BABY SUPPLIES: From UCare via Instagram, VERBATIM: “A big thank you to everyone who donated to the baby diaper, formula and supplies drive, which benefits @CEAP_MN in the Twin Cities. Many of our #PeoplePowered team members stepped up to meet the needs of our community.” PHOTO: https://fluence-media.co/4g05fto (SPONSORED: UCare)
POLL: Via Gallup, VERBATIM: “Three in four Americans consider nurses highly honest and ethical, making them the most trusted of 23 professions rated in Gallup’s annual measurement. Grade-school teachers rank second, with 61% viewing them highly, while military officers, pharmacists and medical doctors also earn high trust from majorities of Americans. The least trusted professions, with more than half of U.S. adults saying their ethics are low or very low, are lobbyists, members of Congress and TV reporters.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42jmkM1
WOMEN: From BD via PRNewswire, VERBATIM: “BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX), a leading global medical technology company, today announced the results of a new survey, revealing that 72% of women in the United States have delayed having a gynecology visit, with many highlighting the need for greater convenience, comfort and ease for this critical cervical cancer screening process.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3C6rsbA
NEXTGEN: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “Enrollment of first-year Black and Hispanic medical students fell sharply in the year after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in higher education, according to new data from the institutions. Why it matters: Research shows that a racially diverse physician workforce can improve patient outcomes. About 5% of doctors in America are Black, compared with 14% of the general population. About 6% of doctors in the U.S. are Hispanic versus about 20% of the general population.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4akQUa4
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3KsuDrZ
THIS MONTH: Via Minnesota Department of Health, VERBATIM: “With nearly 2,000 babies affected by birth defects each year in Minnesota, Gov. Tim Walz has proclaimed January as Birth Defects Awareness Month in Minnesota. January is also National Birth Defects Awareness Month.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3WlEtVp
RFK JR: Via NPR, VERBATIM: “As confirmation hearings begin for President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet, his nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services is facing pushback from members of both parties. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. began his foray into politics as a Democrat — launching his own bid for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination before leaving the party and, later, throwing his support behind Trump. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, a Democrat, calls Kennedy ‘dangerous.’ Green, a physician, was part of a medical mission to the Pacific island nation of Samoa in response to a measles outbreak in 2019. He says Kennedy bears significant responsibility for spreading misinformation and fear about vaccines during his own visit to Samoa that year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ajKEiB
MORE: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “A new coalition of more than 700 public health professionals, scientists and activists signed an open letter to oppose Senate confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary, saying his ‘fringe’ views and inexperience would put the country at serious risk from severe infectious diseases.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gO62yW
HOSPITALS: From Jonah Kaplan via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “Access to health care when we need it most is something many of us have come to count on, but many communities are seeing cuts to services that limit that access . . . A months-long WCCO investigation found 19 hospitals in Minnesota slashing or relocating services since 2022, and they include everything from obstetrics to surgeries to mental health and beyond.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/409cGsu
ELY: Via Minnesota Senate, VERBATIM: “In a letter sent to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure Tuesday, Senator Grant Hauschild (DFL-Hermantown) and Representative Roger Skraba (R-Ely) urged immediate action to maintain the Critical Access Hospital designation for Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital (EBCH). This designation, which provides additional federal funding and support to EBCH, are essential to the well-being of thousands of people in the Northland.” LETTER: https://fluence-media.co/40dHybf
PARKINSON’S: From the Michael J. Fox Foundation via PRNewswire, a series of events including one taking place in Minneapolis in May. VERBATIM: “This year, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) will engage with thousands of people and families across the United States with its returning ‘Parkinson's IQ + You’ national event series, which serves to educate and empower people and families living with Parkinson's disease (PD). The free event series will offer live panel discussions on building a Parkinson's care team, the latest in Parkinson's research and how to turn education into action.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3CkCFoR
WEBINARS: From St. Paul-based The Emily Program via Business Wire, VERBATIM: “The Emily Program, a nationally recognized leader in eating disorder treatment, today announced the launch of its 2025 Learn with Emily webinar series. The year-long initiative provides in-depth insight into the challenges associated with eating disorders and mental health, featuring expert speakers and thought-provoking topics aimed at both consumers and healthcare providers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40dDWWJ
QUAD-DEMIC: From Emily Haugen via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “A Brooklyn Park doctor said emergency rooms are booked up right now with long wait times. That’s largely because of what some are calling a ‘quad-demic’– four different illnesses spiking at the same time. RSV and coronavirus numbers are at their typical surge rates for the indoor season, while influenza is even higher. Norovirus, which appears as a stomach bug, is also high.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4hfHHlr
FLU: From the City of Minneapolis via X, VERBATIM: “It’s not too late to get your flu shot! MN is seeing its highest flu hospitalizations since @mnhealth
began tracking. @MinneapolisFire Firefighter Mark DeLude knows this too well—he lost his father to the flu. Protect your loved ones.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4fSKY9n
MORE: Via Minnesota Department of Health, information about vaccines for flu, COVID, and more. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3DQQhc6
QUAD-DEMIC: From Emily Haugen via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “A Brooklyn Park doctor said emergency rooms are booked up right now with long wait times. That’s largely because of what some are calling a ‘quad-demic’– four different illnesses spiking at the same time. RSV and coronavirus numbers are at their typical surge rates for the indoor season, while influenza is even higher. Norovirus, which appears as a stomach bug, is also high.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4hfHHlr
FRESH15: The latest season of Fresh15 includes interviews with new Minnesota House members. So far, five new members have shared their goals, background and fun facts before they take office in a historic session this January.
