Category: NPR

D.C. Has Had More Than 300 Synthetic Marijuana Overdoses In 2 Weeks

Synthetic marijuana, known as K2, overdoses are challenging the city’s first responders and law enforcement. “Overdoses are happening everywhere,” says one delivery driver.

Some Doctors, Patients Balk At Medicare’s ‘Flat Fee’ Payment Proposal

The Trump administration says its plan to overhaul the way Medicare pays doctors will save physicians time and paperwork. But critics worry the changes will hurt patients’ care and doctors’ income.

Bill Of The Month: A Plan For Affordable Gender-Confirmation Surgery Goes Awry

A young grad student worked out a way to pay for life-changing gender-confirmation surgery. But she still had to fight to resolve a billing discrepancy that ran into the tens of thousands of dollars.

Hospitals Gear Up For New Diagnosis: Human Trafficking

Many people forced into labor or the sex trade seek medical help at some point, and health care workers are being trained to identify them and to offer assistance.

Words Matter When Talking About Pain With Your Doctor

When you go to the doctor in pain, you’ll probably be asked to rate your discomfort on a scale of 0 to 10. But doctors say there may be a better way to assess pain.

4 Years After MH17 Downing, Advocates Urge Continued Attention To AIDS Crisis

It’s been four years since the attack on a flight in Ukraine killed several AIDS prevention advocates. Ahead of a conference, one advocate says they would have wanted to keep attention on the fight.

Doctors With Disabilities Look For Recognition

There’s a growing movement of MDs working to include recognition of people with disabilities in their profession — and how those disabilities might actually make them better doctors.

Doctors Raise Alarm About Shortages Of Pain Medications

Hospitals across the country are reporting significant shortages of pain medication. A survey of anesthesiologists found that 95 percent say it is impacting patient care.

VA Whistleblowers 10 Times More Likely Than Peers To Receive Disciplinary Action

A new report by the Government Accountability Office also found that nearly two-thirds of individuals who filed formal complaints did not work for Veterans Affairs the following year.

Can A Community Hospital Stick To Its Mission When It Goes For-Profit?

After 130 years as a nonprofit hospital with deep roots in North Carolina, Mission Health is seeking to be bought by HCA Healthcare, the nation’s largest for-profit hospital chain.