Iowa news
Free, citywide dental clinic coming to Waterloo in October
The city of Waterloo has announced a free, citywide dental clinic. The full-service clinic has been rotating throughout the state since 2008. It provides free, certified, volunteer-led dental care to thousands of Iowans each year. Nearly 50% of the clinic’s patients earn $20,000 or less per year. There are several barriers to getting care including finance, education, transportation and unemployment. The barriers to care can be complex sometimes. The Mission of Mercy clinic has provided dental care to nearly 1,500 in its two visits to Waterloo. Oct. 13 and 14 will mark the clinic’s third stop in Waterloo. (Iowa Public Radio)
Community Health offering free prostate cancer screening
Community Health Free Clinic, First Light Christian Fellowship and Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids have joined forces to offer free prostate screening for men who are uninsured, underserved or do not have a primary care physician. The screenings are scheduled from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13, at Community Health Free Clinic, 947 14th Ave. S.E., Cedar Rapids. The screening will include PSA test on-site (blood test) and a $20 gift card. Walk-ins welcome. (Corridor Business Journal)
American Lung Association encourages Iowans to get vaccines this fall
The American Lung Association is urging Iowans to get an array of vaccinations this fall to protect against the flu, RSV and a resurgence of COVID-19. Flu cases spiked in Iowa last year, compared to previous pandemic years, as most people were no longer masking or keeping practicing social distancing. This year will likely be similar. Flu vaccines are already available in Iowa, so people who get their shots will better prepare their immune systems. People with conditions like heart disease, lung disease or diabetes should especially seek out vaccinations. The Centers for Disease Control estimates there were as many as 54 million flu cases nationwide last year and between 19,000 and 58,000 deaths due to the flu. Iowa health officials reported 366 flu deaths in 2021. (Iowa Public Radio)
National news
Young health care consumers see wellness in different ways
Young health care consumers under 45 want different things from older generations — such as an increased focus on preventive health and more attention to mental health — according to a recent survey out of The 3rd Eye, a health and wellness agency. The survey explores what wellness means for younger generations as well as the different racial and ethnic groups in that age group. The report finds that the concept of wellness varies by ethnicity, with white consumers prioritizing physical and emotional health as wellness while Black consumers are more likely to consider spiritual health as wellness. The takeaway for health marketers, the survey argues, is that they should “recognize how important health and wellness is to consumers,” while also acknowledging that they may have a different definition than marketers. (Medical Marketing and Media)
Membership medicine: The future of primary care?
Primary care is at a tipping point. We know it has been said before. But in the past, primary care delivery has been dictated by changes in payer-led reimbursement models. Examples include health care maintenance organizations of the 1990s and more recent risk-sharing, value-based care initiatives. This time, other forces are also at play, including nontraditional market entrants, physician shortages exacerbated by industrywide burnout and consumer expectations. Health systems will be forced to evolve their primary care strategies. Membership model medicine must be a key component of that evolution. (HIT Consultant)
25 factors that could affect health system performance in 2024
Last year was one of the worst financial years for hospitals and health systems in decades. Many of the same challenges — including staff shortages, inflation and the rising costs of drugs, supplies and services — have continued into 2023, but the good news for hospitals is that patient volumes are rebounding and contract labor expenses are falling, helping operating margins move in the right direction again. That said, there are several factors that could affect financial performances next year, according to multiple systems’ recently reported financial documents. Becker’s reviews the top 25 factors. (Becker’s Hospital Review)