Insights

At a recent Stanford conference, doctors and patients sought to find a balance between the dizzying array of new health technologies and patients' old-fashioned need for engaged, attentive care from increasingly overwhelmed and distracted providers.

New rules go into effect today that will make it harder for doctors to prescribe some of the nation's most popular painkillers. Doctors can no longer sign off on automatic refills, nor can they call or fax in prescriptions for hydrocodone products, now classified as Schedule II drugs.

Local programs within Native American communities are at the forefront of an effort to increase cancer screening and reduce cancer deaths.

The Medical Board of California has new guidelines for treating pain with drugs. Two board officials explain how the guidelines will work, and comment on the challenges doctors face in trying to diagnose pain and prescribe relief in short, infrequent patient visits.

The ACA is projected to save hospitals billions in uncompensated care, with the biggest savings in states that expanded Medicaid. But the good news for some hospitals is tempered by ongoing cuts in federal funding that could threaten the sustainability of safety-net systems.

Cases of enterovirus D68 have quickly spread throughout the nation, filling emergency rooms and pediatric units with kids struggling to breathe. Meanwhile, doctors are still trying to understand what role the virus may be playing in cases of limb paralysis and polio-like symptoms.

BuzzFeed News is looking for an ambitious editor to lead hard-hitting coverage on the health and science beats. Check out this and other job listings in this week's roundup.

The Medical Board of California is currently discussing new guidelines for prescription pain medicines. The recommendations urge physicians to better distinguish between types of pain, remain vigilant for abuse, and help addicts find treatment.

That Friday, I was dizzy and sick to my stomach with what felt like food poisoning, only sometimes my chest throbbed. I declined my husband's offer of a ride to the emergency room because I had to prepare for a crucial school meeting on Monday....

As hospital closures and physician shortages continue to afflict rural and low-income areas, Walmart is announcing an expansion of in-store primary care clinics in states such as Texas and South Carolina. Will this be the new face of primary care in rural regions?