To Improve Health In Poor Inner-City Communities Some Hospitals Start Overlooking Criminal Records

Sinai Health System in Chicago is one of several around the country that have launched programs to hire ex-offenders for both licensed and non-professional positions, in part to help reach communities with low health outcomes. They report that these hires generally perform as well or better than people without records. In other public health news: colorectal cancer, cystic fibrosis, antibiotics, and climate change.

Modern Healthcare: Some Hospitals Aim To Improve Community Health By Hiring Ex-Offenders

Leaders of Sinai Health System in Chicago realized that to boost population health in the poor inner-city communities Sinai serves, they needed to step up hiring of local residents, a significant percentage of whom have criminal records. “One of the best ways to improve people’s health is to hire them,” said John Figiel, Sinai’s director of talent management. “When you have a job and health insurance, you and your family can access healthcare.”So about a year ago, Sinai partnered with the Safer Foundation, which works with ex-offenders, to establish an employment referral pipeline with a wraparound support system to better prepare returning citizens for workplace success. It’s called the Sinai Pathway Program. (Meyer, 4/18)

Stat: Study Stresses Family History-Based Screening For Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer, which develops in the large intestine, begins with small, noncancerous clump of cells, known as polyps, that form on the inside of the colon and turn cancerous over time. Regular screening tests can help prevent the disease by identifying these polyps so they can be removed. But not everyone is screened early enough — and a new study underlines the importance of taking family histories of the disease into account. (Zia, 4/20)

The Washington Post: Cystic Fibrosis: The Medical Crusade To Cure The Cruel Lung Disease

In August 1989, scientists made a blockbuster discovery: They pinpointed the faulty gene that causes cystic fibrosis, a cruel lung disease that killed many of its victims before they reached adulthood. The human genome was uncharted territory, and the gene hunt had become an all-out international race, with laboratories in three countries searching for the root of the disease. (Johnson, 4/19)

CIDRAP: Analysis Highlights Troubles In The Antibiotic Pipeline

A new analysis of the antibiotic pipeline indicates there aren't enough antibiotics in development to meet current and anticipated patient needs. The analysis, published this week by the Pew Charitable Trusts' antibiotic resistance project, found that 41 new antibiotics with potential to treat serious infections are currently in various phases of clinical development, and four have been approved since June 2019. (Dall, 4/17)

Kaiser Health News: How Climate Change Is Putting Doctors In The Hot Seat

A 4-year-old girl was rushed to the emergency room three times in one week for asthma attacks.An elderly man, who’d been holed up in a top-floor apartment with no air conditioning during a heat wave, showed up at a hospital with a temperature of 106 degrees. A 27-year-old man arrived in the ER with trouble breathing ― and learned he had end-stage kidney disease, linked to his time as a sugar cane farmer in the sweltering fields of El Salvador. (Bailey, 4/20)

This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription