A report prepared for the American Hospital Association predicts half of the nation's hospitals will be losing money by the end of the year unless Congress gives them more relief money, and some of those hospitals are in Kentucky.
Overall, hospitals usually have an operating margin of 3.5 percent, but that is expected to be minus 3% for the second quarter of this year, once the figures are compiled, and could sink to minus 7% in the third and fourth...
Friday, July 31, 2020
New virus cases up for 5th day; covid-19 patients' ICU use spikes; positive-test rate declines; studies don't look good for school
By Al Cross and Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News
New cases of the novel coronavirus in Kentucky increased for the fifth straight day, to 778, the fourth largest number yet, and the number of Kentuckians in intensive care for covid-19 rose to the highest in months.
Gov. Andy Beshear emphasized the third consecutive decline...
Lifestyle changes are important for managing atrial fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation (afib) is a common heart rhythm disorder in which the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) beat fast and irregularly. Afib commonly causes recurrent symptoms, usually palpitations and shortness of breath, and can negatively affect quality of life. Afib also substantially increases the risk of stroke, and is also associated with heart failure, high blood pressure, and diabetes. People with afib routinely require lifelong treatment...
UK HealthCare again best Ky. hospital in U.S. News & World Report rankings; Baptist Health has two of seven on state list
By Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News
Seven Kentucky hospitals are included in the nation's "Best Regional Hospitals" in the latest annual rankings by the magazine U.S. News & World Report.
They are, in order: the University of Kentucky hospital; in a tie for second, Baptist Health Louisville and St. Elizabeth...
Thursday, July 30, 2020
Cases up, positive-test rate down; Beshear says mask mandate having effect, but suggests more people should work from home
State chart adapted by Ky. Health News; current period has 3 of 7 days remaining; at current rate would be 3845.
By Al Cross and Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News
Thursday's coronavirus numbers were mixed, but Gov. Andy Beshear kept accentuating the positive, saying he sees the impact of his July 9 order requiring...
Can appealing to teenagers’ vanity improve sun-protective behaviors?
As the summer warmth lures us outside, parents may be struggling to get their teenagers to follow sun protection guidelines. It can be challenging to catch the attention of younger people, for whom health concerns such as skin cancer feel like a lifetime away. One promising strategy for educating teens about sun-protective behavior is to appeal to their vanity and meet them where they are — on their smartphones.
Mobile app reveals possible effects...
Things you should think about when you hear “vaccine by end of the year”
On July 27, 2020, the Washington Post reported, Two coronavirus vaccines begin the last phase of testing: 30,000-person trials, wrapping it in historical terms:
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At 6:45 a.m. Monday, a volunteer in Savannah, Ga., received a shot in the arm and became the first participant in a massive human experiment...
Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Beshear says case numbers are likely stabilizing, but Kentuckians need to be diligent; state's positive virus test rate rises to 5.81%
Beshear showed this chart to illustrate what Kentucky needs to avoid: a spike like Oklahoma's.
By Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News
Even though new cases of the coronavirus crept up Wednesday, and the percentage of Kentuckians testing positive in the last seven days was the highest it's been in a while, Gov. Andy...
I can’t tolerate CPAP, what can I do?
Continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, is the most common treatment prescribed for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). CPAP involves wearing a mask that fits into the nostrils, underneath or over the nose, or over the nose and mouth, through which pressurized air is delivered via tubing from a machine to keep the upper airway open during sleep. CPAP is recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) as the initial treatment for moderate...
What you need to know about the Alzheimer’s test news
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For years, substances called tau protein or beta-amyloid have been theorized to be signs or causes of Alzheimer’s disease. There have been many reports of tests and treatments based on theories that tau and/or amyloid are at least signs, if not causes, of Alzheimer’s. Scientific uncertainty remains about...
Tuesday, July 28, 2020
Republicans' new relief plan has less for hospitals, nothing for Medicaid; McConnell 'faces flak from both left and right'
Senate Republicans' latest covid-19 relief proposal "sets up new fights over health funding even as the pandemic continues to overwhelm the country," report Dan Diamond and Adam Cancryn of Politico.
"There’s more hospital bailout cash, but it’s well short of demands. Senate Republicans are pitching a $25 billion boost to a hospital bailout fund, bringing the total to $200 billion when combined with past relief measures. That’s well short of the...
Beshear sees signs that his mask mandate is slowing the spread of the coronavirus; both key seven-day averages show declines
Kentucky Health News chart; daily case numbers may be adjusted after initial report.
By Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News
Although the number of new coronavirus cases reported Tuesday in Kentucky remained high, at 532, the seven-day average of cases suggested a downward trend, and the percentage of Kentuckians...
