August 18, 2003 - Since the recession Minnesota has lost more than 67 thousand jobs. The layoffs come in a variety of sizes ... some wipe out hundreds of jobs, others just a handful. In many cases, those left behind have to do the same- or more work with less--less help and tighter budgets. We have the stories of two people who survived layoffs, and what their work life has been like. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports.
August 19, 2003 - Health care professionals joined Governor Pawlenty today to inaugurate a new law created to track medical mistakes. The goal of the program is to reduce medical errors in Minnesota and, eventually, help Minnesotans determine which hospitals are doing the best job in preventing mistakes. The Legislature didn't fund the system. But officials hope to find start-up money in the next month and have the program fully operational within two years. The Minnesota law is the first in the nation to embrace standards proposed by the National Quality Forum. Dr. Ken Kizer is the non-profit organization's president and C-E-O. He joined the governor today to praise Minnesota's plan. Kizer says as many as 98,000 people die each year from hospital medical errors, and that Minnesota's new law is an important step in making hospitals safer.
August 26, 2003 - President Bush pulled in more than a million dollars this afternoon at a downtown St. Paul fundraiser for his re-election. Speaking to several hundred supporters at the RiverCentre, Bush touted his accomplishments in the White House over the past two-and-a-half years and said his work in Washington has only begun. Meanwhile, the president's critics offered a much different message outside the event. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik has the first of two reports on the president's visit.
September 2, 2003 -
September 4, 2003 - A new Mayo Clinic study finds fathers as well as mothers suffer from disturbing anxieties after the birth of a baby. The study is published in the current issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings. Researchers sent surveys to 300 sets of parents. Those parents were asked to report distressing thoughts, such as "My baby is going to die of SIDS," and "What if I drown my baby while bathing her?" Close to 70 percent of mothers and 58 percent of fathers reported having those kinds of thoughts. Dr. Jon Abramowitz (Ah BRAUM oh witz) is a psychologist at the Mayo Clinic, and he's one of the authors of the study. He joins us now. Dr. Jon Abramowitz (Ah BRAUM oh witz) is a psychologist at the Mayo Clinic.
September 8, 2003 - More international patients travel to the Mayo Clinic each year than to any other U.S. health care facility. The Rochester based clinic is known around the world for everything from heart and cancer treatment to basic care. But since September 11th, Mayo has seen less and less of at least one prominent group of foreign patients -- travelers from the Persian Gulf. The situation's hurt Mayo's bottom line, but its effects have also trickled down to Rochester's local economy. Mainstreet Radio's Erin Galbally has this report. BACK ANNOUNCE: Tomorrow Minnesota Public Radio's Erin Galbally reports on Mayo's decision to open a clinic in the Middle East.
September 9, 2003 - International patient numbers at the Mayo Clinic remain down two years after September 11th. By the end of 2004 a team of Mayo heart specialists will set up shop in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. They'll provide basic health care and screening patients for treatment in the US. Mayo's not the first to bring medical services overseas. Other major healthcare centers report mixed results on their attempts to export care. Mainstreet Radio's Erin Galbally has this report.
September 10, 2003 -
September 15, 2003 - Much of news about the war on Iraq has focused on the death toll of US soldiers, especially the number of deaths since President Bush declared the end of mayor combat in early May. The Defense Department says as of Friday (Sept 12) 181 US troops have died from combat wounds since the war with Iraq began. The seriously wounded get less attention, even though they significantly outnumber the dead. Caught up in sniper fire, and targeted by homemade bombs and Rocket Propelled Grenade attacks, troops are losing arms, legs and eyes.
September 15, 2003 - There's a new effort to make South Dakota competitive in biotechnology. Many would say the state is about 20 years behind the times. But Governor Mike Rounds says whether it's agricultural products or medical breakthroughs he's ready to offer an office and financial assistance to companies willing to move. Unfortunately many bio-tech companies are either well established elsewhere or are still just someone's good idea. Mainstreet Radio's Cara Hetland reports.