Health policy

Why the government’s haste in changing the health system could come back to haunt it

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, April 18, 2024
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However, in the health sector this need for speed entails policy risks that could come back to bite the government before the next election.

Key Points: 
  • However, in the health sector this need for speed entails policy risks that could come back to bite the government before the next election.
  • The biggest such risk comes from the disestablishment of the Māori Health Authority-Te Aka Whai Ora.

More health sector confusion

  • While the parts of the act referring to the Māori Health Authority have been excised, the act retains its primary focus on reducing health inequities.
  • To date, health minister Shane Reti has avoided using the words “equity” or “inequities”, instead preferring a generic focus on improving health outcomes, including for Māori.
  • But the planning and decision making mandated under the legislation still require government health agencies to address health inequities.
  • Despite having misgivings about the re-centralisation of the health system, the government has not reversed the merging of 20 District Health Boards into Health New Zealand.

Health targets rebooted

  • Other changes resemble initiatives introduced during the last National-led government in 2009, including specific health targets.
  • The health targets involve specified performance levels, such as ensuring that 95% of patients visiting emergency departments are seen within six hours.
  • Health New Zealand bears either the cost of continuing to fund security guards or the reputational risk of their reduced presence.
  • The government may have already dented minister Reti’s chances of building positive relationships with health sector leaders and interest groups.
  • The Māori Health Authority had widespread support from health sector groups.
  • While governments often draw criticism from the health sector, few have done so quite this rapidly.


Tim Tenbensel receives funding from the Health Research Council. He is affiliated with Health Coalition Aotearoa.

Jonas Nursing & AACN Announce a Call for Applications for the New Cohort of Doctoral Nursing Scholars

Retrieved on: 
Monday, April 8, 2024
Nursing, Education, Health, Hospitals, Other Education, University, Training, Health policy, Partnership, School nursing, AACN, History, Policy, Faculty, Mentorship, Student, Molina Healthcare, Curriculum, Rural health, Social change, Environmental Health (journal), Pediatrics, Teaching

Today, Jonas Nursing , a leading supporter of doctoral nursing education in the U.S., and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) announce the launch of the eighth cohort of the Jonas Scholars program.

Key Points: 
  • Today, Jonas Nursing , a leading supporter of doctoral nursing education in the U.S., and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) announce the launch of the eighth cohort of the Jonas Scholars program.
  • Under next-generation family leadership, Jonas Nursing will bolster this initiative with a redesigned curriculum focused on preparing future nursing faculty leaders through four key pillars: mentoring, leadership development, policy, and teaching.
  • Jonas Nursing is the signature impact area of Jonas Philanthropies, whose other impact areas include Vision Health, Children’s Environmental Health, and Nature-Based Climate Solutions.
  • For more details about the Jonas Scholars program, visit AACN’s website or contact Noah Brown, Jonas Grant Manager, at [email protected] .

Valeos Welcomes Dr. Stuart Sweet to Board of Directors

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
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WASHINGTON, April 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Valeos, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization designed to improve organ transplant outcomes for patients and organ donors through data collaboration, today announced the appointment of Dr. Stuart C. Sweet, MD, PhD to its Board of Directors. Dr. Sweet is the W. McKim Marriott Professor of Pediatrics at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, and served as the 2016-2017 Board President of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), the U.S. national transplant system. Dr. Sweet spent more than two decades as the medical director of the pediatric lung transplant program at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and St. Louis Children's Hospital, focusing clinically on pediatric lung transplantation and gaining expertise in organ allocation, clinical outcomes, health policy and the role of information technology in medicine.

Key Points: 
  • "I am honored to join the exceptional team at Valeos and continue my dedication to advancing the U.S. organ transplant system," said Dr. Sweet.
  • "We're excited to welcome Dr. Sweet to our Board of Directors.
  • This announcement follows an exciting year for Valeos, which saw its first appointments to its Board of Directors and Advisory Committee this past January.
  • With the backing of leading figures in healthcare, technology and government, Valeos is committed to building the world's largest de-identified transplant data sandbox.

Cathie Biga is New American College of Cardiology President

Retrieved on: 
Monday, April 8, 2024
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ATLANTA, April 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cathie Biga, MSN, FACC, today became president of the American College of Cardiology and made history as the organization's first non-physician president. She will serve a one-year term representing over 56,000 cardiovascular care team members around the world and leading the cardiovascular organization in its mission to transform cardiovascular care and improve heart health for all.

Key Points: 
  • ATLANTA, April 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cathie Biga, MSN, FACC, today became president of the American College of Cardiology and made history as the organization's first non-physician president.
  • "The concept of 'standing on the shoulders of giants' is often referenced when talking about leadership changes and transformation over time.
  • She's been a member of the ACC Board of Trustees for six years, most recently serving as vice president.
  • The American College of Cardiology (ACC) is the global leader in transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health for all.

Medicaid unwinding approaches one-year mark: Disenrolled count surpasses initial expectations, continues to climb

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 21, 2024
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The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services initially projected up to 15 million people would lose Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program coverage.

