Iowa news
Iowa House seeks to increase number of mental health practitioners
The Iowa House approved a trio of bills this week addressing mental health issues by funding support for practitioners and adjusting reimbursement rates for providers. HF 2529 would create a state-funded psychiatry residency program in cooperation with the state’s mental health institutes, resource centers, training school Iowa Medical and Classification Center. It was approved 96-0. The bill calls for providing financial support for residency positions that are in excess of the federal residency cap. Residents would be required to complete a portion of their psychiatric training at one of the state institutions. (The Gazette)
Mobile app helps researchers identify developmental delays and diagnose autism among young children
For the past three years, Ashley Westphal as taken her daughter Rogue, to MercyOne in Waterloo. During one appointment, she was told that Rogue had sensory processing difficulties. That’s when she was introduced to BabySteps. “We actually got introduced to the app prior to her diagnosis. We got diagnosed with autism for her last year in January,” said Westphal. It’s downloadable for iPhone and android and allows families to upload videos and pictures of their child within their home. (KCRG)
Two years into the pandemic, COVID-19 continues to weigh on Iowa’s health care system
It’s been two years since the first cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Iowa, and the pandemic has had a drastic impact on Iowans’ lives and the state’s health care system. That’s as Iowans settle into a new normal of living with and monitoring the virus. (Iowa Public Radio)
National news
10 top patient safety concerns for 2022
Staffing shortages are the top threat to patient safety in 2022, according an annual report on patient safety concerns from ECRI, an organization that conducts independent medical device evaluations. Researchers identified the top threats to patient safety by analyzing a wide range of data, including scientific literature, patient safety events or concerns reported to or investigated by ECRI. (Becker’s Hospital Review)
Stroke rates are increasing among young people. Here’s what you need to know
Blood clots in the brain can lead to ischemic strokes, which make up most strokes. And among young people, stroke rates are on the rise. Ischemic strokes happen when blood flow is blocked through an artery that delivers blood to the brain. Transient ischemic attacks, which are sometimes called “mini-strokes,” are different than ischemic strokes because these strokes block blood flow from the brain for a short period of time only — often, as short as five minutes. Like ischemic strokes, these strokes are also often caused by blood clots. (Iowa Public Radio)
10 things Gen Z, millennial nurses want from their hospitals
A survey from the American Nurses Foundation and Joslin Insight showed Generation Z and millennial nurses — who belong to the generations born between 1981 and 2012 — have been hit hard by the pandemic, with many suffering from mental health issues and about 60% saying they will leave or are considering leaving their positions. Becker’s spoke with about a dozen nurses at systems nationwide about what they feel is lacking in their environments and what employers could do to fill those gaps. Four common needs emerged from the conversations: work-life balance, better pay, more support and improved working conditions. (Becker’s Hospital Review)