Hospitals
Republicans and Democrats split over response to Sweet 16 party shooting
Democrats called for gun control measures while Republicans argued for a crackdown on crime.
Travel nurse salaries are rising due to demand. Some hospitals say it’s price gouging
In the Gulf South, Mississippi has spent around $90 million on temporary medical staff. Louisiana has spent nearly $250 million.
Gulf South hospitals face ‘worst-case scenario’ as staffing costs skyrocket
Facilities are under strain and federal assistance only goes so far.
Alabama Hospitals Hit Plateau With COVID Patients But Facilities Still In Crisis
Alabama still has more ICU patients than available beds. Hospital officials need more nurses too.
Hospital Officials Urge Against Holiday Gatherings In Open Letter To Alabamians
Birmingham-area hospital officials are asking Alabamians to take all possible precautions to stop the spread of the disease, including avoiding holiday gatherings with people who do not live in their households.
Low ICU Capacity Could Affect Non-Coronavirus Patients The Most
As coronavirus hospitalizations increase, more hospitals are feeling squeezed. The president of the Alabama Hospital Association says the state is far from getting the pandemic under control. Limited hospital capacity will most affect patients seeking care for health issues other than coronavirus.
COVID-19 Crisis Threatens To Bankrupt And Close Struggling Hospitals In The Rural South
The executive director of the Alabama Rural Health Association says closing rural hospitals is his greatest concern. That's because these hospitals located across the Deep South were struggling to stay open before COVID-19.
An Alternative to Delivering Babies at the Hospital
Alabama has the second-highest infant mortality rate in the nation. And more rural hospitals are closing. Now some physicians and nonprofits say birth centers are a way to provide cheaper and safer prenatal care and delivery.
Hospitals see Changes in Alabama’s Certificate of Need Process
If you don't work in the healthcare industry, you might not be familiar with Alabama's Certificate of Need process. It's bureaucratic, often with mounds of paperwork and legal fees, but it determines what healthcare facilities get built in the state. And in some cases, which ones are blocked. We hear about the process and some changes in this week's Magic City Marketplace.
What Expanded Gambling Could Mean for Alabama
State lawmakers took three legislative sessions to craft a bare-bones budget this year. Next year’s budget picture isn’t any rosier so calls are increasing for Alabama to expand gambling or start a lottery. Such a move would certainly mean revenue for the state, but just as with a roll of the dice, there’s risk. We start with that in this week’s Magic City Marketplace.
Some Alabama Hospitals may Drug Test New Moms without their Consent
In Alabama, drug abuse by pregnant women is considered child abuse. The state is one of three that allows mothers to be criminally prosecuted fir. But some women appear to have been drug tested by hospitals without their consent and without being informed they could be arrested for a positive result. Those are the findings of an investigation by al.com and ProPublica.
