Iowa news
KidsCount report ranks Iowa 6th in the nation for child well-being
The annual KidsCount report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation ranks Iowa 6th in the nation for child well-being. The report ranks Iowa kids on economic well-being, education, health and family and community. Iowa ranked near the top nationally in the number of high schoolers graduating on time and the number of kids who are not living in households with a high cost burden. Areas for improvement include teen birth rate (23rd), share of 3- and 4-year-olds attending preschool (25th) and share of 10- to 17-year-olds who are overweight or obese (29th). (Iowa Public Radio)
Communication is key to patient experience in the inpatient setting
In general, the primary elements of patient experience include health care access and treating patients as people rather than consumers, says David Williams, M.D., chief clinical officer and senior vice president at UnityPoint Health. Dr. Williams has been the top clinical executive at UnityPoint since May 2020. Before this, he was president and CEO of UnityPoint Clinic and UnityPoint at Home. Before joining UnityPoint more than two decades ago, his work experience included serving as regional medical director for Iowa Health Physicians. (Health Leaders)
Mercy holds ribbon-cutting for aging and dementia family innovation center
Mercy Cedar Rapids will hold a the ribbon-cutting for The Chris and Suzy DeWolf Family Innovation Center for Aging and Dementia, Thursday, June 22. The Innovation Center is a place of continuing discovery and implementation of best practices. Its aim is to seek ways for older adults and those living with dementia to live more satisfying and fulfilling lives. In addition, family caregivers are supported to make caregiving easier and to help both them and their loved one live with meaning and purpose. The center is attached to HallMar Village, a 237-residence senior living community, which will open this fall. The Innovation Center is the only known innovation center in the U.S. connected to a senior living community. (KCRG)
National news
What chief quality officers want clinicians to know about patient safety
Clinicians should know the patient safety risks that fall within their disciplines inside and out, make it their mission to prevent them and understand the science behind safety. All of this is a core part of clinicians’ job, and patient safety is their collective responsibility, chief quality officers say. At the same time, because they are the ones on the front lines, safety leaders can also learn from clinical staff. (Becker’s Hospital Review)
All adults under 65 should be screened for anxiety, health panel says
All young and middle-aged adults should be screened regularly for anxiety and depression, even if they don’t have symptoms, an influential public health group has said. This is the first time the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recommended routine mental health screening in primary care settings. Pregnant women and those who gave birth within the past year were highlighted as people who should be screened. (NBC News)
Hospitals will be ‘rare exception’: What health care will look like in 100 years
Health care is advancing more swiftly by the year with new technologies, treatment options and artificial intelligence models hitting hospitals worldwide. With the acceleration of advancements, it is hard to imagine how the industry will change. Some believe racial equity challenges might remain, and others expect personalized care by genomics to be the standard and that there will be medicines that will prevent disease before it takes root. (Becker’s Hospital Review)