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Jane Cawthorne Poor Communication in Health Care First Person

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South Asian Healthcare Leaders Fight To Restore Trust In US Medicine.

CHEF was launched in 2021 in partnership with the National Medical Association (NMA) recognizing climate change as both a health emergency and a major health equity issue. The goal of the Fellowship…

Norwood residents prepare for the premiere of a film about the town's history.

The layoff staffing crisis at UCSD Health raises concerns for patient care as nurses hold a protest for job security.

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The finance ministry is reviewing the list of zero-rated and exempt goods and services under the Value-Added Tax (VAT) Act, including healthcare items.  This comes as calls grow from health advocates and the public for the removal of VAT and import duties on life-saving medication, especially for those who rely on private pharmacies due to stockouts in public hospitals. “The Ministry is currently reviewing the list of zero-rated and exempt goods and services under the VAT Act, including those related to healthcare. Any policy changes resulting from this review will be announced in accordance with the Fiscal Calendar, either during the Mid-Year Budget Review or in the next National Budget,” said ministry spokesperson Wilson Shikoto. Currently, medical services are exempt from VAT, but medicines remain taxable.  However, although healthcare services may be exempt from VAT, the importation and supply of goods related to the industry remain subject to the standard VAT rate of 15%. The ministry said this is to maintain a stable revenue base that supports public health services. “Healthcare services are exempt to ensure that accessing medical care remains affordable for the population. Medication, however, remains taxable to maintain a stable revenue base needed to support the delivery of public health services,” said Shikoto. The ministry warned that removing VAT on chronic medication might not lower prices for patients. “In many cases, the financial benefits are retained by suppliers. At the same time, the government loses critical revenue that funds essential public services,” the ministry said. Patients and activists have called for the removal of VAT and import duties on chronic medication, saying out-of-pocket payments at private pharmacies are unaffordable for those without medical aid. The ministry said it is aware of affordability concerns and is considering them as part of the VAT review. However, it added that high prices are not caused by VAT alone. “Factors such as supply chain mark-ups, lack of local manufacturing, and high import costs significantly contribute to pricing. Addressing affordability requires a combination of tax policy, market regulation, and supply chain improvements,” said Shikoto. Asked how much revenue comes from VAT on chronic medication, the ministry said VAT contributes about N$21 billion a year, making up around 25.6% of total tax revenue under the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework. “Exempting chronic medication from VAT would reduce this revenue, potentially affecting funding for essential services,” he said.

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Congress is considering a bill that would cut $715 billion from Medicaid—jeopardizing care for over 8.6 million Americans, including cancer patients. Learn how the American Cancer Society Cancer Actio...

Keywords restorative justice, patient safety, healthcare, grief, medical harm, complaint process, legal journey, systemic change, Jo Hughes, Jasmine, healthcare, restorative justice, patient safety, moral repair, learning culture, shame, grief, accountability, healthcare staff, patient harm Summary In this conversation, Jo Hughes shares her profound journey following the tragic death of her daughter, Jasmine, due to medical harm. Jo discusses her transition from grief to advocacy, emphasizing the importance of restorative practices in healthcare. She highlights the lack of curiosity from medical professionals in the aftermath of her daughter's death, the challenges she faced in navigating the complaint process, and the lengthy legal journey that followed. Jo reflects on the systemic issues within healthcare that prioritize risk management over patient and family needs, while also expressing hope for future improvements in patient safety and care responses. In this conversation, Joanne Hughes discusses the importance of creating a just and learning culture in healthcare, emphasizing the need to understand and learn from events that cause patient harm. She highlights the complexities of healthcare, the fallibility of human beings, and the necessity of transparency and accountability. Hughes introduces the concept of 'Restorative Lens,' a consultancy aimed at applying restorative practices in healthcare settings. She stresses the importance of moral repair and the need to balance learning from harm with the emotional impacts on patients, families, and healthcare staff. The conversation concludes with a call for a deeper understanding of moral injury and the obligations of healthcare systems to address these issues.   Check out these papers that Jo recommends; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/hex.13478 https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/health-services/articles/10.3389/frhs.2024.1473296/full https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Chris-Marshall-11/publication/335626259_Justice_as_care/links/61ea176ac5e3103375ac7252/Justice-as-care.pdf Jo is a busy working Mum who lives in Cambridgeshire, where she enjoys walking her two labradors at sunset , releasing the stresses of the day by taking in the wonder of the fenland sky at dusk.  Director of Restorative Lens, Jo provides Restorative Practice Consultancy, Co-design, Facilitation and Training within Healthcare. Jo has a particular interest in Restorative responses to Patient Harm from safety Incidents. The tragic death of her first child Jasmine in 2011 has inspired this choice of career. While restorative responses to baby and child harm are her passion project, Jo helps healthcare organisations prioritise wellbeing, trust and healthy relations in all activity, supporting staff wellbeing and quality patient care, supporting  workplace conflict resolution, restorative leadership and healthy team dynamics as frequently as patient facing restorative work.  Jo is a trustee of the UK Restorative Justice Council, a member of the Restorative Justice All Party Parliamentary Group working group for Restorative Practice in Healthcare, and a member of the International Collaborative for Restorative Initiatives in Healthcare. As co-Founder of the Harmed Patients Alliance, she undertakes pro-bono work aimed at addressing the causes of compounded harm for patients and their families injured by their care, with current focus on development of the Harmed Patient Pathway”

Millions of Americans who receive intravenous treatment for multiple sclerosis, blood diseases and rheumatologic conditions could soon lose access to those medicines — unless Congress intervenes. D…

Atul Gawande Cites Deep Harm Done After USAID Gutting, Urges Commitment To Medicine.