Kathy Wheeler
@spark54.bsky.social
PhD, APRN, FAANP, FNAP, FGNLI. When not researching and writing about national and international NP issues I advocate for patients and NPs.
Louisville…and so it begins…building of birthing center halted due to Medicaid cuts.
KyPolicy (@kypolicy) on Threads
The didn’t take long. #kentucky
www.threads.com
August 9, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Louisville…and so it begins…building of birthing center halted due to Medicaid cuts.
“The Kentucky Hospital Association warns that without state and federal intervention, healthcare facilities across the state will be forced to reduce services, lay off medical staff, and in some cases, shut down completely…That's not fearmongering. It's simply a fact”.
Kentucky hospital group warns of closures, reduced services, job losses due to Medicaid cuts
Healthcare in Kentucky is facing a tough future with billions in Medicaid cuts on the horizon, according to the Kentucky Hospital Association.
www.lex18.com
August 4, 2025 at 12:37 AM
“The Kentucky Hospital Association warns that without state and federal intervention, healthcare facilities across the state will be forced to reduce services, lay off medical staff, and in some cases, shut down completely…That's not fearmongering. It's simply a fact”.
Reposted by Kathy Wheeler
1 out of 4 nursing homes say they will have to "close their doors" if the GOP passes these Medicaid cuts.
June 28, 2025 at 3:52 AM
1 out of 4 nursing homes say they will have to "close their doors" if the GOP passes these Medicaid cuts.
Reposted by Kathy Wheeler
Breaking: HHS is canceling a $600 million contract with Moderna to develop, test, and license vaccines for flu strains that could trigger future pandemics, including the dangerous H5N1 bird flu virus.
May 28, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Breaking: HHS is canceling a $600 million contract with Moderna to develop, test, and license vaccines for flu strains that could trigger future pandemics, including the dangerous H5N1 bird flu virus.
Over 6000 incoming medical residents told they can’t start residencies because visas paused, many in primary care.
Mary Witt (@marywitttn) on Threads
Over 6000 new incoming medical residents are being told that can't get their visas to start their residencies in July. Many of these positions are primary care.
www.threads.com
May 29, 2025 at 4:04 AM
Over 6000 incoming medical residents told they can’t start residencies because visas paused, many in primary care.
We are now experiencing 1000+ cases of measles. Let that number sink in. Be sure to check out the data table on number of cases per week 2023-2025 (down the page). We gotta do better.
Measles Cases and Outbreaks
Find the latest numbers of confirmed U.S. measles cases. CDC updates this page weekly.
www.cdc.gov
May 10, 2025 at 2:07 AM
We are now experiencing 1000+ cases of measles. Let that number sink in. Be sure to check out the data table on number of cases per week 2023-2025 (down the page). We gotta do better.
Reposted by Kathy Wheeler
A CASE STUDY- that no one wanted to experience
If you want to know what cutting Medicaid does to rural America—look at Mississippi.
Their Republican governor refused to expand Medicaid. Now over half their rural hospitals are at risk of shutting down and many already have.
#ProtectMedicaid
🧵
If you want to know what cutting Medicaid does to rural America—look at Mississippi.
Their Republican governor refused to expand Medicaid. Now over half their rural hospitals are at risk of shutting down and many already have.
#ProtectMedicaid
🧵
May 8, 2025 at 12:59 AM
A CASE STUDY- that no one wanted to experience
If you want to know what cutting Medicaid does to rural America—look at Mississippi.
Their Republican governor refused to expand Medicaid. Now over half their rural hospitals are at risk of shutting down and many already have.
#ProtectMedicaid
🧵
If you want to know what cutting Medicaid does to rural America—look at Mississippi.
Their Republican governor refused to expand Medicaid. Now over half their rural hospitals are at risk of shutting down and many already have.
#ProtectMedicaid
🧵
Reposted by Kathy Wheeler
Reposted by Kathy Wheeler
In an executive order, President Trump directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to stop funding NPR and PBS, the nation's primary public broadcasters.
Trump orders end to federal funding for NPR and PBS
In an executive order, President Trump directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to stop funding NPR and PBS, the nation's primary public broadcasters.
www.wbur.org
May 2, 2025 at 10:02 AM
In an executive order, President Trump directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to stop funding NPR and PBS, the nation's primary public broadcasters.
Reposted by Kathy Wheeler
this is legitimately evil
Just to be clear, this is a violation of the fundamental ethical principle in clinical trial design called "equipoise."
