Healthcare and Insurance

Coping with COVID: Potential Thanksgiving case jump may not be seen for another two weeks

In a University of Kansas Health System daily COVID-19 briefing on Thursday, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Steven Stites said that a potential Thanksgiving “surge” in cases may not be evident for another two weeks. As of Thursday. KU Health was… more

BlueKC to extend waive of some COVID-19 costs into 2021

A select number of commercial health insurers nationwide have announced they intend to continue waiving certain COVID-19 member costs going into 2021. Members of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City are among those to benefit, Blue KC only… more

Clinical Reference Laboratory expands operations out west

Confirm BioSciences out of San Diego, Calif. has been acquired by Lenexa-based Clinical Reference Laboratory (CRL). CRL is one of the largest privately held clinical testing laboratories in the U.S., and now leverages Confirm's massive customer base in Drugs of… more

North Kansas City declines partnership with Vizient

At least one of three Kansas City metro hospitals has opted out of a statewide partnership with Vizient, a national health care performance company. First announced as a statewide partnership by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, the company is expected to… more

KU Hospital, metro seeing rapid depletion of ICU beds

During the University of Kansas Health System's daily coronavirus briefing Wednesday morning, Dr. Dana Hawkinson, the hospital's director of infection prevention and control, noted that of the hospital's 89 patients with an acute COVID-19 infection, 47 of them are in the… more

Metro health department re-established after two years

The city of Independence has established its own health department after eliminating some services in 2018. Mayor Eileen Weir made the announcement Monday. “The year 2020 has shown all of us the importance of public health and we have been… more

Coping with COVID: Slight drop in active COVID-19 patients at KU Health reverses, ticks back up

After a few days of declines, the number of active COVID-19 patients being treated at The University of Kansas Health System is back up today. Ninety-four people with the active virus are hospitalized, up from 82 yesterday. Fifty-two patients are… more

Coping with COVID: Missouri to receive around 339,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses by end of 2020

By the end of this year, Missouri will have enough doses of a COVID vaccine to give the initial shot to most of the state’s roughly 350,000 long-term care facility residents and staff and healthcare providers, state health department director… more

Truman Medical Center new building, expansion opens

A $70 million expansion at Truman Medical Center will allow for primary care services to be offered at a new location. University Health 2, located at 2211 Charlotte Street, sits across the street from the original University Health Building and… more

Two metro orthopaedic operations to merge

Two pinnacle orthopaedic organizations located in the Kansas City metro will soon merge, effective March 1, 2021. Dickson-Diveley Orthopaedics and Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Consultants (OSMC) will merge operations, each hoping that by combining resources and skills, quality of care… more