Bram Sable-Smith
A curious Columbia, Mo. native, Bram Sable-Smith is a reporter for Kaiser Health News. He has documented mbira musicians in Zimbabwe, mining protests in Chile, and the St. Louis airport's tumultuous relationship with the Chinese cargo business. His reporting from Ferguson, Mo. was part of a KBIA documentary honored by the Missouri Broadcasters Association and winner of a national Edward R. Murrow Award.
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When a woman and her unborn son were killed in the course of her Missouri Department of Transportation job, her family sued for wrongful death — but the department argued they're shielded from liability becauseher fetus counts as an employee. -
Hospitals relied on travel nurses during the pandemic, but they came at a high cost. Now, states including Missouri are considering legislation to crack down on hospital spending.
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Community health centers around the country paid $410 million from 2018 to 2021 in 485 settlements or judgments over malpractice suits. The centers and their employees have immunity from medical malpractice lawsuits, meaning the federal government pays any settlements or court judgments.
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Missouri is taking an average of 70 days to process typical applications — longer than the 45 days allowed by federal law. Most other states are processing Medicaid applications within a week, with many cases taking less than a day.
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The difference comes down to the approaches taken by the two states, both of which are Republican-led and resisted expanding Medicaid for years.
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Hospital executives were already attuned to workplace violence before the pandemic struck. But stresses from COVID have exacerbated the problem.
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In rural America, chronic pain and opioid addiction are common, but treatment is often harder to come by. In the village of Necedah, Wis., population 916, one doctor is changing that.
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Type 1 diabetes can be well managed with insulin if blood sugar is consistently monitored. But insurance rules can make it hard for patients to get the medical supplies their doctors say they need.
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Dozens of people in the Midwest have been hospitalized with severe lung damage in the past month. It's unclear what exactly is causing the problem, but the common link appears to be vaping.
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VA hospitals are pioneering the use of storytelling to strengthen the relationships patients have with doctors and nurses. With more information about patients, there may be some health benefits.
