Jefferson Methodist Hospital to reopen Saturday after power outage forced temporary closure

Philly Voice (Health) 5/22 9:38A Michaela Althouse

Jefferson Methodist Hospital is reopening at 7 a.m. Saturday. A power outage Tuesday forced the South Philly hospital to close down for several days. About 150 patients were transferred to other medical facilities.

Philly may crack down on smoke shops that sell kratom and hemp products. But some say the proposal...

Philly Voice (Health) 5/21 11:00P Courtenay Harris Bond

Philadelphia is considering ways to crack down on smoke shops that sell unregulated drugs, including kratom and hemp-derived products. Legislation would limit the sale of kratom and hemp-derived products, and penalize landlords that rent to smoke...

Jefferson Methodist Hospital closed indefinitely after power outage forces evacuation

Philly Voice (Health) 5/20 5:18A Michaela Althouse

Jefferson Methodist Hospital in South Philadelphia was evacuated Tuesday night after a power outage. The issue was reportedly caused by flooding in the facility's basement. Backup generators failed.

Children are increasingly visiting doctors for anxiety and other mental health issues, study shows

Philly Voice (Health) 5/19 11:00P Courtenay Harris Bond

Pediatricians have seen a surge in anxiety and other mental health issues among children in recent years, a new study found. The research highlights a need for more training among pediatricians to screen and treat mental health issues.

You know exercise is good for you – so why is it so hard to put it into practice?

Philly Voice (Health) 5/16 11:00P Laura Baehr, Drexel University

Despite knowing the benefits of exercise, many people struggle to consistently work out. Education alone does not predict changes in behavior. Instead, shifting beliefs about the barriers preventing exercise might actually be the key to getting...

Using AI for health questions? Here’s what to know before you trust the answer.

Philly Voice (Health) 5/15 6:12A Peter Key, sponsored by Independ

AI tools are becoming a go-to for people with health questions. They’re fast, easy to use, and can sound surprisingly confident. But that confidence can be misleading.

The health benefits of relationships are significant — as new cancer research reiterates

Philly Voice (Health) 5/14 11:00P Louis Bezich

Marriage is linked to a substantially lower risk of developing cancer, new research shows. This is further evidence that committed relationships have the power to improve individual's health.

How the use of 'digital twins' may transform the way ALS is treated

Philly Voice (Health) 5/12 11:00P Courtenay Harris Bond

The treatment of ALS may be improved by the use of digital twins — virtual replicas of patients that use their medical data to predict the way the illness will progress. This could help doctors target therapies that more quickly slow the...

That discount at the pharmacy counter may pack hidden costs

Philly Voice (Health) 5/9 11:00P Rachel Spears, KFF Health News

Even as prescription drug costs rise, patients with commercial insurance have slowed their use of manufacturer-sponsored drug coupons in recent years due to affordability issues.

Trump promised cheaper drugs. Some prices dropped. Many others shot up

Philly Voice (Health) 5/8 11:00P Elisabeth Rosenthal and Arthur A

President Donald Trump has promised cheaper prescription drugs with the rollout of TrumpRx and some new Medicaid deals. But the share of Americans benefitting from these options is slim.

Reducing nurses' patient loads would save lives and reduce hospital costs, Penn study finds

Philly Voice (Health) 5/5 11:00P Courtenay Harris Bond

Establishing safer nurse-to-patient ratios in Pennsylvania would save thousands of lives and millions of dollars, new research from the University of Pennsylvania suggests. Unsafe nurse staffing levels are being exacerbated by a nursing shortage,...

What is hantavirus, the deadly illness that has stricken a cruise ship?

Philly Voice (Health) 5/5 10:47A Courtenay Harris Bond

A hantavirus outbreak likely has killed three people and sickened four others on a cruise ship in the South Atlantic, the World Health Organization says. The rare, deadly illness is contracted by coming into contact with the feces, urine or saliva...

An AI chatbot posed as a licensed mental health provider, and Pennsylvania is suing the company...

Philly Voice (Health) 5/5 9:11A Courtenay Harris Bond

Pennsylvania is suing Character.AI, claiming its chatbots have posed as licensed medical professionals to talk to people about their mental health.

Why some cancers are being diagnosed more often in younger, otherwise healthy adults

Philly Voice (Health) 5/4 1:20A Peter Key

Thanks to advances in treatment, many types of cancer diagnoses are less daunting than they once were.

Syphilis cases in expectant mothers have dramatically risen since the pandemic – here’s what’s...

Philly Voice (Health) 5/2 11:00P Casey Pinto, Penn State

The rate of maternal syphilis rose by 28% from 2022 to 2024, the CDC says. That increase is primarily driven by increased cases in the general population and barriers to prenatal care.