05/16/2013
A new bill that would increase the number of medical residencies in California could help alleviate a doctor shortage in the Inland Empire, the most underserved region in the state, according to health care experts. The region has about half the number of primary care physicians it needs, according to a California HealthCare Foundation report. by Lauren McSherry, California Healthline Regional Correspondent
03/21/2013
A new, private, four-year college offering post-graduate degrees in pharmacy is taking shape in the Central Valley. California Health Sciences University officials hope the school will help address the shortage of health care professionals in the region. by Alice Daniel, California Healthline Regional Correspondent
03/07/2013
Hoping to bolster the ranks of providers able to deal with millions of newly insured Californians, the California Legislature this month will consider a proposal to give mid-level health care practitioners more autonomy and authority. We asked legislators and stakeholders if that's a good idea.
01/10/2013
A new organization launching next week -- the California Advanced Primary Care Institute -- hopes to engage a broad spectrum of stakeholders to do what others have tried with little success: change the way primary care doctors are recruited, trained and paid in California. by George Lauer, California Healthline Features Editor
12/10/2012
Anticipating an influx of newly insured residents in 2014 when the Affordable Care Act fully takes effect, Northern California clinics are recruiting new primary care physicians and considering how to best use mid-level providers. by Mari Edlin, California Healthline Regional Correspondent
10/09/2012
California's nurse staffing law has had mixed results on quality of care, according to a new study. The California Nurses Association, the driving force behind the 2004 law, said the study's findings were not sufficient to support the authors' conclusions. by George Lauer, California Healthline Features Editor
09/06/2012
Accessible, high-quality primary care is a mantra of the Affordable Care Act, which promotes the development of patient-centered medical homes and accountable care organizations. A new direct primary care model attempting to deliver all of those things is being vetted in California, albeit slowly. by Mari Edlin, California Healthline Regional Correspondent
09/04/2012
A training program through UC-Riverside's School of Medicine hopes to steer local high school and college students onto paths that will lead them to become doctors in the Inland Empire, the region experiencing the worst shortage of primary care physicians in California. by Lauren McSherry, California Healthline Regional Correspondent
07/23/2012
Many physicians in California have a brighter outlook for the future of practicing medicine than the grim predictions in a national report released last week by The Physicians Foundation. by George Lauer, California Healthline Features Editor
07/09/2012
A Visalia hospital will become a teaching institution for medical school graduates, a role that should help address a shortage of physicians in Tulare County. Experts say there are not enough residencies in California to meet the need of graduates seeking family medicine residencies. by Alice Daniel, California Healthline Regional Correspondent
06/25/2012
At a meeting with national representatives last week in Washington, D.C., California physician groups said they plan to continue working to improve care coordination for patients no matter what the Supreme Court says in the much-anticipated Affordable Care Act ruling. by Ashley Marchand, California Healthline Staff Writer
06/21/2012
Proponents of expanded roles for emergency medical personnel say a goldmine of untapped health care resources in Los Angeles County is ripe for mining. Changes brought on by health care reform could make the transition smoother. by Stephanie Stephens, California Healthline Regional Correspondent
06/07/2012
The training of health care workers at private schools is coming under increasing scrutiny in California. Legislation, research projects and consumer oversight efforts are looking into the costs of education compared with graduation rates, accreditation claims and graduates' ability to find jobs. by George Lauer, California Healthline Features Editor
04/02/2012
When the biggest hospital in Kern County decided to cut back its family practice residency program, the rural community reacted quickly and loudly, forcing the Bakersfield hospital to reinstate the program to its previous level. by David Gorn, California Healthline Sacramento Bureau
03/15/2012
Not only does the state face a challenge in training enough health care workers to care for millions of newly insured Californians in 2014, state officials also have to figure out how to distribute the workforce efficiently, according to the Center for the Health Professions at UC-San Francisco. by Mari Edlin, California Healthline Regional Correspondent