Equipoise means that no-one is exposed to excess risk just to test the therapy. That's specifically *why* vaccine trials don't use placebo arms.
Ethical violation as POLICY.
Equipoise means that no-one is exposed to excess risk just to test the therapy. That's specifically *why* vaccine trials don't use placebo arms.
Ethical violation as POLICY.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr will require all new vaccines to undergo placebo testing, WaPo reports
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr intends to shift the way vaccines are tested, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing a spokesperson from the HHS.
www.reuters.com
May 1, 2025 at 8:33 PM
this is legitimately evil
Reposted by Kathy Wheeler
This is what is happening in Canada. Our provincial leaders run healthcare, a lot are conservatives, many many well trained nurses are retiring or being replaced by personal support workers who can get there license in 16 weeks.
Brexit led to 1,500 deaths a year as EU nurses left UK, study finds. Quality of care dropped as staff were replaced with less experienced nurses, researchers at the University of Surrey say.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
Brexit led to 1,500 deaths a year as EU nurses left UK, study finds
Quality of care dropped as staff were replaced with less experienced nurses, researchers at the University of Surrey say
www.independent.co.uk
May 1, 2025 at 1:12 AM
This is what is happening in Canada. Our provincial leaders run healthcare, a lot are conservatives, many many well trained nurses are retiring or being replaced by personal support workers who can get there license in 16 weeks.
Reposted by Kathy Wheeler
RFK Jr. ordered the NIH’s Integrated Research Facility in Frederick to stop all research on serious infectious diseases yesterday at 5:00 PM.
They study pathogens like Ebola there. You may be familiar with it from The Hot Zone.
www.wired.com/story/hhs-ni...
They study pathogens like Ebola there. You may be familiar with it from The Hot Zone.
www.wired.com/story/hhs-ni...
RFK Jr.'s HHS Orders Lab Studying Deadly Infectious Diseases to Stop Research
NIAID's Integrated Research Facility is one of the few federal facilities charged with studying Ebola. Tuesday afternoon, all of its work was put on indefinite pause by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s departm...
www.wired.com
April 30, 2025 at 10:45 PM
RFK Jr. ordered the NIH’s Integrated Research Facility in Frederick to stop all research on serious infectious diseases yesterday at 5:00 PM.
They study pathogens like Ebola there. You may be familiar with it from The Hot Zone.
www.wired.com/story/hhs-ni...
They study pathogens like Ebola there. You may be familiar with it from The Hot Zone.
www.wired.com/story/hhs-ni...
Reposted by Kathy Wheeler
Deaths from heart disease down 75%, that’s NIH.
Deaths from stroke down 75%, that’s NIH.
HIV/AIDS no longer a death sentence, that’s NIH.
99% of FDA approved drugs in the last decade, that’s NIH.
Please show this video to anyone who doesn’t understand why the NIH is so important.
Deaths from stroke down 75%, that’s NIH.
HIV/AIDS no longer a death sentence, that’s NIH.
99% of FDA approved drugs in the last decade, that’s NIH.
Please show this video to anyone who doesn’t understand why the NIH is so important.
April 28, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Deaths from heart disease down 75%, that’s NIH.
Deaths from stroke down 75%, that’s NIH.
HIV/AIDS no longer a death sentence, that’s NIH.
99% of FDA approved drugs in the last decade, that’s NIH.
Please show this video to anyone who doesn’t understand why the NIH is so important.
Deaths from stroke down 75%, that’s NIH.
HIV/AIDS no longer a death sentence, that’s NIH.
99% of FDA approved drugs in the last decade, that’s NIH.
Please show this video to anyone who doesn’t understand why the NIH is so important.
Thank goodness! This study saved many lives, and more money than it cost.
thehill.com
April 27, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Thank goodness! This study saved many lives, and more money than it cost.
Reposted by Kathy Wheeler
How can MD/PhD programs evolve to tackle health inequities? By integrating Social Sciences & #Humanities (SSH) into MD/PhD training, we can bridge the gap between clinical care and systemic change. #MedEd #HealthEquity
Read in #JGIM:
Read in #JGIM:
Training Future Physician-Scientists in Social Sciences and Humanities
rdcu.be
April 23, 2025 at 2:32 PM
How can MD/PhD programs evolve to tackle health inequities? By integrating Social Sciences & #Humanities (SSH) into MD/PhD training, we can bridge the gap between clinical care and systemic change. #MedEd #HealthEquity
Read in #JGIM:
Read in #JGIM:
Reposted by Kathy Wheeler
The nursing shortage shows no signs of abating. Nurses age 55 and older are retiring and burnout and stressful working conditions are prompting younger nurses to exit the field.
