Latest news with #RushUniversity
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
UChicago Medicine to discontinue all gender-affirming pediatric care
CHICAGO — Bowing to federal pressure under the Trump administration, UChicago Medicine has become the latest Illinois hospital to end gender-affirming pediatric care. The decision, announced Friday, leaves no room for ongoing transitional care, and an unknown number of patients in limbo. 'UChicago Medicine has reached the difficult decision that, in response to continued federal actions, it will discontinue all gender-affirming pediatric care effective immediately,' the hospital said in a statement. 'We understand that this news will have a significant impact on our patients.' The announcement by UChicago Medicine, the esteemed century-old academic medical health system based at the University of Chicago, follows a similar decision by Rush University System for Health, which 'paused' hormonal care to new patients under the age of 18 beginning July 1. Rush is continuing to offer mental and behavioral support, but referring gender care patients that need additional treatment to other providers. UChicago Medicine will no longer be on that shrinking list of hospitals providing gender-affirming pediatric care, which can include counseling, medications to delay puberty and surgery. In January, President Donald Trump issued an executive order ostensibly protecting children under 19 from 'chemical and surgical mutilation' that threatened to withhold federal research grants as well as Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement for institutions that provide such pediatric gender care services. 'We reached this conclusion in light of emerging federal actions, which would place at risk our ability to care for all Medicare or Medicaid patients,' UChicago Medicine said in its statement. 'These patients make up the majority of those we serve. As the largest Medicaid provider in Illinois, this step is necessary to ensure UChicago Medicine can continue serving our broader community and delivering on our mission.' Federal pressure to end gender-affirming pediatric care has caused several Chicago-area hospitals to curtail such services. In February, Lurie Children's Hospital paused gender-affirming surgeries for patients younger than 19, a policy which remains in place, the hospital said earlier this week. Meanwhile, UI Health allegedly canceled an Illinois teenager's gender-affirming chest surgery, according to a February federal court filing. Reached earlier this week, UI Health would not say if it was still providing gender-affirming care to minors. As for UChicago Medicine, all gender-affirming pediatric care ends Friday. 'Our focus right now is working with affected patients to discuss options going forward,' the hospital said in its statement. _____ Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Suki Waterhouse Says She ‘Wore Pants So Tight' They ‘Caused a Hernia'
Tight pants are annoying, uncomfortable and anything but desirable, but a celebrity recently claimed they're downright dangerous, too. Earlier this week, actress and singer Suki Waterhouse posted a tweet claiming that she got a hernia from wearing too-tight pants. For anyone who's ever zipped up a pair of jeans that are a little too small, this may come as a shock. Do those too-tight pants put you at risk of a hernia? Here's what doctors say: What is a hernia? A hernia is 'a weakness in the abdominal wall that allows something from the abdomen to protrude through the layers of the abdominal wall,' said Dr. Brittany Mead, an assistant professor of surgery at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. 'It's a fancy word for a hole in the human body,' added Dr. Eric Wise, an assistant professor of surgery at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Tissue — such as fats, organs or intestines — that isn't supposed to protrude through ends up poking through, Wise added. This often creates a bulge in your abdomen or groin, but it isn't always visible, Wise noted. It can sometimes cause pain, Mead said. But this also isn't always the case. Many things can cause a hernia. 'Many things can cause a hernia, and most are beyond our control,' said Wise. They can happen after trauma and after surgery. Certain things present at birth can increase someone's risk of developing it, too, he added. But there are some risk factors that we do have control over, added Mead. 'Things like chronic cough, obesity, pregnancy and lots of strenuous exercise can increase risk of hernia,' Mead said. Constipation can also increase your risk. Quitting smoking, managing your weight and avoiding constipation by eating a high-fiber diet are all ways to reduce your risk of getting a hernia, added Wise. 