Rep.-Elect Kari Rehauer
Rep.-Elect Wayne Johnson
Rep. Elect Julie Greene
Rep. Elect Keith Allen
Rep. Elect Peter Johnson
Follow on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.TheDailyAgenda.com/Podcasts. (SPONSORED: Minnesota Telecom Alliance)
OBESITY: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “A coalition of obesity-related patient advocacy groups is calling on the incoming Trump administration to finalize a proposal that would allow Medicare to cover obesity medications. Led by the Obesity Care Advocacy Network (OCAN), more than 70 organizations said in a statement that addressing, treating and managing obesity is key to making America healthier.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40jLSFU
STUDY: From Andy Steiner via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “While a flexible body may be helpful for physical health, a flexible brain — or the ability to break out of cycles of negative thoughts, behaviors and actions — is key to mental health. A new study conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Minnesota Medical School’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and published in the journal “Science Translational Medicine” has found that deep brain stimulation (DBS), a surgical procedure that uses electrical impulses to treat neurological disorders, can enhance psychological flexibility in people with depression, anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This enhanced mental flexibility was shown to help people move away from behavioral cycles that have left them feeling ‘stuck’ in their mental illnesses.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3WinvYi
CERTIFICATION: Via Minnesota Hospital Association, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA) recognized 22 hospital and health system trustees from across Minnesota for their successful completion of MHA’s rigorous and comprehensive trustee certification program. This certification underscores their unwavering commitment to the patients, care teams, and communities they serve.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gRiu12
From morning take…
ILLNESS: via Axios Twin Cities, VERBATIM: “It wasn't just your imagination: A lot of people really were sick over the holidays, and we finally have numbers to prove it. Twin Cities hospitals have been packed as influenza spikes and COVID-19 and RSV cases rise. From Dec. 29 to Jan. 4, metro hospitals admitted more people with influenza than any week in at least the previous five years, according to the latest Minnesota Department of Health data.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3E3qhtQ
ELY: via a Rep. Pete Stauber press release, VERBATIM: “Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) sent a letter to the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) urging the agency not to revoke the Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital’s (EBCH) designation as a Critical Access Hospital (CAH).” STAUBER: “Not only is the decision to take away the Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital’s Critical Access Hospital designation based on a technicality that is not accurate, but it would do significant harm to the Ely community.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gJmJLX
Sign up for morning take…
MAYO: From Terri Malloy via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Mayo Clinic today unveiled separate groundbreaking collaborations with Microsoft Research and with Cerebras Systems in the field of generative artificial intelligence (AI), designed to personalize patient care, significantly accelerate diagnostic time and improve accuracy.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3BXtCdD
ABBOTT: Via Allina, VERBATIM: “Abbott Northwestern Hospital attained Magnet recognition again for the fourth time in December 2024, a testament to its continued dedication to high-quality nursing practice. The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program distinguishes health care organizations that meet rigorous standards for nursing excellence. This credential is the highest national honor for professional nursing practice.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3DRnqnM
DOCUMENTARY: From Delane Cleveland via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “A new women’s clinic in Plymouth is on a mission to educate people about a topic they say is often misunderstood: menopause . . . The clinic is partnering with Plymouth’s Rock Elm Tavern this week to screen a documentary called ‘The M Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause.’” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4hdWFbM
ACQUISITION: From St. Croix Hospice via PRNewswire, VERBATIM: “St. Croix Hospice and Mayo Clinic Health System have entered into a definitive agreement for St. Croix Hospice to acquire Mayo Clinic Health System's hospice operations in Southwest Minnesota.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3PAd8Lr
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
DEMENTIA: From NYU via Science Daily, VERBATIM: “A new study shows that the risk of developing dementia anytime after age 55 among Americans is 42%, more than double the risk reported by older studies. That dementia risk translates into an estimated half-million cases this year, rising to 1 million new cases a year by 2060, according to the new work.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ahfyIl
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