Nursing shortage worsened by retirements, as burnout persists
www.modernhealthcare.com
April 23, 2025 at 5:15 PM
The nursing shortage shows no signs of abating. Nurses age 55 and older are retiring and burnout and stressful working conditions are prompting younger nurses to exit the field.
Now they’re trying to control what goes in medical journals.
They do not know the lengths medical journals go through to review what they publish. Again, their efforts are extremely dangerous and short sighted.
Medical Journals Get Letters From DOJ www.medpagetoday.com/special-repo...
They do not know the lengths medical journals go through to review what they publish. Again, their efforts are extremely dangerous and short sighted.
Medical Journals Get Letters From DOJ www.medpagetoday.com/special-repo...
Medical Journals Get Letters From DOJ
At least three journals received letters from a U.S. Attorney asking about 'competing viewpoints'
www.medpagetoday.com
April 21, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Now they’re trying to control what goes in medical journals.
They do not know the lengths medical journals go through to review what they publish. Again, their efforts are extremely dangerous and short sighted.
Medical Journals Get Letters From DOJ www.medpagetoday.com/special-repo...
They do not know the lengths medical journals go through to review what they publish. Again, their efforts are extremely dangerous and short sighted.
Medical Journals Get Letters From DOJ www.medpagetoday.com/special-repo...
Reposted by Kathy Wheeler
Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta.
April 21, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta.
Reposted by Kathy Wheeler
Two new studies suggest that Parkinson's disease can potentially be treated with stem cells placed in a patient's brain.
Stem cells to treat Parkinson's? Two small studies hint at success
Two new studies suggest that Parkinson's disease can potentially be treated with stem cells placed in a patient's brain.
www.npr.org
April 17, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Two new studies suggest that Parkinson's disease can potentially be treated with stem cells placed in a patient's brain.
Reposted by Kathy Wheeler
The two-year-old boy had wandered away from home on Monday evening and spent the night alone nearly seven miles from his home.
Dog finds and rescues toddler who spent night lost and alone in Arizona desert
The two-year-old boy had wandered away from home on Monday evening and spent the night alone nearly seven miles from his home.
www.npr.org
April 16, 2025 at 9:05 PM
The two-year-old boy had wandered away from home on Monday evening and spent the night alone nearly seven miles from his home.
Reposted by Kathy Wheeler
Katherine Maher, president and CEO of National Public Radio, talks with NPR's Mary Louise Kelly about the White House proposal to eliminate federal funding for public media.
NPR CEO Katherine Maher addresses future of federal funding for public media
Katherine Maher, president and CEO of National Public Radio, talks with NPR's Mary Louise Kelly about the White House proposal to eliminate federal funding for public media.
www.npr.org
April 17, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Katherine Maher, president and CEO of National Public Radio, talks with NPR's Mary Louise Kelly about the White House proposal to eliminate federal funding for public media.
Reposted by Kathy Wheeler
Map of economic impact of WH proposed cuts to research. Now searchable by House District. (eg, the impact on Rep Kat Cammack's district (R; Florida) is $85M)
--> scienceimpacts.org
--> scienceimpacts.org
SCIMaP - Impacts of Federal Cuts to Science and Medical Research
Developed by an interdisciplinary research team, this website shows how funding cuts reduce economic activity and employment nationwide
scienceimpacts.org
April 13, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Map of economic impact of WH proposed cuts to research. Now searchable by House District. (eg, the impact on Rep Kat Cammack's district (R; Florida) is $85M)
--> scienceimpacts.org
--> scienceimpacts.org
Reposted by Kathy Wheeler
"It's really catastrophic ... that we would not be leveraging all of the great work done on the innovation side to keep these children from the incredible harm that they are facing, and their families," NORD CEO Pamela Gavin
The newborn screening advisory committee was cut. These people are monsters.
www.medpagetoday.com/special-repo...
www.medpagetoday.com/special-repo...
HHS Scraps Advisory Committee on Newborn Screening
Cut comes as new conditions could have been added to a national screening panel
www.medpagetoday.com
April 14, 2025 at 11:13 AM
"It's really catastrophic ... that we would not be leveraging all of the great work done on the innovation side to keep these children from the incredible harm that they are facing, and their families," NORD CEO Pamela Gavin