Recent content from Jeremy Olson
Suicide deaths have plateaued in Minnesota, slowing a two-decade climb
State health officials urge people in emotional distress to call or text 988 and ask for continued federal backing of the confidential support program.
University of Minnesota assembles new team after losing backing for cancer therapy
A New York biotech startup decided to invest in other immune therapies, but U researchers are cobbling together funding to continue.
Can Minnesota stop the exodus of burned-out doctors in time?
Almost one in five doctors plans to stop practicing medicine within five years, as aging baby boomers will put demand on health care system.
HealthPartners hit with $100K fine over infectious waste disposal
State investigation found that Regions Hospital had repeatedly sent medical waste, including blood-tainted syringes and other supplies, to a disposal site that wasn't equipped for such material.
After historic strikes in 2016 and 2022, Minnesota nurses say all options are on the table in 2025
Union representing more than 15,000 hospital nurses in the Twin Cities and Duluth areas is publicly prioritizing staffing, nurse safety, in negotiations.
More Minnesotans died with HIV last year, but not from HIV
Treatment is keeping HIV in check, allowing diagnosed Minnesotans to live long enough to die of other age-related causes.
Minnesota lawmakers propose ban on facility fees that trouble patients, increase spending
Hospitals warn that a ban could siphon as much as $1 billion from Minnesota providers and hasten clinic closures statewide.
University of Minnesota's Osterholm spearheads effort to restore vaccine confidence
Financed by Walton family heir, the Vaccine Integrity Project seeks to counter post-COVID vaccine hesitancy and anti-vax themes of Trump administration.
RFK Jr.'s controversial comments draw ire at Minnesota autism convention
Parents say their children with autism shouldn't be defined by Kennedy's stereotypes of health and success.
Staffing costs push some Minnesota hospitals to the financial brink
Nearly a quarter of the state's hospitals are in distress, but cutting services isn't a survival strategy.
Laid-off Minnesota Health Dept. workers warn of public health consequences
Union-organized demonstration highlighted chaotic nature of layoffs forced by more than $220 million in federal COVID grant cuts under the Trump administration.
How Allina doctors are deploying AI to double-check cancer screenings
Minneapolis health system contracts with California company to ensure accuracy, overcome bias in first-gen AI tools.
Essentia expanding ER for Iron Range, including more beds for mental health crises
The undersized ER at Essentia Health-Virginia has been strained by more patients in mental health crises.
Minnesota Department of Health cuts 170 workers in response to federal funding cuts
Response to infectious disease outbreaks could be slower as a result of cuts in lab technicians, public health investigators, state officials say.
Federal funding cuts at University of Minnesota antiviral research center leave researchers scrambling
Researchers were stunned this week by the loss of funding, which supported the search for better antivirals against COVID-19 and other infections.
Feds cut $226M in Minnesota aid for COVID public health response
State health commissioner says the unprecedented cuts give Minnesota no time to adjust and assess impact on public health programs.
On the cusp of spring migration, Walz urges $4M bird flu defense
Spring bird migration presents a new opportunity for transmission of H5N1 in birds and dairy cows.
Minnesota's first case of measles this year identified during travel to D.C.
Measles vaccinations are declining in Minnesota, but the current case is "rare" illness in a vaccinated individual.
University of Minnesota doctors-in-training move to unionize
Residents work long hours for relatively low pay, and are at risk for burnout, but organizing movement aims to change that.
Dismissed VA workers get jobs back, are placed on leave
Unions decry inefficiency of firing workers and then putting them on paid leave while court dispute lingers.
AG brokers new talks over future of Fairview, Essentia and academic medicine in Minnesota
Keith Ellison hopes the "fresh start" of facilitated negotiations will ease tensions and disputes over the fate of the current M Health Fairview system.
Lawmakers, unions decry 'incompetent' firings at Minneapolis VA
Even Sens. Klobuchar and Smith have been denied information on how many VA workers lost jobs as part of Trump-era budget cuts.
AG Ellison seeks more staff, tougher penalties to fight Medicaid fraud
Expansion of fraud control unit could stabilize Medicaid's public perception, buffer it from Trump administration cuts.
