Iowa news
Stoddard Cancer Center launches public phase of $18M fundraising campaign
John Stoddard Cancer Center, a service of UnityPoint Health-Des Moines, has launched the public phase of “It Takes You,” a comprehensive fundraising campaign. The campaign will invest $18 million into the cancer center over the next three years, with a community fundraising goal of $6 million to support critical elements of treatment beyond medical expenses. Of the total $18 million goal, the cancer center plans to use $9 million for capital and equipment upgrades, and $9 million will be invested in programs and services. (Business Record)
Iowa physicians alarmed by state’s lung cancer rates
Lung cancer rates in Iowa are nearly 10% higher than the national average. That’s concerning because local doctors say there are plenty of preventive and early detection tools available. If diagnosed early, there’s a 60% chance of surviving cancer for five years after diagnosis. A contributing factor to the high diagnosis rate is that people are not getting screened. People at risk have to meet certain criteria for insurance to cover the scan. They must have smoked at least a pack of cigarettes per day for 20 years or more, be older than 50 years old and must have not quit smoking more than 15 years ago. The recommendation is for people who are eligible to get screened once a year. (KWWL)
ChildServe’s Bubble Ball raises $740,000 for new JoJo’s Pediatric Rehab Unit
ChildServe raised a record $740,000 during its 12th annual Bubble Ball, with proceeds going to fund technology and equipment in its new Jojo’s Pediatric Rehabilitation Unit, scheduled to open this summer. The 14-bed rehab center will be the only free-standing, comprehensive pediatric inpatient rehabilitation program for children and young adults in Iowa. It will offer equipment and technology, including specialized technology to help children walk, an antigravity treadmill, an aquatics center and multiple electrical stimulation technologies. (Business Record)
National news
The end of the COVID-19 emergency could mean a huge loss of health insurance
If there has been a silver lining to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is that the rate of Americans without health insurance dropped to a near-historic low, in response to various federal initiatives connected to the government-declared public health emergency. Now, as the pandemic’s acute phase seemingly draws to an end, millions of low-income and middle-income Americans are at risk of losing health insurance. The United States might see one of the steepest increases in the country’s uninsured rate in years. (Modern Healthcare)
Hospitals are bolstering wages. Is it sustainable?
As the workforce shortages worsened and the pandemic caused widespread burnout, many hospitals and health systems saw their labor expenses significantly rise as they were forced to pay more to attract and retain workers. Hospitals and health systems ramped up wages, provided hiring bonuses and offered new benefits to ensure they could staff beds. But it left one question: Are these rising labor expenses sustainable? The answer is multifaceted and dependent on an organization’s vantage point. (Becker’s Hospital Review)
Hospital, health system employment grew by 5,100 in March
The health care industry added 8,300 jobs in March, with hospital and health system employment growing by 5,100, according to a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Last month was the slowest month of job growth the industry has seen since March 2021. It is also the smallest increase so far in 2022. The country added 66,400 health care jobs in February and 18,000 in January. (RevCycleIntelligence.com)