'But oftentimes, hernias are unavoidable,' Wise said. Meaning, you won't totally erase the chance of developing a hernia by doing these things. One thing that won't cause a hernia? Wearing tight pants. Sorry to Suki, but tight pants likely weren't the reason for the hernia. It's 'not something that you're going to do by wearing the wrong piece of clothing one time,' Mead said. So no, a pair of tight pants is not going to be the sole reason you end up with a hernia. And that's true even if you wear tight pants regularly for years and years. Wise agreed. 'Up front, obviously, I don't know about her specific medical condition and don't know the details, but in my practice, I have never seen or are familiar with a case of tight pants causing a hernia,' said Wise. Wise added that he also can't think of a 'plausible physiologic mechanism by which that can happen.' The tight pants may have exacerbated any pain associated with an existing hernia by squeezing the abdominal area, but the tight pants wouldn't cause a hernia on their own, Wise added. It's even more unlikely that the tight pants caused the hernia for another reason. 'In a lot of patients, we actually recommend... that they wear an abdominal binder or a waist trainer, which actually puts pressure on the hernia and kind of controls the protuberance of that intra-abdominal tissue,' said Mead. 'So, wearing tight pants would act in a very similar way,' she said. While Mead stressed that she, of course, can't comment specifically on Waterhouse's specific health situation, Waterhouse had a baby in March 2024 and 'that's something that would make me feel like [the hernia] was related more to the pregnancy than anything else,' Mead noted. Worrying about developing a hernia isn't worth it — live your life and if you develop one, see a doctor. When it comes to decreasing your chance of developing a hernia, you shouldn't worry too much. 'What I tell my patients specifically is, especially if they don't have a hernia, that they should live their life,' said Mead. Some studies say family history could put you at heightened risk of hernia, but Mead said she doesn't advise against any behaviors — 'we don't have enough research to say that one activity over another is going to cause a hernia that doesn't exist.' 'I don't specifically advise my patients against any type of activity. I want them to live their lives, and if they form a hernia, they form a hernia,' she added. 'If you see a bulge or feel a bulge or feel like something's not right, I think it's reasonable to have a physician examine the area,' said Wise. That can be your primary care provider or a specialist such as a general surgeon, he added. Hernia management and treatment have advanced significantly in the past decade or so, said Wise. 'While not every hernia needs surgery, it's certainly something that is best evaluated by a physician, and the main things that can be done to prevent it are lifestyle modifications and not necessarily changing your wardrobe,' Wise added. Related... 7 Signs Your Gas Or Bloating Is A Bigger Issue Lupita Nyong'o Revealed She Has Painful Uterine Fibroids. Here's What That Means. I'm A Gastro Doctor. Here's The 1 Thing I'd Never Do If I Had Stomach Pain.
CBS News
15-07-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Chicago's Rush University Medical Center pausing gender-affirming care for minors
Rush University Medical Center in Chicago is pausing providing gender-affirming care to new patients who are minors, a spokesperson said Tuesday. The spokesperson said Rush's decision was made in collaboration in clinical leaders. The spokesperson also noted the hospital does not provide surgical treatment for gender-affirming care for minors and has not performed such surgeries since 2023. The hospital will continue to provide mental health, behavior health and social services for gender care patients of every age, and said gender-affirming care – both hormonal and surgical – for patients over the age of18 is not affected by the change. Rush said it will provide referrals for all patients who require services they don't offer, and said the hospital "continues to be a strong advocate for the LGBTQ+ community." Multiple states have moved to restrict access to gender-affirming care for minors, though Illinois is not one of them. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Tennessee law restricting access to gender-affirming care to minors, ruling along party and ideological lines that the law does not violate the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause. President Trump has issued two executive orders addressing what he calls "gender ideology," one which declares the federal government's policy to recognize "two sexes, male and the female," and a second that threatens federal funding to for medical institutions that offer gender-affirming care to patients under the age of 18. The Rush spokesperson did not mention Mr. Trump's executive order when discussing the hospital's policy change.
