SMARTT: Health disparities among Amos’ many causes
Before his untimely death, Amos Brown used his media pulpit to raise awareness among minority populations about their elevated risks of heart disease, diabetes and stroke.
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Governor weighs in on criticism of HPV vaccine letter
The Indiana State Department of Health sent letters to 305,000 parents who haven’t vaccinated their children for a virus known to cause cervical cancer. Conservative groups have objected to what they call an intrusion into parenting decisions.
Report ranks Indiana 32nd for child well-being
The national report found that more Indiana children have health insurance and fewer are abusing drugs and alcohol, but the state still dropped in the rankings due to improved results in other states.
UPDATE: Pence, other governors order Planned Parenthood probes
Gov. Mike Pence has directed the Indiana Department of Health to investigate whether organs from aborted fetuses are being sold.
Feds award indiana $11.8M for home visits program
The funds will support home visits by nurses and others to check on low-income pregnant women and those with young children.
Three hospitals part of plan to provide Ebola care
Indianapolis hospital leaders have spent the past two months ironing out a plan to deal with any cases of Ebola that emerge in Indiana. The plan is aimed at ensuring effective care while also minimizing the need to bring other hospital services to a virtual halt while patients are under care.
Pence confident Hoosier health workers can handle Ebola
Gov. Mike Pence appeared on a webcast with health care workers Thursday to talk about Ebola and the state’s preparations should the disease arrive in the state.
EMS service to lay off 361 workers in Indiana
Rural/Metro Corp. says the changing health care landscape and the challenges of covering rural communities are forcing it to end its area ambulance services. It’s also closing a billing operations center in Indianapolis.
South Bend council rejects smoking ban for bars
By a 5-4 vote, South Bend failed to join major Indiana cities such as Indianapolis and Fort Wayne that go further than state law to prohibit smoking inside taverns.
Lawmakers confused by cut in state’s tobacco funds
A hearing about tobacco funding Wednesday in the House Public Health Committee left many legislators still searching for answers.
VC headwinds continue for life sciences firms
Indiana life sciences companies trying to raise venture capital continue to do so with a national wind in their faces, according to the third-quarter venture capital data.
Enrollment opens in Indiana on federal health exchange
Opening day for the federal exchange was filled with extensive delays and technical problems. Federal officials attributed the slowdown to the surprisingly high volume of interest in the exchange on its first day of operation.
OurHealth readies citywide network of employer clinics
In a bid to make employer-sponsored health clinics available to companies of all sizes, Indianapolis-based OurHealth will open a network of seven offices around Indianapolis next year.
Dermatologists seek ban on minors using tanning beds
Dermatologist Carrie Davis of Bloomington, a member of the Indiana Academy of Dermatology, told the legislative commission Wednesday that skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States.
State, Anthem ask techies to solve infant mortality
Dr. Bill VanNess, Indiana’s commissioner of health, asked IT developers to create a smartphone app that the state could offer to pregnant moms to educate them about infant health and help them easily schedule appointments with health care providers.
New law lets pharmacists provide pneumonia, HPV vaccines
Starting July 1, pharmacists will be able to offer a much wider variety of immunizations to customers, in an effort from lawmakers to make health care more accessible.
Indiana lawmakers advance tighter cold meds limits
Consumers would face tighter limits on the quantities they could buy of cold and allergy pills often used to make methamphetamine under a proposal approved by Indiana lawmakers.
Pressure rises on lawmakers to expand Medicaid
Up until now, Gov. Mike Pence and his fellow Republicans in the Legislature have been playing a game of poker with the Obama administration over a potential expansion of Indiana’s Medicaid program. But all of a sudden, Indiana’s hand just got quite a bit weaker.
Indiana hospitals restrict visits to limit flu spread
Hospitals across Indiana announced restrictions on visitors Wednesday in hopes of preventing the spread of flu, which has claimed the lives of 27 people in the state this season.
Report ranks Indiana among unhealthiest states
America's Health Rankings lists Indiana 41st in its annual review, which was released Tuesday. Obesity, sedentary habits, high smoking rates, low public health funding and air pollution contributed to Indiana’s low rank.