Imagine all the people living life… re-imagine, if you can…

RINewsToday

By Nancy Thomas, editor and publisher “It’s time to totally reimagine how we care for seniors…” – Gov. Raimondo It has not been that unusual for the smallest state in the country, with about 1 million stable (not mobile) people, with measurable media, and little overlap to be the site of something new – something…

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The future of telehealth in the delivery of health care

RINewsToday

by Richard Asinof, ConvergenceRI An interview with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse about the future of telehealth in the delivery of health care Photo by Richard Asinof, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse in his Rhode Island office. There are no maps and charts to tell us where to go or what paths to take as Rhode Island and the…

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What nursing homes can teach us about health care in a post-pandemic world

RINewsToday

by Richard Asinof, ConvergenceRI Photo: by Rupert Whiteley, Nursing assistant Vincent White, left, helps Village House resident Carolina Vincent prepare for a meal. The world is not held together by a cosmic, cause-and-effect glue What the “facts” tell us about the world we live in mean nothing if we do not capture their nuance. On…

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Sen. Whitehouse’s Nursing Home Protection and Prevention Act

RINewsToday

Bill would provide $20 billion to keep residents and workers safe Washington, D.C. – With nursing homes in Rhode Island and across the country working hard to keep residents and staff safe amid the ongoing pandemic, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Bob Casey (D-PA) are proposing a bill that would provide $20 billion to…

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RI Health Care Assoc: CVS Rapid Tests & $1K/wk Hazard Pay

RINewsToday

The Rhode Island Health Care Association (RIHCA), the association representing 64 of RI’s homes, today called upon the State of Rhode Island to provide an additional $1,000 per week to every staff member working in nursing homes during the COVID-19 crisis. Federal funds could be used to fund such an effort. “Our staff are crucial…

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TOP STORY: The impact of the closing of Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket

RINewsToday

(The top read story of the week was the report on the impact of the closure of Pawtucket’s Memorial Hospital on the community, the rest of the state, and the healthcare and hospital system. Now that we have the study – what is the next step – squarely in the responsibility of the RI Department…

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Report: Closing of Memorial Hospital will have long-term impacts

RINewsToday

The Rhode Island Department of Health Community Health and Health Systems Impact Assessment Related to the Closure of Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island Report, February 2020 was released yesterday. The report looked at the impact of the closure of Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket on area hospitals, on the immediate service community of Pawtucket, Central Falls,…

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Will the RI health care industry willingly give up its economic power?

RINewsToday

(Photo: The view from the Rhode Island Foundation gathering of stakeholders to discuss the statewide, long-term health plan on Monday, Feb. 17, at the R.I. Convention Center.) By Richard Asinof, ConvergenceRI.com The conflict between health care as a commodity and as community-driven Health Equity Zones took center stage at a meeting of stakeholders convened by…

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Coastal Medical and Lifespan Sign Letter of Intent to Affiliate

RINewsToday

Released 2/6/20 by Coastal Medical Coastal Medical and Lifespan have signed a Letter of Intent to pursue an affiliation in which Coastal, a large Rhode Island independent primary care provider, would join Lifespan’s comprehensive academic health care system. “We are proud that our value-based, coordinated care model is at the forefront of primary care medicine…

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Creating “harm reduction centers” in RI?

RINewsToday

Richard Asinof, ConvergenceRI –  written by Ian Knowles, RICARE The Harm Reduction Center Advisory Committee and Pilot Program bill [S 2128 Substitute A; the primary sponsor is Sen. Joshua Miller] will be introduced in the R. I. General Assembly this year. The act would establish Harm Reduction Centers, defined as “a community-based resource for health…

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