Today’s NewsStand — June 8, 2020

Today’s NewsStand — June 8, 2020

By Iowa Hospital Association|
|June 8, 2020

Featuring hospital and health care headlines from the media and the web.

Iowa news

Health care workers, students, take part in ‘White Coats for Black Lives’

Hundreds of doctors, nurses, and medical students in Iowa City took part in a nationwide movement to address racial injustice, called “White Coats for Black Lives.” A group of hundreds filled the courtyard of the Medical Education Research Facility at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Friday but were absent of sound. For eight minutes and 46 seconds, the same amount of time a former Minneapolis police officer knelt on the neck of George Floyd before he died, the large group knelt in silence. (KCRG-TV)

Knoxville Hospital & Clinics creates over $20 million impact on local economy

Knoxville Hospital & Clinics (KHC) generates over 275 jobs that adds over $16 million to the Marion County economy, according to the latest study by the Iowa Hospital Association (IHA). In addition, KHC employees spend over $4.8 million on retail sales and contribute over $293,000 in state sales tax revenue. The IHA study examined the jobs, income, retail sales and sales tax produced by hospitals and the rest of the state’s health care sector. (KNIA/KRLS Radio)

The number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 drops below 300 for the first time in Iowa since April

At 10 a.m. on Friday, the Iowa Department of Public Health was reporting another 387 Iowans had tested positive for COVID-19 during the previous 24 hours, bringing the state’s total number of confirmed cases to 21,093. The department also reported another 11 people have died from the virus. The state’s COVID-19 death toll was at 589 on Friday morning. According to IDPH, the number of people hospitalized in the state due to COVID-19 dropped to 299 on Friday. It’s the first time since late April that number has been below 300. (Little Village)

National news

As telehealth becomes the new normal, NCQA updates quality measures

The National Committee for Quality Assurance has given the OK for what it’s calling a “sweeping set of adjustments” to 40 of the measures used for HEDIS scores, given the new realities of widespread and scaled-up telehealth use. The Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set measures, widely used in quality-improvement efforts, have been updated by NCQA as more health plans, clinicians and patients embrace telehealth services in a major way during the coronavirus pandemic. (Healthcare IT News)

Racial disparities and COVID-19: Why it matters in health care

Racial disparities in the United States affect every aspect of life, including health care. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, people of color have been disproportionately affected by the virus. Eight key findings revealing the connection between race and health care. (Becker’s Healthcare)

As farmers face increasing COVID-19 pressure, some fear for their mental health

Studies have found the rates of mental illness and suicide are higher for farmers. The profession requires long hours, limited social contact and is often at the mercy of external factors such as weather and market rates. Now the COVID-19 pandemic has farmers facing unprecedented challenges, and this has some worried about a mental health crisis in this community. (netNebraska)

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