Physicians

‘Treat Me Like a Person’: What We’ve Heard So Far from Californians with Low Incomes

August 16, 2019

Medi-Cal, Workforce

A new research project is exploring how Californians in the safety net experience their health care and what they hope to get out of their encounters.

Independent Nurse Practitioners Bridge Big Gaps in Rural Care

Heather Stringer

California is one of 22 states that do not permit nurse practitioners to practice and prescribe without ongoing physician oversight. Journalist Heather Stringer traveled to Colorado to see how nurse practitioners are being deployed in two rural communities.

Opioid Safety Lessons Put Physician on Path to State Policymaking

Behavioral Health

After five years leading CHCF's High-Value Care Team and its opioid safety portfolio, Kelly Pfeifer, MD, will become deputy director of mental health and substance use disorder services for California state government.

Will Low-Income Women Lose Access to the Reproductive Health Care They Need?

Xenia Shih Bion

Stories That Caught Our Attention: The Trump administration’s changes to the Title X Family Planning Program are expected to severely reduce access to reproductive health services in California and across the country.

How California Can Finally Close In on Meaningful Health Price Transparency

Kristof Stremikis

Health Care Costs

For more than a decade, state and federal policymakers have argued for greater health care price transparency. Their efforts received a push in recent weeks.

A Doctor’s Eye-Opening House Call at a Lockup for Migrant Children

Xenia Shih Bion

Stories That Caught Our Attention: A pediatrician documents terrible conditions for kids separated from their parents at the border and put into detention centers.

Dreaming of a Career in Health Care

Xenia Shih Bion

Stories That Caught Our Attention This Week: The first undocumented student to enter UCSF School of Medicine has graduated after pausing his medical training for one year to earn a master's degree in public health from Harvard.

California’s Health Care Workforce — Almanac Collection

This Almanac collection takes a look at the state's health care workforce. Detailed reports provide data on physicians and nurses, and a set of quick reference guides focus on pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, physician assistants, health diagnostic and treatment therapists, clinical laboratory scientists and technicians, and imaging professionals.

Committed Physician Recruits Young People to Diversify Health Care Workforce

Heather Stringer

Jocelyn Freeman Garrick, a no-nonsense doctor from Oakland’s Highland Hospital, is on the lookout for youth from families with low incomes who could become future nurses, physicians, respiratory therapists, and more.

Lifting the Veil of Secrecy in Health Care Prices

Xenia Shih Bion

Health Care Costs, Coverage Trends

Stories That Caught Our Attention This Week: Economist Uwe Reinhardt famously said the system for determining prices in the US health care system was “chaos behind a veil of secrecy.” That was in 2006, and clearly, the chaos persists today.

Mitch Katz Leads Candid Discussion About Health Costs

Health Care Costs

Video: Mitch Katz, MD, the former Los Angeles County health director who left last year to take the helm of New York City Health + Hospitals, returned to California to give the California Improvement Network his provocative views on managing financial risk and total cost of care.

The 2019 Kaiser Family Foundation / CHCF California Health Policy Survey

Behavioral Health, Workforce, Medi-Cal

Access to mental health care is a top concern statewide.

Does Your Neighborhood Have Enough Doctors?

California faces an overall shortage of physicians, but not all areas are the same. Use this searchable, interactive map to find out how many primary care doctors, psychiatrists, and ob/gyns are in your area.

California’s Health Workforce Is Ready for a Technology Tune-Up — Video

Workforce, Telehealth, Investing in Innovation

Between virtual visits, automated physician assistants, and apps that aid in preventative care, technology may help California solve its doctor shortage and make the most of its health care workforce. Watch our video explainer to see how.

Five Ways to Cure California’s Doctor Shortage

Experts propose solutions to boost primary care, from new payment models to expanded residency programs.