Critics say New York soft on disciplining dentists
The (Syracuse, N.Y.) Post-Standard’s James Mulder has found that, when it comes to cracking down on less-than-competent dentists, his state appears pretty lax.
Photo by radiant guy via Flickr
In New York, the 18,000 dentists are among, Mulder writes, the 800,000 people from “48 professions — from acupuncturists to veterinarians — policed by the state Education Department’s Office of Professional Discipline.” Last year, the board disciplined 24 of them, revoked the licenses of two and accepted the surrender of four more licenses.
The office took 1.54 disciplinary actions per 1,000 dentists last year, about half the rate of disciplinary actions taken against medical doctors and physician assistants. Discipline against doctors accused of misconduct in New York is handled by a different arm of state government — the state Health Departments Office of Professional Medical Conduct.
Also, the number of serious disciplinary actions against New York dentists declined by 53 percent between 2006 and 2010.
Fellow, veteran reporter is ‘miles ahead’ after day 1
He’s only been in New York for a day, and David Gulliver, already appears to be a big fan of the AHCJ Media Fellowships on Health Performance which took him (and three other AHCJ members) there. “I’m already miles ahead of where I was as a healthcare reporter,” Gulliver writes on his local health site, Sarasota Health News.
Today we met with some of the sharpest people analyzing and leading the efforts to improve the nation’s health care. I’ve already developed a dozen ideas for new stories or ways to improve what I’m doing — and, more importantly, found people willing to volunteer their time and expertise on future projects.
The fellowships are supported by The Commonwealth Fund, and are designed to give mid-career journalists an opportunity to learn about examples of high-performing health care systems, to focus on innovations in care delivery, and to explore a system or its significant parts to determine what makes that system effective or ineffective. Fellows will be able to examine providers of care, insurers, regulators and policymakers.
Residents put dispute with Bronx hospital online
Interns and residents at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx are attempting to formally organize in response to what they believe are poor, unacceptable working conditions.
As part of their effort, they have launched “Examining St. Barnabas,” a site that solicits community input, rounds up (mostly unfavorable) coverage about the hospital and adds a sort of disgruntled-employee spin to St. Barnabas-related issues. It’s an interesting nexus of special interest and community service, as well as a window into the workings of a sometimes troubled hospital. The effort also has a presence on Twitter as @examinebarnabas.
Bedbug complaints proliferate in New York City
Bedbug complaints are on the rise in the Big Apple, reports Adam Lisberg in the New York Daily News. Complaints have increased 34 percent in the most recent fiscal year, Lisberg said. According to Lisberg, the almost-10,000 complaints an advocacy group found through a Freedom of Information request probably understate the problem, because many folks call the exterminator instead of the city.
Several central Brooklyn neighborhoods are among the worst hit, with spikes also hitting parts of the Bronx, midtown Manhattan and Queens.
“Not all exterminators know how to spot and treat bedbugs, and critics say the city doesn’t do enough to stop infected mattresses from being reused. Some victims may be too embarrassed to seek help, and some small landlords may not be able to afford a competent exterminator, advocates say.”
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