Quality of Care, News & Research

President on methods of improving mental health care.

The Literature, Arts, and Medicine database is an annotated bibliography of prose, poetry, film, video, and art maintained by New York University for use in health care and liberal arts settings. Many entries have links to the text or pictures of the art that is described. Data can be searched using key words, phrases, names, or titles.

Here's a no-brainer: A recent study commissioned by the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) concluded that newsrooms with larger numbers of Asian American staffers did a better job of covering Asian American communities and issues than less-diverse newsrooms. Read more.

The Public News Service (PNS) is a collection of more than a dozen independent state-based news services that provide high quality public interest journalism to both mainstream and alternative media on a daily basis. Supported by almost 250 nonprofit organizations and other contributors, PNS provides radio (and, increasingly, television) coverage of issues such as Disabilities, Health Issues, Hunger/Food/Nutrition, Mental Health, Senior Issues, Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Urban Planning/Transportation and Women's Issues to name just a few.

Ed Gordon talks to author Eric Baily who wrote a book about African Americans seeking care from a variety of "alternative" health care treatments for chronic diseases.

The U.S. 2007 Budget proposal eliminates 6 Health and Human Services programs to save $866 million and reduces spending by about $1 billion in 5 other programs. Among those eliminated:
• Community Action Agencies grants, which fund employment, housing, and health care for those with low incomes
• Preventive Health and Human Services Block Grant, which funds disease prevention, injury reduction, sex-offense prevention
• Maternal and Child Health Small Categorical Grant program (certain categories eliminated)
• Urban Indian Health Program, which provides care for 60 percent of Native Americans living in urban areasSlated for reduced spending:
• Health Resources and Services Administration (HSRA), which directs health care professionals to underserved communities
• HSRA Rural Health ProgramsThe transcript of Secretary Leavitt's Health and Human Services budget briefing can be found at: http://www.hhs.gov/budget/brief.html

One ambulance per minute is diverted "to a different hospital every minute, on average, because of emergency department overcrowding or bed shortages, according to a study released on Monday by the National Center for Health Statistics, the Boston Herald reports." The study did not include information about the effects this would have on patients, but experts agree it would likely have a negative impact. (Source: Kaiser Family Foundation)

A new White Paper from Public Knowledge is a primer and advocate for Net Neutrality. The paper not only lays out the arguments for nondiscrimination in broadband service, it also addresses the major arguments against Network Neutrality. It includes draft language for policymakers.

The Center for Digital Democracy focuses on the full potential of public media -- including public broadcasting, but focusing especially on a range of new digital technologies -- in the broadband era. The Center believes it's time for more collaborative and community-based efforts. Technological convergence, says their latest report, must not be allowed to become the latest victim of media consolidation. Part 1, Expanding Public Media in the Digital Age, is available at the URL below. It contains chapters titled, "Edgewise: The Media Landscape's New Geography", "Back to the Future: Public Broadcasting in the Digital Age" and "Do-it-Ourselves" Media: New Opportunities for Alternative Voices."

"Debt resulting from medical bills deters people from seeking future care, which can result in the need for more expensive treatment later on. In addition, medical debt can affect the overall financial security of families and undermine their economic stability." A report from "The Access Project" tells the sobering story of the situation in Kansas where medical debt is a growing problem. Over half of the surveyed families with health insurance reported having medical debt.