Wednesday, September 16, 2009
NP stats
The Kaiser Family Foundation recently released a fact sheet on the number of nurse practitioners in the US, with a breakdown by state. In total, the US has 147,295 NPs. The states with the most NPs are: California, with 15,230 NPs, and New York, with 14,272. The states with the least: North Dakota, with 343 NPs, and South Dakota, with 372.
Monday, September 14, 2009
good cop bad cop
NYC has been sending public health mixed signals!
A recent Post article notes an unexpected trend: a reduction in the number of uninsured people in NYC over the last several years. According to the article, of the 2.7 million New Yorkers enrolled in a public health insurance program (Medicaid, Child Health Plus, Medicare...) approximately one million of them first received benefits since 2002. Moreover, 90% of the city's children are insured, even if one includes the children of undocumented immigrants. So, according to the article, NYC is about halfway there: 1 million down, 1.3 million to go.
On the other hand, a Brooklyn judge recently ruled that the state has discriminated against thousands of mentally ill residents by placing them in "adult homes" instead of "supported housing". The New York Times reports the suit was brought by Disability Advocates, a nonprofit legal services group, under the auspices of the Americans with Disabilites Act. The judge ruled that these adult homes were "segregated settings"that did not provide residents with appropriate opportunities to cultivate daily living skills and personal independence. Interestingly, the cost per resident associated with an adult home is about $7,000 greater per year than the cost per resident in a supportive housing facility. ($47,936 vs. $40,253).
I work in such a supportive housing facility, and I think it strikes an excellent balance for its residents. Medical care is provided by a GP and a psychiatrist, both of whom come in weekly, and medication administration and monitoring is performed by myself, an RN, who is in twice a week. Moreover, each resident has a social worker to help them with a huge number of issues: government benefits and the associated paperwork, bills and financial management, part time work, and coordinating medical care when it goes beyond the on-site staff. Meanwhile, the residents maintain a high level of independence and self-sufficiency. Overall, it's great.
A recent Post article notes an unexpected trend: a reduction in the number of uninsured people in NYC over the last several years. According to the article, of the 2.7 million New Yorkers enrolled in a public health insurance program (Medicaid, Child Health Plus, Medicare...) approximately one million of them first received benefits since 2002. Moreover, 90% of the city's children are insured, even if one includes the children of undocumented immigrants. So, according to the article, NYC is about halfway there: 1 million down, 1.3 million to go.
On the other hand, a Brooklyn judge recently ruled that the state has discriminated against thousands of mentally ill residents by placing them in "adult homes" instead of "supported housing". The New York Times reports the suit was brought by Disability Advocates, a nonprofit legal services group, under the auspices of the Americans with Disabilites Act. The judge ruled that these adult homes were "segregated settings"that did not provide residents with appropriate opportunities to cultivate daily living skills and personal independence. Interestingly, the cost per resident associated with an adult home is about $7,000 greater per year than the cost per resident in a supportive housing facility. ($47,936 vs. $40,253).
I work in such a supportive housing facility, and I think it strikes an excellent balance for its residents. Medical care is provided by a GP and a psychiatrist, both of whom come in weekly, and medication administration and monitoring is performed by myself, an RN, who is in twice a week. Moreover, each resident has a social worker to help them with a huge number of issues: government benefits and the associated paperwork, bills and financial management, part time work, and coordinating medical care when it goes beyond the on-site staff. Meanwhile, the residents maintain a high level of independence and self-sufficiency. Overall, it's great.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
gross!
NYC is mounting a new ad campaign to prompt New Yorkers to think about the unhealthy drinks they consume daily. The ads, which feature a dark-colored drink being poured into a glass filled with fat, urge readers not to "drink yourself fat". These ads are in the same aggressive vein as the anti-smoking PSAs featuring "Maria from the Bronx", which showed a woman holding up her hands, both of which are missing several fingers due to multiple amputations. The Daily News reports that the NYC Department of Health spent $277,000 and used focus groups to develop the tough strategy.
Interestingly, Gothamist pointed out that one of the bottles featured in the posters looks an awful lot like Snapple, the official beverage of NYC. Snapple has exclusive rights to distribute in NYC public schools and to stock the vending machines of NYC-owned buildings. Hmmm...mixed message, much?
Interestingly, Gothamist pointed out that one of the bottles featured in the posters looks an awful lot like Snapple, the official beverage of NYC. Snapple has exclusive rights to distribute in NYC public schools and to stock the vending machines of NYC-owned buildings. Hmmm...mixed message, much?
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