Displaying items by tag: patients

RALEIGH — State Treasurer Dale Folwell is once again sounding the alarm on some nonprofit hospitals in the state, with a new report that shows low-income patients are being billed when they were eligible for charity care. This comes on the heels of a similar report released in October by Folwell, who oversees the State Health Plan for government employees, the largest health insurance plan in the state. 

CHARLOTTE — The American Red Cross is facing a national blood crisis – its worst blood shortage in more than a decade. Dangerously low blood supply levels are posing a concerning risk to patient care and forcing doctors to make difficult decisions  about who receives blood transfusions and who will need to wait until more products become available. 

RALEIGH — With hospitalizations due to COVID-19 rising, getting a booster of the COVID-19 vaccine remains the most important thing North Carolinians can do to keep themselves and their loved ones out of the hospital, officials with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced.

PINEHURST — With the increase in COVID-19 cases and the rapid emergence of the Omicron variant, the demand for testing is on the rise. FirstHealth emergency departments are seeing an increase in patients coming to the emergency department for COVID-19 testing.   

PINEHURST — Certified Physician Assistant Kristen Burton has joined Michael Sundborg, M.D., the area’s first gynecologic oncologist, Brian Burgess, D.O., Ph.D., and Adara Maness, PA-C, at FirstHealth Gynecologic Oncology. The practice offers a full scope of gynecologic cancer care including diagnosis, surgery, medical oncology, surveillance and supportive care.

I’ve long thought the North Carolina General Assembly should reform our state’s archaic and anti-competitive requirement for certificates-of-need. In the post-COVID world we are entering, however, CON reform is no longer just a good idea. It’s an imperative.

CHARLOTTE — Today, the American Red Cross of Greater Carolinas will launch a virtual, three-part series happening throughout the month to raise awareness around blood transfusion needs for patients living with sickle cell disease. Blood transfusion is one of the few treatments to help alleviate the pain of this disease. For these patients, the blood donor match is more specific.

ROCKINGHAM — FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital, including its Richmond and Hoke campuses, has been named one of the state’s top hospitals and as the best in North Carolina in patient satisfaction by Business North Carolina magazine. 

RALIEGH — Dr. Bruce Schroeder couldn’t give the best treatment to women with breast cancer. State regulations blocked him from buying up-to-date mammogram machines. 

PINEHURST — FirstHealth Home Care has again achieved the highest possible five-star rating for patient satisfaction from the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Home Health Care Survey. For the second consecutive year, FirstHealth’s rankings in the patient satisfaction measures of the survey are above the state and national average for Medicare-certified home care agencies.