Aug 17 Why won’t hospitals let patients sleep? By Shefali Luthra, Kaiser Health News It’s a common complaint — if you spend a night in the hospital, you probably won’t get much sleep. There’s the noise. There’s the bright fluorescent hallway light. And there’s the unending barrage of nighttime interruptions: vitals checks, medication administration,… Continue reading
Aug 13 Obama administration says 1 million people signed up for insurance under health care law By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Associated Press The Obama administration says nearly a million people signed up for health insurance under the health care law even after the official enrollment season ended. Continue reading
Aug 12 Watch 5:32 How the ‘quietest’ drug epidemic has ravaged the U.S. By PBS News Hour Former Los Angeles Times reporter Sam Quinones examines the dramatic surge of heroin use in the U.S. in his new book, "Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic." Quinones paints a graphic portrait of the national problem in a… Continue watching
Aug 11 As more women enter combat, access to contraception remains limited By Michelle Andrews, Kaiser Health News Next year, the military will officially lift restrictions on women in combat, the end of a process that may open up as many as 245,000 jobs that have been off limits to women. Continue reading
Aug 11 Scientists say fetal tissue remains essential for vaccines and developing treatments By Collin Binkley, Carla K. Johnson, Associated Press BOSTON — The furor on Capitol Hill over Planned Parenthood has stoked a debate about the use of tissue from aborted fetuses in medical research, but U.S. scientists have been using such cells for decades to develop vaccines and seek… Continue reading
Aug 10 Watch 7:47 Pious Philippines rolls out reproductive health law amid opposition By PBS News Hour Teen pregnancies rose by 50 percent in the Philippines over the last decade. Now that predominantly Roman Catholic country has begun implementing a law -- contested for years -- that requires public health facilities to offer free contraceptive services. Special… Continue watching
Aug 10 Watch 6:24 Missionary recounts Ebola fight as both doctor and patient By Hari Sreenivasan, Jason Kane Dr. Kent Brantly contracted Ebola while treating patients during last year's epidemic in West Africa. He was airlifted from Liberia back to the U.S. and received an experimental drug and other treatment at Emory University Hospital. Brantly joins Hari Sreenivasan… Continue watching
Aug 08 Watch 9:49 New guidelines may encourage end-of-life discussions By PBS News Hour A national movement to normalize end-of-life discussions among family and friends is on the rise. With Medicare planning to cover these conversations with physicians, The Conversation Project, a Boston-based non-profit, is highlighting the importance of talking openly about dying. Special… Continue watching
Aug 06 Watch 4:45 What caused the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in NYC? By PBS News Hour New York is facing the largest outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in its history: eight people have died from the respiratory illness since early July, and nearly 100 cases have been reported. Hari Sreenivasan learns more from Dr. Anne Schuchat of… Continue watching
Aug 06 Over-the-phone therapy helps older adults in rural areas By Lisa Gillespie, Kaiser Health News Therapy provided over the phone lowered symptoms of anxiety and depression among older adults in rural areas with a lack of mental health services, a new study shows. Continue reading