Today’s NewsStand

Today’s NewsStand

By Iowa Hospital Association|
|March 18, 2021

Iowa news

Holden Center plays important role in university

More than 40 years have passed since the University of Iowa’s Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center was founded. It was only the beginning to a significant piece of the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics campus that has achieved national and international recognition. And it is home in Iowa — just a half hour car trip from Kalona. In 2019 alone, the cancer center treated more than 24,000 Iowans. It has served patients from 49 of 50 US states. (The News)

Iowa farmers union monitoring rural health care legislation

Wisconsin Congressman Ron Kind has introduced the Rural and Underserved Small Hospital Protection Act known as the RUSH Act. The measure is an attempt to fix the rural access to care issue felt in many states. For Iowa Farmers Union members it’s one of their top concerns. President Aaron Lehman says in order to adequately protect rural residents with the proper health care takes personnel there to do the job. (WNAX)

Most first responders in Linn, Johnson counties have COVID-19 vaccines

Most first responders at major municipal and county departments in Linn and Johnson counties have chosen to get vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the agencies that are keeping track. But although first responders interact with the public, not all agencies are counting. Among the departments that are, vaccination rates range from 55-95% of their first responders. In Cedar Rapids, public safety spokesperson Greg Buelow said about 70% of the city’s sworn police officers and dispatchers, and 80% of the city’s firefighters have been vaccinated. (The Gazette)

National news

Amazon is expanding Amazon Care telehealth service nationally for its employees and other companies

Amazon is rolling out its telehealth service known as Amazon Care for its employees in all 50 states starting this summer with plans to expand it to other employers later this year, the company announced Wednesday. Amazon Care launched as a pilot program two years ago to provide convenient urgent care visits virtually for the company’s employees in Washington state, with free telehealth consults and in-home visits for a fee from nurses for testing and vaccinations. The program has since expanded into more of a primary care service. (CNBC)

Fauci: US could see third COVID-19 surge like Europe

Dr. Fauci warned that the US could experience a third COVID-19 surge like Europe did if it eases its COVID-19 restrictions too early, according to a March 14 article in The Wall Street Journal. Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the pace of COVID-19 vaccinations is improving, while new cases in the US have plateaued. (Becker’s Hospital Review)

COVID-19 hot spots threaten to reemerge in Midwest, Northeast

While COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths have fallen nationwide over the last few weeks, some parts of the country are starting to see an uptick in virus activity, reports The Washington Post. The numbers are flat or slowly increasing in many parts of the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and upper Midwest regions, according to David Rubin, MD, director of the PolicyLab at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. As of March 16, seven-day new case averages were at least 10 percent higher than the week prior in 15 states, according to data from Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University cited by CNN. In Michigan and Minnesota, this average was more than 40 percent higher than the week prior. (Becker’s Hospital Review)

Become a hospital advocate. Sign up for IHA Action Alerts.

Click here