Iowa news
Genesis nurse named one of Iowa’s best
Genesis Health System nurse Lori Crane is among 78 Iowa nurses recognized as 2023 Great Iowa Nurses. The program, formerly 100 Great Iowa Nurses, annually honors Iowa nurses for their contributions to the profession. A committee of people from a variety of health care organizations across Iowa reviewed nominations for the honor. Great Iowa Nurses are chosen based on demonstrated service to patients, leadership and mentoring or serving as a role model. Lori Crane, RN, is the Genesis Health System Patient Safety Officer. (Our Quad Cities)
Group says immigrants could be the answer to Iowa’s health care workforce shortage
A new report from the American Immigration Council says more immigrants make up Iowa’s health care workforce — and yet barriers to hiring remain constant roadblocks. Those hurdles, the council added, pose a problem for states like Iowa to grapple with a growing labor shortage. The council said many immigrant workers are educated, trained and licensed to practice medicine in another country but face different hurdles once they arrive in the U.S. such as language barriers and a re-credentialing process. With most health care jobs seeking employees who are multilingual and culturally competent, Iowa could be missing out on a whole host of people who could provide that support, the council said. (Des Moines Register)
Creative ideas to entice more workers to Iowa’s nursing homes will not solve the labor shortfall and wage issues unless lawmakers increase funding to match the cost of care, providers and advocates said. Regulatory mandates such as staffing minimums that could be coming down soon from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will only further decimate a fragile sector, according to LeadingAge of Iowa and members. The advocacy group hosted a webinar on the first State of Aging Services, which did not pull punches on how bad things have become post-pandemic. (McKnights LongTerm Care News)
National news
The race to an RSV vaccine could soon be over, decades after the first attempt
The FDA is poised to approve multiple RSV vaccines this year. The leading candidates are for older adults, but shots to protect infants are in the pipeline. RSV cases spiked dramatically in the U.S. earlier this winter, which overwhelmed children’s hospitals — a reminder of the virus’s threat. Since then, the pharmaceutical race to get vaccines to market has garnered extra attention. (NBC News)
COVID-19 can cause heart problems. Here’s how the virus may do its damage.
COVID-19’s effects on the heart have been well-documented, but a new study zooms in on the microscopic changes thought to be caused by the virus. Researchers from Columbia University in New York City examined autopsied heart tissue from people who had COVID-19, and found that the infection damaged the way cells in the heart regulate levels of calcium, a mineral that plays an important role in how the organ contracts and pumps blood throughout the body. The scientists who studied the hearts found that infection appeared to make it harder for them to beat properly. (USA Today)
The buzz on health care disruption: What to watch for in 2023
The nation’s largest retail, payer and tech disruptors once again invested billions of dollars in health care in 2022, continuing to build out their visions to transform the field. In many cases, the investments helped companies broaden their footprints as they continue to integrate their expanding vertical health care operations in areas like pharmacy benefits management, behavioral health, care coordination, diagnostics and therapeutics, and health information technology. A report published in AHA’s Market Scan newsletter looks at what’s ahead for seven tech disruptors in 2023 and beyond: Amazon, CVS Health, UnitedHealth Group, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Walmart, Apple and Google. (American Hospital Association)