Health - Rick's Blog

Escambia County gets ‘F’ on premature births

The March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign aims to reduce preterm birth rates across the United States. The organization has set a goal of reducing the…

LIP money back on the front burner

The state’s Medicaid director said today he hopes in the coming weeks to finalize an agreement with the federal government about details for the Low…

Teens dump smokes for e-cigarettes

By JIM SAUNDERS AND TOM URBAN THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA Florida high-school students have largely kicked the cigarette habit. But many have found another…

UWF Foundation announces $100,000 endowment from Partnership for Public Health

Press release: Partnership for Public Health, Inc. â€“ a non-profit corporation with a mission to support local organizations interested in improving public health â€“ recently…

HCA offers a solution to health care crisis

HCA, the for-profit health care system that Rick Scott once served as its CEO, has sent a letter to the governor offering a solution to…

League of Women Voters challenges Scott on health care

The President of the League of Women Voters of Florida called Gov. Rick Scott’s announcement casting doubt on a Senate plan to help 800,000 of…

Context Florida: Health care pits RINOS vs. Tea Partiers in budget fight

By Jack Stevenson The ideological fissure that cleaves the Republican Party nationwide will be on display in Tallahassee as the legislative leadership labors to bring…

Florida lawmakers talk with feds about health care coverage

By DARA KAM THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA With a $5 billion health-care budget breach between the House and Senate halfway through the legislative session,…

Bipartisan health care bill praised

A Healthy Florida Works, a bipartisan coalition of business leaders, chambers of commerce, statewide business organizations and concerned individuals, today released an ad thanking Senate…

Lawmakers eye major changes in mental health services

By MARGIE MENZEL THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA As Florida lawmakers study the impact of mental illness on the state’s troubled criminal-justice and child-protection systems,…

PS podcast: Gaetz argues for Senate plan to help uninsured

On News Talk 1370 WCOA’s Pensacola Speaks, I talked with Sen. Don Gaetz on how the Florida Senate wants to provide health coverage for the…

Quint Studer named one of the most interesting entrepreneurs in healthcare today

The Becker Hospital Review has published its list of the nine most interesting and intelligent entrepreneurs in healthcare today. Quint Studer, founder of Studer Group,…

TaxWatch recommends more state funding for mental health

Seeing getting help for those battling mental issues as a public safety issue, Florida TaxWatch wants the state to increase funding for mental health service,…

Florida Senate panel moves to expand health coverage

By JIM SAUNDERS THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA Trying to build momentum amid continued opposition from House leaders, a Senate panel Tuesday approved a plan…

West Florida Hospital named to Top 100 Hospitals list

Modern Healthcare released a list of the nationâ€™s 100 Top Hospitals, and West Florida Hospital made that list in the large community hospital section. The…

IN Rising Star Hong Tran promoted

Baptist Heart & Vascular Institute has selected IN Rising Star Hong Tran as operations services director. Tran has been at Baptist Health Care for 10…

Local HPV program earns national recognition

An HPV vaccination awareness program led by Dr. Julie DeCesare, OB/GYN residency program director for Sacred Heart Hospital Pensacola, has received national recognition from the…

Viewpoint: State of Local Healthcare Past Ridiculous

By Suzie Farthing, RN I am incredibly frustrated with the state of healthcare in our community. Things have gotten past the point of being ridiculous….