AT THIS HOUR

April 15, 2022

518: The number of “available” pediatric psychiatric residential beds in South Carolina, though state agency leaders say that about half of those are actually occupied by children from outside the state. This means South Carolina children with immediate psychiatric needs are waiting days and even weeks for care, and many end up traveling to other facilities across the state line. This strange phenomenon largely occurs due to different Medicaid rates between states. Kaiser Health News recently reported that about 90 children covered by Medicaid in Montana are at psychiatric facilities across 10 different states. Unfortunately, many psychologists suggest children who receive care closer to home have better outcomes, largely because they can stay in better contact with family and caregivers.

Worried Sick: A recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll finds that surprise medical bills are the second-highest financial worry for American families, right behind gas prices, with 58% of respondents worrying about their ability to afford surprise bills. Despite recent legislation passed to curb surprise billing, 56% of respondents with private insurance said they were unaware of a federal law that went into effect in January that bans patients from being charged when they receive out-of-network care.

Novel Staffing Solutions: Denver South High School and Denver Health have teamed up and launched a pilot program to train students as paramedics. The program aims to pique interest in careers in emergency medicine, which has become more critical as Colorado’s hospitals struggle to keep up with the worsening staffing shortage. The class curriculum comes from Denver Health, which also trains the high school teachers instructing students. To combat the staffing shortage in Michigan, newly formed health system BHSH is partnering with Grand Valley State University to create a nursing program that will provide financial assistance to nearly 500 nursing students over the next 6 years.

Couch P(o)T(ato): In an effort to reduce costs and unnecessary invasive treatments, United is launching a virtual physical therapy program to improve support for members with musculoskeletal issues. Eligible members will have access to 24/7 on-demand physical therapy exercises, individualized feedback and access to one-on-one health coaching through the AI-powered app, Kaia Health. Exercises will be analyzed over time through algorithms and self-reported outcomes, such as perceived pain levels and mobility, to help identify patients in need of more coaching.

The Kids Aren’t Alright: Our team covered the National Council for Behavioral Health in DC this week, where thousands of healthcare professionals and companies gathered to discuss the future of behavioral health. Adolescent mental health was a significant focus throughout the event, sessions highlighted innovations in school-based mental health, building a foundation of infant and early childhood mental health services, interventions for LGBTQ+ youth and more. More stories on this, emerging treatment trends, and innovative companies to come.

Extra Point: The young man with the button-down shirt and brown shoes missed his bus today for that job in Rome. The young man was to be a builder but on the way through the village square in Cicerele he saw an older man with a white shirt and a gray cap fall to the ground near a water fountain. The young man helped the older man over to a bench and brought him water and then carried the older man up a hill outside the village to the doctor’s home. That older man was my great Uncle Cosimo and the young man who saved him that day and gave up his bus for a chance at a new job and a better life, was George. On a weekend when most of us are supposed to think a lot about sacrifice – about caregivers and teachers and parents, nurses and neighbors - I think about George’s selfless act. George went on to help care for Cosimo for many years and he remained in the Cicerele village building tables and benches and fixing broken windows for the town’s 300 some people.  Monte Cicerele was a simple town about two hours south of Napoli where my grandfather Giovanni and his brother Cosimo grew up. Neither knew George until that day in 1938.  I remember listening to Uncle Cosimo and my grandfather tell stories under our gazebo when I was just 5.  They had both come to America in the late 50s with families and dreams of opening the bakery with anisette cookies and cannoli, and they would tell tales about life in Cicerele—Cosimo in his fiery, gristled Italian and my grandfather trying to translate for me.  I don’t remember most of their stories, but I can picture them under that gazebo, and I can remember the story about George. The young man who gave up his dream to eventually help two brothers have theirs.

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