> A study published Monday in the Annals of Family Medicine shows healthcare professionals often overlook chemical intolerance, which contributes to one in five illnesses, according to clinical research found at UT Medicine San Antonio. Despite access to tools that can help identify these intolerances, medical staff seldom take advantage of them and rarely account for chemical intolerance in their diagnoses. Statement
> A policy at Saint John's Health Center in California that limited off-duty employee access to the hospital violated the National Labor Relations Act, the labor board found. The ruling could have significant effects on other hospital policies, according to AHA News Now. American Hospital Association members voiced concern that these policies were at the sole discretion of the employer and denied employees access to the facility for anything other than "hospital-related business." News brief
> Westchester (N.Y.) Medical Center laid off 250 nurses' aides last week, The Journal News reported. The former workers protested their job losses claiming they were wrongfully terminated and given insufficient notice and benefits. The hospital announced last month that it had hired a private company to provide nurses' aides, stating the move would save the facility $4 million to $5 million a year. Article
> In an attempt to curb readmissions, New Jersey's Overlook Medical Center is using follow-up calls and care navigators to improve patient transitions from hospitals to home care, The Independent Press reported yesterday. Overlook, along with Atlantic Health System, recently has ramped up efforts to reduce readmissions after reports showed that readmission rates in New Jersey were higher than the national average. Article
And Finally... Opossums could help cure most poisons Article