This month, the FDA endorsed the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) recommendations for the 2015-2016 Northern Hemisphere flu vaccine. It may seem early to think about next year’s flu season when this season is just winding down; however, flu vaccine development and production takes about 6 months. So it is important to start now in order [...]
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among both men and women in Arizona. Cancer can be detected early through a screening test, like a colonoscopy or an at-home test, when patient outcomes can be most impacted. The Arizona Department of Health Services, along with organizations throughout the U.S., has taken the [...]
The Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released a mobile app this morning to help primary care and behavioral health providers identify suicide risk among patients. Suicide Safe is available for Apple and Android phones and tablets. A webinar explaining the technology will happen at 12:30 today. The event is full at this point, but a [...]
Tobacco use is responsible for thousands of deaths in Arizona every year – more than 8,000 according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Secondhand smoke also takes a toll on the health of those exposed. Eliminating the danger of secondhand smoke is a big part of the Smoke Free Arizona voter initiative. Passed in 2006, [...]
Arizona seems to have escaped the first round of the national measles outbreak without any more cases, but that doesn’t mean we can drop our guard. Measles is still circulating in the country, especially in nearby states. So parents, nurses, doctors and all healthcare professionals need to consider measles as a possibility when someone has [...]
We’ve made a lot of progress implementing the provisions outlined by the Governor’s Council on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response late last year including: 1) successful designation of 2 hospitals; 2) receiving new funding to support accelerated infectious disease preparedness planning and response; and 3) approval of a new award to enhance hospital readiness. New [...]
The website for National Public Health Week, which will run April 6-12 this year, is now open for business. Visit www.nphw.org to stay abreast of information and events and access the NPHW toolkit. The toolkit contains fact sheets, media outreach materials, suggested community events, legislative information and other helpful resources and activities. This year's NPHW [...]
In the past, tuberculosis was all over popular culture. It was portrayed in opera (Puccini’s La bóheme, Verdi’s La Traviata), in novels (Tolstoy’s Anna Karénina, Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment), and in poetry (works by both Keats and Shelley). Nowadays, it seems like the only time TB is in the news is when it’s about ancient [...]
In mid-December (2014) we awarded contracts for the Northern and Southern regions of the state to Health Choice Integrated Care and Cenpatico Integrated Care. On January 2nd United Healthcare filed a Protest with the ADHS for the award in Southern AZ, requesting an Emergency Stay and Administrative Hearing. On January 21 we denied the Protest. United [...]
Az Health Improvement Plan Paying Dividends We made progress this week on one of our key Arizona Health Improvement Plan (AzHIP) objectives: To improve access to well care in underserved areas of Arizona. This week the Governor signed Senate Bill 1194 which enhances our State Loan Repayment Program by expanding the types of providers who can receive loan repayment assistance, increasing [...]