Five years later, long COVID remains a frustrating medical mystery for thousands of Minnesotans
As society eagerly moves on from pandemic, many continue to struggle with work and daily activities after being diagnosed with post-COVID fatigue and other symptoms.
Does your clinic measure up? Check Minnesota's quality ratings.
Quality scores dipped during the COVID-19 pandemic, but are now at or above 2019 levels in areas such as diabetes and asthma management.
Five years later: How COVID-19 changed Minnesotans
A kickboxing nurse, a dancer who hopes to walk again and a defiant bar owner reflect how the pandemic changed lives in Minnesota.
COVID vaccine provided some protection this winter, even if only 1 in 5 Minnesotans got it
Existing immunity to the coronavirus helped keep people out of the hospital.
HCMC physician residents gain northern exposure to rural medicine
Doctors rotate through Sanford Bemidji Medical Center, gaining an interest in rural medicine or at least an appreciation for its challenges.
Lawmakers propose spending $5M to resolve $500M in Minnesotans' medical debt
The investment works because medical providers often will accept pennies on the dollar for debts that are proving costly to pursue.
University of Minnesota Alzheimer's researcher accused of manipulating images resigns
University had alerted scientific journals of "data integrity concerns" in four of Sylvain Lesné's published papers.
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Children's Minnesota testing vaccine against deadly pediatric brain cancer
The trial involves a peptide developed by Minneapolis-based biotech startup OX2 Therapeutics.
U president says Trump's health cuts 'direct attack' on research there
Rebecca Cunningham said the decision to limit "indirect" support could prove costly for health care research.
Minnesota sues to block Trump order against gender-affirming care
Executive order calls for Justice Department investigation of state's "trans refuge" law.
Minnesota reports first pediatric flu death of the season
Hospitalizations for influenza and COVID-19 have declined, but flu-related admissions remain high compared to prior seasons.
University of Minnesota study reveals high costs, red tape facing cancer survivors
Next step is "secret shopper" research to identify unnecessary barriers in medical supply system for cancer patients.
University of Minnesota, Mayo study uncovers new link between infections and heart failure
Study of more than 14,000 people from Minneapolis and three other U.S. sites transcended five decades in its search for heart failure risk factors.
How hospitals and 'sensitive areas' in Minnesota are preparing for immigration officers' presence
Change in federal policy means hospitals are no longer "sensitive" areas spared from immigration actions, but the practical effect has been minimal so far.
After 49 days, Deer River hospital workers end strike
Compromise with Essentia Health on how workers can be asked to work at other hospitals leads to ending of SEIU Healthcare's longest strike in 40 years.
Latest pharma lawsuit settlement expands low-cost insulin to more Minnesotans
Novo Nordisk is third manufacturer to agree to set monthly costs for insulin at no more than $35 for the next five years.
Maple Grove Hospital nurses vote to unionize with MNA
Addition of 600 nurses more than offsets losses for the Minnesota Nurses Association when members at Mayo Fairmont decertified from the union.
Minneapolis VA to resume hiring after exemptions from Trump hiring freeze announced
Scope of hiring freeze clarified after U.S. senator and others react to plans by the Minneapolis VA to rescind job offers.
Flu wave, which hit schools hard following holiday break, may have peaked
Minnesota might be on downside of influenza wave, but 94 schools reported outbreaks based on 10% or more of students being out sick.
Family of paralyzed teen sues Mayo Clinic over back surgery
Softball player no longer has feeling or movement below the waist following surgery to remove a tumor from her spine.
Burnsville EMTs will be among first in Minnesota to transfuse blood in the field
Ambulance rides from accident and trauma scenes delay when critically injured patients can receive blood at hospitals, so the Burnsville Fire Department is starting to administer transfusions itself.
Crowded Minnesota ERs overflow into waiting rooms amid flu surge
Strategies forced during the COVID-19 pandemic have helped hospitals respond to the latest space crunch caused by influenza and other viral illnesses.
Deer River hospital strike nearing 40th day as workers hold out for better pay, staffing
The dispute centers on a "cross-facility" proposal that would have Deer River support staff work at other Essentia locations when there are staffing needs but for the same pay as at the Deer River hospital.
