Health

Kaiser nurses strike amid contract negotiations

The California Nurses Association, part of the National Nurses United labor union, staged a 2-day strike this week after contract negotiations with Kaiser Permanente in Northern California halted earlier this month over a range of staffing and workplace issues. The union said that 18 thousand nurses walked off the job on November 11 and 12. But health maintenance organization Kaiser Permanente disputed that figure, saying the total number of nurses affected by the action was closer to 16 thousand, and that only about…

Student pharmacists help seniors manage healthcare

The Allen Temple Baptist Church’s large auditorium was packed with community residents young and old, as student pharmacists from the University of the Pacific helped seniors grapple with updates to their Medicare plans and manage their medications.

Doctors vs. lawyers: who does Prop 46 really benefit?

What do East Bay voters think of the state ballot initiative that pits doctors against lawyers? Proposition 46, called the “Medical Malpractice Lawsuits Cap and Drug Testing of Doctors Initiative,” is a four-fold ballot measure attacking medical errors from multiple directions. The measure would increase the state’s cap on medical malpractice awards for pain and suffering from $250,000 to over $1 million. It would suspend and take disciplinary action against doctors found under the influence of drugs or alcohol while…