For the growing population of Latinos in Knoxville, having a medical interpreter can make a world of difference. The nonprofit Centro Hispano de East Tennessee is bridging a language gap and advocating for its patients. Claudia Caballero, its CEO and president, said they noticed a shortage of medical interpreters regionwide. .
More Missourians should be able to get routine dental care, with a recent change in the way providers are paid by the state. MO HealthNet is paying higher rates to providers who see patients in the state s version of Medicaid, which should encourage more of them to accept MO HealthNet patients. Gary Harbison, executive director of the Missouri Coalition for Oral Health, said it is an important change because people may put off treating dental health issues if they are worried about the cost, but there is nothing minor about the problems. .
Bleeding gums may seem like a minor annoyance, but experts warn they could indicate underlying health problems, which should not be taken lightly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half of adults ages 30 and older in the U.S. suffer from some form of gum disease. .
A law to decrease Oregon nurses workload goes into effect Friday. Passed by state lawmakers this session, it includes the first nurse-to-patient staffing ratios in the country. The law will be phased in, with rule-making beginning tomorrow. .
Washington state researchers are spotlighting an often overlooked population: kinless adults with dementia. The population is often difficult to study for a variety of reasons. Marlaine Figueroa-Gray is a medical anthropologist with Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute who has been involved in this research. .