The Indianapolis Star: "Indiana's hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers reported a decrease in preventable medical errors last year -- including a 33 percent drop in the number of bed sores. Overall, 306 facilities reported 94 preventable medical errors in 2009, according to a report released Monday by the Indiana State Department of Health. That's down from 105 errors reported each year in 2008 and 2007. The 22 pressure ulcers, also called bed sores, reported for 2009 were the fewest since the state's medical-error reporting system began four years ago" (Lee, 8/31).
Kansas Health Institute produced a three-article package on oral health needs in Kansas. "Five years ago, 1,402 dentists were practicing in Kansas. There are more today, but only 25. The failure thus far of state and local recruitment efforts to produce better results is a concern to Tanya Dorf Brunner, executive director of Oral Health Kansas, a statewide advocacy group. … Last year, the state Department of Health and Environment's Office of Local and Rural Health found that 91 of the state's 105 counties didn't have enough dentists to meet their populations' needs. … The Department of Health and Environment has started a task force to look for ways to attract more dentists and to gather data that both demonstrate the impact of the shortage and point the way to possible solutions" (Ranney, 8/30). In a separate piece, KHI reports on access issues with Medicaid recipients and in another article, KHI reports on the difficulties of trying to replace a dentist in rural areas.