Month: April 2012

Technology has transformed health care in recent times – supplying everything from sophisticated imaging machines to electronic medical records. When it comes to communications, though, the medical field continues to rely on a device many might consider archaic – the pager. (MILWAUKEE PUBLIC RADIO, 4/12)

Teen births in the United States fell 9% from 2009 to 2010 reaching historic lows, a new government reportbirths.html released Tuesday shows. Wisconsin recorded 26.2 births per 1,000 girls between ages 15 and 19 in 2010, down from 31.2 in 2007, a 16% drop. (JOURNAL SENTINEL, 4/11)

The cost of home health care has risen only slightly compared with other types of long-term care in recent years, according to an annual survey done by Genworth Financial. In Wisconsin, the median cost for homemaker services is $19 an hour and $21 an hour for home health aide services. Nationally, the median cost is $18 an hour for homemaker services and $19 for home health aide services. (JOURNAL SENTINEL, 4/11)

Walker is facing criticism for legislation signed Friday that some have termed anti-woman. One measure requires sex-education teachers to emphasize abstinence. (EAU CLAIRE LEADER TELEGRAM, 4/10)

Central Wisconsin leaders hope to learn by this summer whether the Wausau area will become home to two medical colleges, one school for doctors, or none at all. (WAUSAU DAILY HERALD, 4/9)

UW-Madison sanctioned 11 faculty doctors and nine residents for writing sick notes for protesters last year, with three doctors receiving the harshest discipline: loss of five days of pay and removal from leadership positions for four months. Details of UW-Madison's disciplinary actions were revealed Thursday in records obtained by the State Journal under a public records request made last year. (WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL, 4/6)

William Petasnick, who led the transformation of Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital into the second-largest health system in the Milwaukee area, will step down as chief executive of Froedtert Health on July 1. Catherine Jacobson, president of Froedtert Health, will succeed Petasnick, the health system announced on Thursday. She joined Froedtert Health as executive vice president for finance and strategy in 2010 and was promoted to president in June. (JOURNAL SENTINEL, 4/6)

A man accused of setting a fire at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Grand Chute made an outspoken first appearance Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Green Bay. At one point, Francis Grady interrupted a federal court judge and said, "Do you even care at all about the 1,000 babies that died screaming?" (GREEN BAY PRESS GAZETTE, 4/5)

Police and federal investigators suspect a Brillion man who has an extensive criminal record was responsible for planting the homemade explosive that ignited a Sunday fire at a Planned Parenthood clinic. The 50-year-old man was jailed early Tuesday morning for violating terms of his probation, though police have not yet recommended charges related to the bombing at the clinic at 3800 N. Gillett St. (GREEN BAY PRESS GAZETTE, 4/4)