Op Ed
I’m making a plea: We must prioritize oral health for New Jersey’s children
Michal Herman Special to the USA TODAY Network Regarding “NJ kids’ teeth are rotting more than the national average. Here’s why,” NorthJersey.com, Jan. 23: As a public health dentist in New Jersey for 25 years, I regularly treat children in dire need of oral health care. Many have never been to the dentist before coming to KinderSmile…Read More…
Op-Ed: Where’s the safest place to have your surgery or procedure?
LINDA SCHWIMMER, ADELISA PEREZ HUDGINS | APRIL 10, 2024 | OPINION Unfortunately, it’s almost impossible to tell because few ambulatory surgery centers participate in a key Leapfrog survey. They should Linda Schwimmer (left) and Adelisa Perez Hudgins If you’re scheduling a same-day surgery or procedure, you may be considering an ambulatory surgery center instead of a hospital or…Read More…
Op-Ed: Building a resilient, diverse health care workforce
TYLA MINNIEAR | AUGUST 8, 2022 | HEALTH CARE, OPINION Accurate, publicly available data is a key building block for a comprehensive, statewide health care workforce strategy According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the health care sector lost nearly half a million workers since February 2020, while Morning Consult, a survey research company, reported that 18% of…Read More…
Measuring the Effectiveness and Value of Virtual Health Care
June 8, 2022 Linda Schwimmer, JD, Chuck Amos, MBA The American Journal of Accountable Care, June 2022, Volume 10, Issue 2 The authors call for the collection and use of data on virtual health care to shape an informed and thoughtful approach to telehealth payment that equitably serves all stakeholders. Am J Accountable Care. 2022;10(2):21-23 At the onset…Read More…
Op-Ed: COVID-19 taught providers that public health benefits from collaboration
MEGAN AVALLONE, DR. JAMIE L. REEDY | JUNE 1, 2022 | OPINION A doctor and a public-health nurse write about how their long collaboration was big help during the pandemic Dr. Jamie L. Reedy, left, and Megan Avallone As a public-health officer and a primary-care physician, we both know the value of understanding the communities we serve. In…Read More…
Medical mistakes shouldn’t be a crime | Opinion
Updated: Apr. 25, 2022, 2:05 p.m. | Published: Apr. 25, 2022, 2:04 p.m. FILE – RaDonda Vaught arrives for a court hearing in Nashville, Tenn. Vaught was charged with reckless homicide for accidentally administering the paralyzing drug vecuronium to 75-year-old Charlene Murphey instead of the sedative in 2017. Vaught admitted the error as soon as she…Read More…
Op-Ed: New Jersey must increase its Medicaid investment in primary care
LINDA SCHWIMMER | FEBRUARY 23, 2022 | OPINION, HEALTH CARE Here’s when, and by how much, the Legislature and governor should increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for primary care Linda Schwimmer New Jersey’s Medicaid program serves 2.1 million residents in our state, including half of all our children. Yet Medicaid recipients still struggle with access to care, including primary…Read More…
Full-year birth control should be the new normal in New Jersey | Opinion
By: Brittany Lee Special to the USA TODAY Network It’s time for New Jersey to update its laws around prescribing and dispensing birth control and give people greater control in deciding when or if they grow their families. Health care providers should be able to prescribe a full year of contraceptives at one time. A…Read More…
If You’re Reluctant to Get the Coronavirus Vaccine, I Urge You to Get One ASAP
By AL SMITH March 22, 2021 at 2:10 PM Credits: Mayors Wellness Campaign Dear Editor: For the second year in a row, Scotch Plains has been recognized as a “Healthy Town” by the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute. Only eight towns in the state earned this prestigious designation in 2020. We were first recognized…Read More…
Please don’t weaken N.J.’s health insurance mandate | Opinion
By Linda Schwimmer New Jersey requires those who can afford health insurance to purchase coverage. For those who need help paying for coverage, there is free and subsidized health insurance. And if you still can’t afford coverage because of financial hardship, you are not penalized. Indeed, our state legislators and Gov. Phil Murphy have crafted…Read More…