Sochi Public Health Tips
I know that some of you out there are going to attend the Winter Olympics - so I put together the blog post below over the weekend for folks that might be going. Here goes in case you’re interested: Let’s start with the good news first- then the health tips… Sochi Games to be Smoke Free- Russians are 4th in the world [...]
MERS Update
Back in the fall I mentioned the new SARS-like virus, MERS-CoV, which has been causing severe illness, and sometimes death, mainly in the Arabian Peninsula. Four months ago, 103 cases had been reported worldwide, about half of them fatal. Now, 177 cases have been reported, with 74 deaths. The cases are almost all located in the Arabian Peninsula, with 80% [...]
Behavioral Health Efficiency Moves
This week we’re making 3 efficiency changes in our behavioral health system. Instead of having providers bill us and AHCCCS for different services, all the bills will go to AHCCCS- and we’ll get statements from them. It’ll be the same with enrollment- all paperwork is processed through AHCCCS and we’ll get a standard report that will keep the system up-to-date. The [...]
Historic Arnold vs. Sarn Agreement Reached
The Governor today announced a final agreement has been reached in the Arnold vs. Sarn case regarding care and services for individuals with serious mental illness. Litigation that commenced in 1981, the settlement ends a more than three-decade long lawsuit against the state and establishes a blueprint for a successful community-based behavioral health system in Arizona. You can read more [...]
Combatting Killer Painkillers
Poisoning (including alcohol and prescription drugs) causes more deaths than car crashes in Arizona. A recent report issued by the Trust for America's Health ranked Arizona as having the 6th highest death rate for drug overdose in the country in 2010. Arizona also had one of the highest rates (4th highest at 5.7%) of nonmedical use of prescription pain relievers [...]
ADVICE Collaborative II: Turning the Tide on Infections
Back in 2013 our Licensing team joined with our Infectious Disease Services shop and our Healthcare Associated Infections Advisory Committee to put together a day-long conference aimed at improving infection control practices in our dialysis facilities. The ADVICE collaborative brought together licensed dialysis providers, the dialysis network, federal partners, and public health professionals to find new ways to promote infection [...]