Iowa news
MercyOne says Sioux City hospital in ‘full compliance’ with CMS vaccination requirements
MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center said it is in “full compliance” with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requirements for COVID-19 vaccination of staff. Documents posted to the Iowa Department of Inspection and Appeals’ website showed MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center was deficient in its recording of whether staff were vaccinated against COVID-19 or had a medical exemption. MercyOne was cited for failing to develop and implement a system to identify if all the hospital’s medical staff had either completed their COVID-19 vaccination or received an approved exemption. (Sioux City Journal)
International Family Medicine Clinic: breaking cultural barriers
The International Family Medicine Clinic was created in March 2020 to offer immigrants and newly settled refugees a place to address their primary care concerns and, sometimes, establish specialized or long-term care at UI Hospitals and Clinics. The clinic is flexible with late arrivals, offers patients more time with providers, and is open evenings to not overlap with workday schedules. Providers also typically see parents and children together, building a relationship with the entire family. (Medicine Iowa)
University of Iowa researchers help discover new autism genes
A study published in the prestigious Nature Genetics journal identified 60 genes that contribute to autism largely via inherited genes from parents who don’t have autism or cognitive differences – including five never before implicated in the condition. These genes probably explain a greater proportion of the autism spectrum. (The Gazette)
National news
Hospitals are cutting jobs, services to resuscitate finances
Hospitals and health systems are facing many financial pressures this year, and more than half of hospitals are projected to have negative margins for the rest of 2022. Provider organizations are taking steps to grow revenue and reduce costs, including implementing layoffs. Healthcare organizations in Michigan, Colorado and Ohio are among those cutting jobs as they navigate financial challenges. Financial pressures and labor challenges are leading many other hospitals and health systems to reduce service offerings. Dozens of hospitals have scaled back care this year with several cutting services in August and September. (Becker’s Hospital Review)
Pfizer-BioNTech asks FDA to authorize new omicron-targeting COVID booster for children 5-11
Vaccine developer Pfizer and German partner BioNTech have asked the Food and Drug Administration to authorize its omicron-targeting COVID-19 booster for school-age children. Pfizer-BioNTech submitted an application for emergency-use authorization of its BA.4/BA.5-adapted bivalent vaccine for children 5-11 years old at a 10-microgram dose. The companies’ bivalent booster is authorized by the FDA at 15 micrograms to anyone 12 and older at least two months after any previous COVID-19 shots. (USA Today)
Houston Methodist reports flu levels not usually seen until December
Houston Methodist is reporting an early increase in flu cases, with numbers hitting levels not usually seen until the end of the year. The hospital recorded 100 cases of influenza A and B in the week ending Sept. 21. A week prior, this figure hit 226. Texas is the only state in the U.S. — outside of Washington, D.C. — that already has a moderately high rate of flu cases, according to the CDC’s latest weekly flu report published Sept. 23. The early rise in cases comes amid warnings that this season’s flu season may be severe. (Becker’s Hospital Review)