An Albany hospital inundated with COVID-19 patients said Tuesday that it is “quickly reaching a critical mass,’’ and that some other hospitals are refusing to accept its transfer patients who don’t have the virus. Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital also reported three more COVID-19-related deaths Tuesday, bringing the hospital’s total to 11. It has 31 COVID-19…
Gov. Brian Kemp on Monday ordered the shutdown of bars and nightclubs in Georgia, and required medically fragile individuals, including those in long-term care facilities, to “shelter in place.’’ The governor said he is also banning gatherings of 10 or more people ‘‘unless you can maintain at least six feet between people at all times.’’…
By Max Blau and Andy Miller Story updated with Gov. Kemp’s remarks As Georgia braces for an expected surge in COVID-19 cases, long-term care providers face a crucial challenge of containing a potential disease spread among older and frail patients. Five long-term care facilities in Georgia have so far reported the presence of the fast-spreading disease…
Medical clinics serving poor and uninsured Georgians are dealing with the COVID-19 crisis. For them, it’s just the latest challenge. These charitable clinics serve the most vulnerable patients for free or a sliding-scale fee. In a new GHN Commentary, the board chair of the Georgia Charitable Care Network says that these clinics will remain open…
By Holly Lang There’s a famous quote by Mr. Rogers in which he recalls his mother telling him that in times of trouble, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” Across the state, COVID-19 is testing all of our communities and health systems – especially those primarily serving low-income and uninsured…
Georgia’s rural hospitals have faced financial challenges for a long time. Even the recent economic boom was not enough to pull them out of the ditch. Now things may get even worse. The COVID-19 pandemic is both a medical crisis and an economic shock, and in Georgia, the state’s most vulnerable hospitals could bear a…
Many Georgia hospitals are postponing elective surgeries and are seeking to preserve vital supplies as the count of coronavirus cases Monday reached 121 in the state. Emory Healthcare, with 11 hospitals, said it will postpone all inpatient and outpatient elective surgical cases for two weeks effective Monday. ”While we adhere to the most stringent protocols…
Lelia Stina had to act fast when her 4-year-old son, Liam, developed severe breathing problems last August. First she took him to an urgent care center in Rome, but it was a Sunday night and the center was closed. So she drove to Redmond Regional Medical Center, a hospital that’s in the network of her…
A recent legislative hearing in Atlanta featured a stream of PBM critics. South Georgia pharmacist Nikki Bryant said PBMs are putting her out of business. Cancer patient Katie Groover said they have “exhausting” bureaucratic processes that “take away patient choice.’’ Dr. Melissa Dillmon, a Rome oncologist, said PBMs often cause delays for patients trying to get…
Federal officials are asking Georgia for more information on the state’s request for a waiver to make changes to the health insurance exchange. In a letter dated Thursday to Gov. Brian Kemp, the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) indicates that the “reinsurance’’ part of that waiver proposal is proceeding smoothly. Reinsurance aims…