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Photo by Robbie via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
Photo by Robbie via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr A new state study shows that the lucky folks living in Glendale and Burbank are less likely to be admitted to hospitals for preventable medical problems than other California residents, according to Glendale News-Press.
The study was commissioned by the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development and focused on how preventive care can reduce medical emergencies and hospital stays.
What made the difference with Burbank and Glendale hospitals? A serious focus on preventive care, from routine check-ups to patient eating habits. Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank spent $90 million on prevention and education last year and created a follow-up program for heart patients to make sure that they "stay on the road to recovery after they leave the hospital."
As the costs of healthcare rise and the availability of hospital beds declines, medical professionals are adamant about keeping those beds open for serious conditions and emergencies, instead of ailments that could have been prevented.
Michael Hunn, chief executive of Providence Health and Services said, "We are so busy with true emergency patients, we want you to get your flue shot. We don't want you in the emergency room at 3 in the morning with pneumonia."
Fentanyl and other drugs fuel record deaths among people experiencing homelessness in L.A. County. From 2019 to 2021, deaths jumped 70% to more than 2,200 in a single year.
