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Growth of Alabama COVID-19 cases looks a lot like Louisiana. That should worry us

On a conference call with reporters Tuesday, Gov. Kay Ivey explained why she wouldn’t issue a “shelter-in-place” or “stay-at-home” order in Alabama. “Folks, we have no current plans to do so,” Ivey said. “We have seen other states in the country doing that as well as other countries. However, y’all, we are not California. We … Continued
March 26, 2020

Want to slow the spread of coronavirus? Tell people the truth

Alabama hospitals are running out of ICU beds. And ventilators.  Frontline staff is overworked. Nurses and doctors are running low on personal protective equipment (PPEs) and there is none to be had.  And we are only in the early stages of COVID-19’s spread through America. We’ve only recently moved up to third in the world … Continued
March 25, 2020

Alabama state health officer: “Some hospitals are already nearing capacity”

Alabama Department of Public Health officer Dr. Scott Harris, at a press conference Monday, again urged Alabamians to take the COVID-19 pandemic seriously and abide by social-distancing restrictions the state has ordered. A number of hospitals in the state are already “nearing capacity,” as the number of cases in Alabama continues to rise. As of … Continued
March 23, 2020

As hospitals take drastic action to conserve masks, staff worry they’re putting themselves and patients at risk

Some health care workers at DCH Health System’s facilities in Tuscaloosa County are being told not to wear personal protective equipment like masks as the number of COVID-19 cases in the state continues to rise and hospitals rush to prepare for what’s ahead. Now a clinician in one of these units is showing symptoms of … Continued
March 23, 2020

Hospitals struggle to meet testing demand amid supply shortage

Several Alabama hospitals say they are struggling with testing supply shortages amid growing demand for testing in the state and a rising number of cases in 14 Alabama counties. East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, near Auburn, and DCH Health System in Tuscaloosa both said Wednesday evening that they’re working hard to deal with hundreds … Continued
March 19, 2020
Red heart shape and medical stethoscope on blue background top view. Health care, medicare and cardiology concept.

House committee passes bill to collect hospital data

The Alabama House of Representative Health Committee voted Wednesday to advance a bill that would mandate that Alabama hospitals report discharge data to the Alabama Department of Public Health. House Bill 388 was sponsored by House Health Committee Chairman Paul Lee, R-Dothan. Lee said that Alabama is “one of only two states that do not … Continued
March 16, 2020

Another rural hospital is closing. What will it take for Alabama to finally expand Medicaid?

Today, when the Pickens County Medical Center closes its doors, it will become yet another sad statistic among the now 14 hospitals in Alabama that have shuttered their doors since 2011. Eight of those have been in rural communities. There are other shocking statistics, too, about the fragile state of our health care system in … Continued
March 9, 2020

UAB Health and Ascension St. Vincent’s form strategic alliance

Friday, the University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System (UABHS) and Ascension St. Vincent’s are entering into a strategic alliance. The two hospital systems announced that the alliance will increase access to high-quality, innovative medical care through multiple outlets and health programs. Pending appropriate approvals, including the approval of the University of Alabama System Board … Continued
January 27, 2020

2019: A year in review

At this time last year, I predicted that the upcoming year with a Democrat majority in the House would be much different. While most activity in the House centered around efforts to impeach our President, I did not let that stop me from fighting for you and our state. One of our most significant victories … Continued
December 31, 2019

McCutcheon says that legislature will address rural healthcare

Wednesday, Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon (R-Monrovia) told a gathering of the Alabama County Commissioners Association in Auburn that the Alabama legislature will likely work on addressing rural healthcare in the 2020 legislative session. McCutcheon said that the legislature is “Working on rural healthcare,” and is looking at rural clinics. “We need to provide … Continued
December 10, 2019