Featuring hospital and health care headlines from the media and the Web.
Iowa News
Iowa Business Council report shows state has room for growth nationally
Iowa ranks average nationally across several business-related categories – including economic growth and governance among others – according to the Iowa Business Council’s 2020 Competitive Dashboard. Iowa Business Council Executive Director Joe Murphy said the organization has been publishing the dashboard since 2011 as a toolkit for policymakers that contains objective information looking at several key areas. Each category receives a ranking compared to the other 49 states of poor, average or competitive. (Des Moines Business Record)
Community Needs Assessment looks to address health needs in Story County
The last time Story County Public Health and the Story County Quality of Life Alliance conducted the Community Health Needs Study was in 2015. That year, the three priorities of the study were addressing hunger, mental health access and physical activity in the Story County. This year, county partners hope to identify the “365-a-day issues” that affect county residents. The results and information from the study can help to increase funding and visibility for social and health services. (Ames Tribune)
University of Iowa hospitals eyes new ‘complex,’ emergency room, in North Liberty
After promising for years that a University of Iowa Health Care facility would be “coming soon” to the North Liberty corner of Forevergreen Road and Highway 965, the hospital has unveiled plans to build a new “health care complex” there that would, among other things, add more emergency services. The initial 300,000-square-foot building proposed for the first phase of development on the nearly 60-acre site in North Liberty would include a “level 4 emergency treatment center,” urgent care services, outpatient clinics, diagnostic services, surgical suites, and acute inpatient beds. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)
National News
In fierce debate, democratic candidates expand health agenda arguments
Democratic presidential candidates faced off on the debate stage for the eighth time this campaign season. Meeting in Manchester, N.H., they returned to now familiar health care themes — “Medicare for All” versus a public option, the cost of prescription drugs and other key areas they say are ripe for change. The candidates also discussed the opioid epidemic and the shortage of substance abuse treatment beds — in New Hampshire and nationwide. (Kaiser Health News)
Trump hits Medicaid, food stamps in push to slash domestic spending
President Donald Trump‘s budget request on Monday will pitch billions of dollars in cuts to non-defense spending despite a budget deal he already negotiated with Congress, in addition to seeking major savings by targeting the federal safety net, a senior administration official told POLITICO on Sunday. Trump also will ask Congress for a slight spending increase for the Pentagon as he releases his $4.8 trillion budget blueprint for the upcoming fiscal year. (Politico)
Coronavirus outbreak has killed more people than SARS
The death toll from the new coronavirus outbreak has now surpassed that of the severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, epidemic nearly two decades ago, as the number of fatalities topped 900. China’s health commission said it recorded a single-day high of 97 deaths from the coronavirus on Sunday, bringing the total number of those killed to 908 people in mainland China. (Wall Street Journal)