Blake Farmer
-
The opioid epidemic is intergenerational, with tens of thousands of babies born every year dependent on opioids. Advocates worry lawsuits against the drug industry might overlook these children.
-
Faced with lawsuits from sick smokers, tobacco firms argue the health risks were "common knowledge" for decades, and they often pay professors to help make that point as expert witnesses.
-
Cities and counties aren't the only ones suing opioid manufacturers. Hospitals have also filed lawsuits, seeking to recover the costs of treating opioid addiction and overdoses.
-
A day camp in Nashville uses "constraint-induced therapy" to help kids who have physical weakness on one side — often because of a stroke or cerebral palsy — gain strength and independence.
-
Tennessee's innovative Medicaid program is offering bonuses to mental health providers who help make sure their Medicaid patients get preventive help and treatment for physical ailments too.
-
Patients with Type 2 diabetes are often steered toward medicine or insulin to control blood sugar. But it's also possible, with more support than patients often get, to use diet and exercise instead.
-
Celina, Tenn., has long lured retirees, with its scenic hills and affordability. These newcomers help fuel the local economy. But a recent hospital closure makes the town a harder sell.
-
Research has found that university curriculum often goes light on one of life's universal experiences — dying. So some colleges have gone to new lengths to make the training more meaningful.
-
Hospitals are now financially rewarded by insurers for safety and efficacy — which often results in patients spending less time as inpatients.
-
It has been an open secret that salespeople are present for surgeries at many hospitals, especially for hip and knee implants. But does the reps' expertise outweigh concerns about ethics and costs?