Health Care
Dubuque, Johnson and rural counties fuel new COVID uptick
New, confirmed coronavirus cases are rising again in Iowa despite dwindling or stagnant infection rates in some of the state’s largest counties. One reason is Dubuque County, where the two-week infection rate doubled in the past month, according to state data. “I know we are not plateauing yet this week, and I don’t know what’s […]
Iowa counties launch COVID clinics for kids this week
COVID-19 vaccinations for children ages 5 to 11 are becoming widely available this week with county health departments receiving their first shipments of vaccine doses. Many counties received their first allotment of doses on Monday, and all counties should have them by week’s end, said Sarah Ekstrand, a spokesperson for the Iowa Department of Public […]
Chiropractor convicted of assaulting woman pays $105 fine, keeps license
A West Burlington chiropractor convicted of assaulting a female patient will pay a $105 fine and be allowed to continue practicing chiropractic in Iowa. In April 2020, the Iowa Board of Chiropractic alleged that on “multiple occasions” Joel Thomas Rexroth of the Rexroth Chiropractic Center had grabbed the breasts of a female patient, made lewd […]
CVS sometimes forces people to use its pharmacies. Now the Supreme Court will weigh in
CVS Health and other massive corporations often use their pharmacy middleman subsidiaries to force people to get the most expensive class of drugs from the businesses’ own mail-order pharmacies. Some call the practice “patient steering.” CVS and companies such as UnitedHealth and ExpressScripts/Cigna say the arrangements save patients money. But some patients, oncologists and other […]
Hospital accused of covering up fatal error in medical treatment
The family of a 43-year-old Ankeny woman who died in 2019 is suing a Des Moines hospital, alleging the staff botched a medical procedure and then attempted to cover up their error. The lawsuit alleges that Meredith Miller was injured in a car accident on Dec. 15, 2019, when the vehicle she was riding in, […]
Federal vaccine rule for private businesses to kick in on Jan. 4
WASHINGTON — Many private employers beginning in January will have to ensure their workers either are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or that they will undergo weekly testing and wear a face covering, under a new federal rule announced Thursday by the White House. The policy from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is set to […]
Social worker fired for leaving injured woman on the floor of her home
An Ankeny social worker fired for leaving a client injured and alone on the floor of her home is not entitled to jobless benefits, a judge has ruled. According to state records, social worker Michael Van Gorder, 48, worked for the nonprofit social-service organization Immanuel from January 2021 through the first half of June 2021, […]
Iowa doctor initiates court challenge of medical board’s disciplinary process
A Wright County doctor is suing the Iowa Board of Medicine for disciplinary action it took in response to him surrendering his license in Minnesota. The lawsuit brought by Dr. Dennis Colby, 66, alleges that earlier this year he voluntarily surrendered his medical license in Minnesota, where he had not practiced for 27 years while […]
COVID-19 vaccines for kids 5 to 11 cleared by CDC
WASHINGTON — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has signed off on giving Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to all kids ages 5 to 11, a final decision that means those children can begin receiving shots as soon as Wednesday. Vials of the pediatric version of the vaccine have already been shipped to states, so they […]
IDPH worker accused of Facebook privacy violation wins jobless benefits
An Iowa Department of Public Health worker fired for allegedly violating privacy guidelines through a Facebook post is entitled to collect unemployment benefits, a state judge has ruled. Zhen Rammelsberg worked for IDPH as a full-time COVID-19 contact tracer beginning in September 2020, according to state records. She was fired on April 1 of this […]
Iowa prepares for child COVID-19 vaccine rollout
Iowa was preparing to launch the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine even before the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave its final approval on Tuesday. A CDC advisory panel recommended the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday for children ages 5 to 11. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky signed off, making kids across the U.S. eligible for […]
Hospitals delay employee vaccination deadlines in wake of Iowa mandate law
Some of Iowa’s largest health care companies scrambled Monday to adapt employee vaccination mandates to a brand-new Iowa law allowing for broad exemptions. Several Iowa hospital systems, including MercyOne, UnityPoint Health and Broadlawns Medical Center, announced in August that they would require all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Nov. 1. Staff members […]