-Onset Legionnaires' Christ Hospital in Cincinnati is investigating two recent cases of Legionnaires' disease in patients in the past 6 week. Legionnaires' disease, a serious lung infection caused by Legionella bacteria, is contracted through inhaling contaminated water droplets. Officials say they're working with local and state health departments to determine if the patients contracted the disease on Christ Hospital's main campus. So far the site of exposure is unknown, but the hospital has initiated environmental testing. (Soucheray, 11/4) More health industry updates — Stat: Children's Hospitals Association Broadens Scope Of Lobbying Efforts As long-revered health institutions come under new scrutiny in President Trump’s Washington, one powerful group is shifting its strategy. The Children’s Hospital Association, which represents more than 200 hospitals and spends millions on lobbying each year, announced Tuesday a new messaging approach and internal changes to support it. (Payne, 11/4) Modern Healthcare: UnitedHealth’s Optum To Lay Off 572 Employees In New Jersey Four units of Optum, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, are planning to lay off a total of 572 employees based in New Jersey early next year. Optum Care plans to lay off 390 employees, Optum Medical Care 122, Optum Services 49, and Optum Select Management 11, according to Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filings from October. The layoffs will be staggered, starting in early February and ending in early March. (DeSilva, 11/4) Minnesota Public Radio: 700,000 Minnesotans Live In Counties Without Hospital-Based Obstetrics Services, New Data Finds Newly released data shows that Minnesota is continuing to lose hospital-based labor and delivery services, increasing the health risks facing people who are pregnant. The data set was published by University of Minnesota’s Rural Health Research Center, a national authority on maternal health care access, particularly for rural areas. According to an MPR News analysis of the data, nearly one in eight Minnesotans lives in a county with no hospital-based obstetrics services. (Work, 11/4) Becker's Hospital Review: Virtual Nursing Expands Into Outpatient Settings Virtual nursing is growing beyond the four walls of the hospital. For instance, Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health, one of the leading providers of inpatient virtual nursing, is expanding the care model to its ambulatory practices. Virtual nurses now handle after-hours calls for outpatient offices, triaging patients to urgent or emergency care or scheduling next-day appointments. (Bruce, 11/4) KFF Health News: KFF Health News’ ‘An Arm and a Leg’: This Health Economist Wants Your Medical Bills Economist Vivian Ho has been researching the U.S. health care system for four decades. These days, she’s focused on what she thinks are the biggest burdens on the average American: runaway hospital prices and rising health insurance premiums. She has developed a strategy for addressing high insurance premiums — one that’s based on giving patients reliable information about how much they, and their insurer, would have to pay for care. The system is already working in Massachusetts. Could it be a model for the rest of the country? (Weissmann, 11/5) KFF Health News: While Politicos Dispense Blame, These Doctors Aim To Take Shame Out Of Medicine The distress that Will Bynum later recognized as shame settled over him nearly immediately. Bynum, then in his second year of residency training as a family medicine physician, was wrapping up a long shift when he was called into an emergency delivery. To save the baby’s life, he used a vacuum device, which applies suction to assist with rapid delivery. The baby emerged unharmed. But the mother suffered a severe vaginal tear that required surgical repair by an obstetrician. (Huff, 11/5) Also — AP: FBI Announces Arrests Of 2 Men In Last Weekend's Harvard Medical School Explosion Two Massachusetts men were arrested Tuesday in connection with a weekend explosion at Harvard Medical School, authorities said. Logan David Patterson and Dominick Frank Cardoza face charges of conspiracy to damage by means of fire or an explosive, according to the charging document. Patterson, an 18-year-old from Plymouth, and Cardoza, a 20-year-old from Bourne, were arrested Tuesday morning and were due to be arraigned in federal court later in the day. (Casey and Willingham, 11/4) This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