Key Points: 
  • The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services initially projected up to 15 million people would lose Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program coverage.
  • Since the beginning of Medicaid unwinding on April 1, 2023, Medicaid has been renewed for almost 40 million beneficiaries.
  • A significant majority of Medicaid disenrollments were procedural disenrollments, meaning enrollees did not complete the required renewal process to keep their Medicaid coverage.
  • As Medicaid unwinding continues, Medicaid enrollees may continue to receive communications and requests from their state or county Medicaid offices requesting information to help determine their Medicaid eligibility.

Leading Clinical Research Innovator, Amy Abernethy, M.D., Ph.D., Joins insitro Board of Directors

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
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insitro, a machine learning-powered drug discovery and development company, today announced that Amy Abernethy, M.D., Ph.D, has joined the company’s board of directors.

Key Points: 
  • insitro, a machine learning-powered drug discovery and development company, today announced that Amy Abernethy, M.D., Ph.D, has joined the company’s board of directors.
  • In that role, Dr. Abernethy oversaw the FDA’s vision and execution on the use of data and technology in clinical development.
  • There, she led teams in the development and delivery of software and data products that bridge the gap between clinical research and care.
  • “Amy has a career-long track record of leading high-impact initiatives that leverage clinical data to enable research and development, and accelerate the path of bringing medicines to patients,” said Daphne Koller, Ph.D., CEO and founder of insitro.

Byzantine State Regulations Delay Vaccine Access at Pharmacies, Global Healthy Living Foundation Study Reveals

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 2, 2024
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The research shines a light on the significant obstacles faced by pharmacists, who are often the most accessible health care providers for vaccinations.

Key Points: 
  • The research shines a light on the significant obstacles faced by pharmacists, who are often the most accessible health care providers for vaccinations.
  • “Post-pandemic data unequivocally reveals adult patients' preference for vaccinations at pharmacies, with nearly 90 percent of immunizations provided by pharmacists or pharmacy technicians.
  • This situation is particularly troubling for patients in low-income communities who have better access to pharmacies than health care provider practices.
  • Such a move would promote equity in health care access and elevate vaccination rates to recommended levels.

Dr. Gary K. Michelson and Alya Michelson Receive 2024 Humanitarian Award at the World Brain Mapping Foundation’s 21st Annual Gathering for Cure Awards

Retrieved on: 
Friday, March 22, 2024
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Inventor and philanthropist Dr. Gary K. Michelson and his wife Alya Michelson received the 2024 Humanitarian Award at the World Brain Mapping Foundation’s 21st Gathering for Cure (GFC) Awards Gala at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.

Key Points: 
  • Inventor and philanthropist Dr. Gary K. Michelson and his wife Alya Michelson received the 2024 Humanitarian Award at the World Brain Mapping Foundation’s 21st Gathering for Cure (GFC) Awards Gala at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.
  • The Humanitarian Award is given to individuals who have contributed significantly to survival and quality of life of patients across the Globe.
  • Previous recipients of the annual award include Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and Ming Hsieh.
  • The World Brain Mapping Foundation focuses on helping wounded soldiers, brain and spine cancers, neurodegenerative disorders (Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, ALS, MS, etc.

Leading Public Health Advocacy Organization Marks the Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 28, 2024
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WASHINGTON, March 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- This year marks the 14th anniversary of the enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Its passage was the most significant advancement of health policy since the establishment of Medicare and Medicaid in the 1960s and made healthcare accessible and affordable for millions more Americans. Despite efforts to repeal and restrict the ACA, the progress the legislation has made toward health equity and improving public health prevention is significant and lifesaving. It must be preserved.

Key Points: 
  • WASHINGTON, March 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- This year marks the 14th anniversary of the enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
  • Despite efforts to repeal and restrict the ACA, the progress the legislation has made toward health equity and improving public health prevention is significant and lifesaving.
  • Health insurance enrollment has soared in the years since the Affordable Care Act became law.
  • The creation of the Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF) has been an important tool for improving health outcomes and reducing health expenditures.

Youth Health Priority: WHO's "Stop the Lies" Campaign Takes Aim at Tobacco Industry Tactics

Retrieved on: 
Monday, March 25, 2024
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TAMPA BAY, Fla., March 25, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The World Health Organization (WHO)'s "Stop the Lies" campaign demonstrates a comprehensive and proactive approach to combating tobacco industry interference and protecting public health, particularly among young people. By leveraging evidence, amplifying youth voices, and advocating for policy protection, the campaign embodies WHO's commitment to advancing global health goals. "The WHO campaign was impressive, a real PR win over big tobacco," explains Karla Jo Helms, Anti-PR Chief Strategist of JOTO PR Disruptors. "It's a proactive strategy that changed minds."

Key Points: 
  • TAMPA BAY, Fla., March 25, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The World Health Organization (WHO)'s "Stop the Lies" campaign demonstrates a comprehensive and proactive approach to combating tobacco industry interference and protecting public health, particularly among young people.
  • By leveraging evidence, amplifying youth voices, and advocating for policy protection, the campaign embodies WHO's commitment to advancing global health goals.
  • "The WHO campaign was impressive, a real PR win over big tobacco," explains Karla Jo Helms, Anti-PR Chief Strategist of JOTO PR Disruptors .
  • - Karla Jo Helms
    Evidence from the latest The Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2023, published by STOP and the Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control, supported WHO's campaign.