Medscape
15-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Upping the Ante on Measles Education
The resurgence of measles in the US highlights the importance of early identification to prevent outbreaks, and more medical educators are taking proactive approaches to prepare students and current clinicians for real-world management. 'Given the rising number of measles cases nationally and globally, largely driven by falling vaccination rates and pandemic-related disruptions of global migration, Rush clinicians recognized an urgent need to better prepare future clinicians,' said Nicholas Cozzi, MD, EMS medical director at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, in an interview. 'We wanted to ensure our medical students could identify classic features of measles but also recognize how rashes may appear differently across diverse skin tones,' he said. Early recognition of measles by all healthcare providers is critical to help prevent further transmission and reduce complications, he added. The current initiative to introduce medical students to measles presentations across skin types was prompted by the spike in measles cases in Chicago in 2024, Cozzi said. The program involves artificial intelligence and learning models to provide examples of varying rash presentations. 'Our goal was, and is, to prepare emergency clinicians of tomorrow to be prepared to care for rashes that were once forgotten,' he explained. The dedicated and intentional learning of rashes has been added to the broader curriculum, said Cozzi. 'By emphasizing dermatologic presentations on darker skin, we aim to close longstanding gaps in medical education that can delay diagnosis in patients of color,' he added. 'Students have shared that this is their first structured exposure to identifying rashes on diverse skin, and they feel significantly more confident in recognizing measles early,' Cozzi told Medscape Medical News . 'They also appreciate learning the public health implications, such as when to initiate isolation and notify local health departments,' he said. The Rush team sees the measles program as a template for broader infectious disease education, said Cozzi. 'We're expanding similar training to cover other viral exanthems such as syphilis,' he noted. 'Our goal to build a generation of physicians who are equally skilled in recognizing disease across all skin types, improving equity and outcomes,' he said. In the wake of rising measles cases in the US in 2023, Cozzi coauthored an article published in the Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians Open on how emergency physicians could recognize measles quickly in order to start treatment as soon as possible. Among other factors, Cozzi and colleagues emphasized that the initial prodromal phase of measles is characterized by a high progressive fever and malaise of 2-4 days' duration, followed by 'the 3 'Cs' of cough, conjunctivitis, and coryza (copious nasal discharge),' before the appearance of a rash. Although the rash is usually blotchy, red, and maculopapular, the appearance may vary across different skin types, the authors wrote. Spotting Measles Isn't Easy 'Most clinicians under 55-60 years of age, if they encounter measles, are seeing their first case, and certainly new trainees who trained in the United States,' said Ericka Hayes, MD, senior medical director of Infection Prevention at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Philadelphia, in an interview. Hayes has been conducting resident and fellow education, along with grand rounds and presentations on the epidemiology and clinical presentation of measles, including the varied appearance of rash on melanated skin, as well as isolation, and infection prevention tools. The main challenges of educating clinicians and medical students about measles are twofold, in Hayes's opinion. First, the presentation of measles before the onset of rash is nonspecific and mimics common respiratory viral illnesses including fever, cough, and runny nose. 'Conjunctivitis is a good tip off but may not always be present,' she said. 'During high volume respiratory symptoms, identifying children with measles prodrome as opposed to common respiratory viral infection is challenging,' she said. 'It is critical that assessment take place in the context of epidemiology, such as the exposures and travel history of the patient that would increase the likelihood of measles exposure, particularly in nonimmune patients,' she noted. Another obstacle in measles education is the infrequency with which it is seen, Hayes told Medscape Medical News . 'Even with the surging cases of 2025, this is still not a diagnosis that most clinicians will see more than a few times in a career, though if current trends continue that could unfortunately change,' she said. 'Reinforcing recognition as well as appropriate prompt response to prevent secondary cases of an event seen so infrequently is challenging,' she noted. Part of the solution is education and awareness, and ensuring that clinicians maintain a high index of suspicion is crucial, she emphasized. Additional education is needed to increase awareness of other vaccine-preventable infectious diseases that may surge in the wake of changes to vaccine recommendations, said Hayes, who has expanded her vaccine-preventable disease case presentation sessions to four regional family practice residency programs, as well as CHOP fellows and residents. 'Educating clinicians so that these illnesses can be recognized early is an extremely important part of maintaining public health and limiting spread,' she said.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Rush University System for Health joins forces with Fabric
Rush University System for Health has formed a strategic partnership with Fabric for Rush Connect and Rush Connect+ platforms designed to offer digital-first access to healthcare services. Under the collaboration, Fabric's AI-based virtual care technology will power the platform, reducing wait times. Fabric's AI-driven technology and virtual care platform will enable Rush Connect to deliver patient access to care with ease. Additionally, clinical teams will get access to the tools for expanding capacity and delivering quality care. Rush Connect guides patients from initial signs of illness to receiving medical care via a digital experience. It utilises Fabric's 24/7 AI Assistant for real-time patient triage and navigation. The system is designed to alleviate the pressures of increased patient demand and clinician burnout, which are exacerbated by fragmented healthcare solutions. Rush Connect+ subscribers will benefit from Fabric's asynchronous-first Virtual Care platform, connecting them with licensed providers for quick treatment plans. This approach aims to lessen wait times, broaden access, and streamline the care process for both patients and providers, marking a significant shift towards Access-as-a-Service in healthcare. Fabric founder and CEO Aniq Rahman said: "This collaboration is a great example of how our technology and clinical platform can scale to support new care models, ultimately enabling Rush to provide even better access to care for patients across the Midwest and setting a new standard for the entire country." The partnership between Fabric and Rush University System for Health represents a scalable, patient-centred model for health systems facing obstacles such as growing demand and workforce shortages. Earlier this year, Rush University System for Health expanded its partnership with Suki to implement the Suki AI Assistant across its enterprise. "Rush University System for Health joins forces with Fabric" was originally created and published by Hospital Management, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
