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In the Kansas City area, 40% to 50% of children who need mental health services go untreated. Children’s Mercy announced a $150 million project to bridge that gap.
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Pandemic pressures have eased, but Missouri hospitals still can't find enough nurses, techs or staffThe Missouri Hospital Association's annual report shows vacancies and turnover rates at the state's hospitals have decreased since the height of the coronavirus pandemic in 2021. But they remain high, and employers are concerned about the future workforce.
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Kansas City Council passed a resolution declaring the city a safe haven for gender-affirming care and making enforcement of state bans a low priority.
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A Missouri hospital violated federal law by denying Mylissa Farmer an abortion when her water broke at 17 weeks. She was also turned away by the Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas, where doctors affirmed that her condition was serious but also denied her an abortion.
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A woman from Montrose, Missouri, with Down syndrome struggled to get treatment for a traumatic brain injury because doctors wouldn't look past her condition. Many adults with Down syndrome face similar barriers.
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The Citizens Association political organization is almost 100 years old. At one time, its endorsement was a requirement if you wanted to be elected in Kansas City. Now, a new group of political players is trying to remake the group to be more inclusive. Plus: Cyber attacks on hospitals can put patients’ lives at risk — and leave hospitals on the hook for millions of dollars.
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U.S. hospitals have seen a record number of cyberattacks in recent years. Such attacks can upend hospital operations, costing millions of dollars and putting patients' lives at risk.
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A private equity firm shuttered rural hospitals in Missouri a year ago. It's now facing state and federal investigations, as well as lawsuits.
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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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Hospitals don’t include mental health patients in federal standardized surveys of adults after they’re discharged. Washington University professor Morgan Shields and her colleagues teamed up with mental health advocates to fight for hospitals to survey those who receive behavioral health care.
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A report from an advocacy group reviewed 2,000 hospitals across the county and found only a quarter were fully complying with the federal hospital price transparency rules. In Kansas it's even less.
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A former Days Inn hotel has been transformed into a unique sanctuary for Kansas City's unhoused population. Plus: A Missouri town offers a case study for what happens when rural hospitals close and jeopardize access to critical health care.