Health Care

Fighting Prescription Drug Abuse, One Log In At a Time

Kristin Gourlay — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:00:00 +0000

For Rhode Islanders between 15 and 44 years old, the leading cause of death is accidental drug overdose, usually involving prescription painkillers. State health leaders are calling it an epidemic. There’s growing evidence that tracking the number of pills doctors prescribe to potential abusers might ease the problem. But Rhode Island’s fledgling prescription drug monitoring program is just getting started.

The dark side of opiates

Hittner Nominated as Next Health Insurance Commissioner

Kristin Gourlay — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 20:20:29 +0000

Governor Lincoln Chafee has nominated Dr. Kathleen Hittner as Rhode Island’s next Health Insurance Commissioner. Hittner must be confirmed by the senate.

Hittner has been tapped to replace outgoing commissioner Chris Koller, who is stepping down to become president of the Milbank Memorial Fund in New York City.

Officials Seek Input on Alzheimer's State Plan

Kristin Gourlay — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 19:24:32 +0000

State officials want to make it easier for people living with Alzheimer’s and those who care for them. Nearly 25,000 Rhode Islanders suffer from the disease, and an estimated 60,000 are their unpaid caregivers.

A work group spearheaded by Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Roberts and Division of Elderly Affairs chief Catherine Taylor has issued a set of recommendations in the state’s first comprehensive Alzheimer’s plan.

Thundermist, Kent Partner on Family Medicine Residency Program

Kristin Gourlay — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:37:01 +0000

Kent Hospital and Thundermist Health Center have teamed up to train new physicians in family medicine and a new kind of health care model called a patient-centered medical home. It's the first community health center-based training of its kind in the state

When medical students graduate, they go on to do a residency program for more on-the-job training. Most residencies take place in hospitals. But that’s changing. This new program will place family medicine residents from Kent Hospital in Warwick’s Thundermist community health center.

RI Health Dept. Identifies Killer Synthetic Drug

Kristin Gourlay — Thu, 30 May 2013 20:24:46 +0000

State health officials say they have solved the mystery of a synthetic drug that’s now killed 12 people.

Department of Health officials say those who died appear to have been intravenous drug users. Most came from northern Rhode Island. It took the department’s own scientists, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and an independent testing lab to identify the drug the deceased were injecting. It’s a synthetic opioid called acetyl fentanyl, similar to morphine. It’s man-made, illegal, and doctors don’t prescribe it.

Medical Marijuana Stores: More Spa, Less Pharmacy

Kristin Gourlay — Wed, 29 May 2013 09:00:00 +0000

In April, Rhode Island’s first medical marijuana dispensary – the Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center - opened for business in Providence. This weekend, the second is scheduled to open in Portsmouth. We visited the Greenleaf compassion center as workers rushed to finish the stylish interior.

The marijuana might be medical, but the retail space is anything but.

RI Health Care Reform Bill Clears Senate Hurdle

Kristin Gourlay — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:40:09 +0000

A comprehensive health care reform bill is headed for a full vote in the Rhode Island Senate. The bill aims, in part, to increase the transparency of health care costs.

RI Insurers Must Disclose Prices to Doctors

Kristin Gourlay — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:17:54 +0000

For the first time, Rhode Island’s insurance commissioner has directed health insurers to disclose what they pay for health care services. But that information won’t necessarily be directly available to patients.

More Layoffs As Lifespan Tries to Trim $150M

Kristin Gourlay — Wed, 22 May 2013 18:32:36 +0000

The state’s largest hospital network is making another attempt to trim nearly $150 million in expenses over the next two and a half years. Lifespan has announced another round of layoffs.

RI's Latest Health Care Merger: Good for You and Your Bottom Line?

Kristin Gourlay — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:24:22 +0000

The Lifespan hospital system’s recent acquisition of Gateway, a mental health care network, may be a sign of more to come. But it could be too soon to tell what it means for a patient’s pocketbook.