Today’s NewsStand

Today’s NewsStand

By Iowa Hospital Association|
|March 9, 2022

Iowa news

Midwife licensure bill passes Iowa House for first time

A bill that would license and regulate certified professional midwives has passed the Iowa House 93-2. According to advocacy group License Iowa Midwives, this is the first time a midwife licensure bill has passed out of one of the chambers. Iowa is one of 14 states where certified professional midwives are not licensed or regulated. Unlike certified nurse midwives, who primarily practice in hospitals, certified professional midwives specialize in births that occur in homes and stand-alone birthing centers and do not require a nursing credential or graduate degree in midwifery. (Business Record)

Cancer death rates in Iowa expected to go up

The pandemic wasn’t just lethal to many Iowans who caught COVID-19, but it’s also feared to be part of what’s driving up Iowa’s cancer death rate. Many people have put off regular screenings in the past two years, and the results are reflected in this year’s “Cancer in Iowa” report. The annual report is produced to help doctors, researchers and others understand and reduce the burden of cancer in Iowa by tracking progress and determining areas of need. One of the biggest areas remains smoking. (Iowa Public Radio)

MercyOne in Clinton marks completion of 1st phase of expansion/remodel

MercyOne Clinton Medical Center is celebrating the completion of the first phase of its emergency department expansion and remodel. Hospital officials and colleagues welcomed a small group of colleagues and stakeholders for a blessing of the completed space. The blessing was given by Chaplain Michael Hooker; and remarks presented by Kay Takes, MercyOne Eastern Iowa president; Melissa Bitner, MercyOne Clinton Medical Center emergency department director; and Amy Berentes, MercyOne Clinton Medical Center chief operating officer. (OurQuadCities.com)

 

National news

COVID-19 funding is tapped out, HHS says

None of the COVID-19 funding Congress previously provided to HHS remains unallocated, including funding for vaccines, testing and therapeutics, according to information sent to Congress. The White House has asked Congress to approve an additional $22.5 billion in COVID-19 aid. Some Senate Republicans have requested a fuller accounting of how the federal government spent roughly $6 trillion in pandemic aid before authorizing supplemental funding. Lawmakers say they are close to an agreement to provide more COVID-19 relief, but the amount still isn’t locked in. Congress is expected to provide at least $15 billion in funding. (Becker’s Hospital CFO Report)

Why mental health is a business imperative

Even before the pandemic, leaders and board directors were confronting a business landscape where the stakes around mental health had changed. Now, the pandemic has escalated overall health challenges, heightened awareness of how workplace factors can contribute to poor mental health, and elevated the intersections of health with diversity, equity and inclusivity. Mental health and employee well-being are now being seen as true business imperatives. (Business Record)

Embracing a hybrid workplace for non-clinical staff

As a baby boomer who worked as a manual laborer for many years before taking on a job in which I work 16-hour days, I admit that I have struggled adapting to the remote-work environment that COVID-19 forced upon us. Call me “old school,” but I like to walk down the hall and talk to people face to face, read paper documents, and share a meal with people at diners and restaurants. I never heard of “Zoom” or “Teams” until March 2020, but I now spend more time on those platforms than I do talking on the phone. Although I certainly long for those pre-pandemic workdays, I’m also a realist. The future of work will never be the same, at least in my lifetime. (Becker’s Hospital Review)

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