More Than One Third of U.S. Counties Are Maternity Care Deserts
Maternity care access remains limited across much of the U.S., with 34.6% of counties classified as maternity care deserts and more than half lacking a hospital with labor and delivery services.
The March of Dimes found little change since 2016, while 57.9% of rural counties lack a practicing obstetric clinician. Financial pressures, low rural birth volumes, inadequate Medicaid reimbursement…
Complaining About Bad Coverage Is the Surest Way to Amplify It
Public health communicators facing unfavorable media coverage should consider that public complaints can substantially amplify the original story and its negative framing.
A company executive’s social media response to a July 9 Wired article generated 437,000 views on the first day and 2.3 million within several days, compared with fewer than 15,000 views for Wired’s promotional post. The res…
NPHIC and CDC Monthly Communication Call Highlights Accessibility Practices for Public Health Communicators
NPHIC and CDC’s July 29 Monthly Communication Call highlighted practical strategies public health communicators can use to improve accessibility and expand access to health information. The session featured CDC’s Jessica Handley, who shared guidance on accessible digital content, including the use of descriptive links, alt text, plain language, proper headings, and mobile-friendly design.
The…
Medicaid's Work Requirement Crunch Arrives
Medicaid beneficiaries in states implementing new work requirements are beginning to face coverage losses as eligibility rules take effect, increasing the risk of insurance disruptions for eligible enrollees.
Nebraska, the first state to enforce the requirements ahead of the Jan. 1 national deadline, expects about 200 people to lose coverage this week, while projections estimate up to 7 million people nationwide could lose Medicaid coverage by 2028.
Patients with serious illnesses, including cancer, and clinicians report concerns about reporting requirements, exemption processes, and ad…
New CDC Data Shows Decline in Healthcare-Associated Infections
According to new CDC data, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in U.S. hospitals declined between 2015 and 2023, signaling progress in patient safety while highlighting ongoing risks. In 2023, about 1 in 38 hospitalized patients had at least one HAI, compared with 1 in 31 patients in 2015, though an estimated 518,000 HAIs still occurred nationwide.
Reductions were seen in central line-associated bloodstream infections, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, and Clostridioides difficile infections, while pneumonia and surgical site infections showed limited change.
The new fin…