Long COVID indeed: Symptoms linger after illness for four in 10 Minnesotans
State surveyors struggled to get Minnesotans to talk about their post-COVID health, but found a high rate of symptoms such as fatigue and brain fog.
Want to cross-country ski? How and where to go in a snow-deficient Minnesota winter.
There are options for Nordic skiing on machine-made snow in the Twin Cities and beyond. Here's how to get started.
Mayo research sorts if rare BRCA mutations increase breast cancer risk
Discovery establishes whether thousands of BRCA2 genetic variants are significant, giving patients peace of mind instead of uncertainty.
How a unit of donated blood linked two strangers in a lifesaving surgery
Memorial Blood Centers offered a rare look at the donation process to highlight the need for blood, especially in the winter when donations dip.
Minnesota COVID cases are rising, but it's getting harder to obtain this drug to treat it
Financial support options for Paxlovid are changing, but remain in place this winter for Medicare recipients and for others who can't afford copays and cost-sharing.
Minnesota ERs stressed by waves of COVID, flu, RSV, norovirus patients
Weekly reports of COVID-19 and influenza show rising activity, but it's the combination of multiple infectious diseases at once that's causing problems.
Minnesota abortions grow as women from out of state continue seeking them
Expanded access to medication abortions in Minnesota also drove increases among state residents, but abortions have been increasing in the state overall for years.
Prices for medical care surged in Minnesota. Here's what the state is trying to do about it.
Health care spending rose by 15%, driven by higher prices. Officials say solutions are needed to prevent Minnesotans from being priced out or delaying care they need.
Wake-up call: Minnesota man emerges from coma playing air guitar to Coldplay in his hospital bed
The science remains murky on whether music and voices can rouse people from comas, but doctors see no harm in trying.
Songs that were playing when people woke from comas
It's not proven that certain songs can roust people in comas, but doctors say it may help, and it can't hurt.
As the workforce ages, dementia is a concern. Here are ways to help those affected.
Workers often hide their cognitive struggles for fear of their employers demoting or firing them. Bank of America collaborated with the Alzheimer's Association on a report that encourages "dementia-friendly workplaces," where conversations about changes in workers' cognition levels are nonthreatening.
Slain UnitedHealthcare executive is remembered amid the fury sparked by his death
Brian Thompson became a poster boy for the failings of U.S. health insurance, but coworkers said he was smart, charitable and concerned about people.
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Audit faults Minnesota for lax collection of $40M from nursing homes, medical providers
State says debts are from providers who have been sold or shut down, but audit says it could still try harder to collect.
Support workers set to strike at Essentia Health hospital in Deer River
Work stoppage, scheduled to begin Monday, is centered on pay and staffing demands.
Shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO revives criticism of company's medical claim denials
Some mourn the shooting of chief executive but still have scorn for the insurance company he ran.
Allina faces fines over hospital nurses hurt by violence
State labor department proposes more than $83,000 in fines related to 16 incidents, but Allina has appealed them.
FAQ: Everything you need to know about Minnesota-based UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare, the nation's largest insurer, is owned by parent company UnitedHealth Group. UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot Wednesday.
Defying the trend, Blue Earth hospital expands maternity services and attracts new patients
Success comes amid declines at neighboring Mayo hospital that is struggling with staffing and closing underused units.
Blood donors urgently needed in Minnesota to weather the holiday lull
Collection events and donor appointments decline over Thanksgiving, stretching blood supplies for Minnesota hospitals.
Nursing home groups sue Minnesota to block new workforce standards, holiday pay rules
Challenge moves a year-long dispute over the legitimacy of the state's nursing home standards board into federal court.
Spine surgeon built Burnsville campus to operate on patients others deemed too risky
Pioneering surgeon has run afoul of Fairview Health Services, though, which suspended his hospital privileges amid an investigation of his patient care.
Amid uncertainty about the future, more Minnesotans seek long-acting birth control
Some young adults aren't waiting to find out whether access to birth control could be curtailed under the incoming administration.
Transplant at Mayo Clinic replaces 85% of patient's face after more than 50 hours of surgery
Mayo's second-ever face replacement surgery in Rochester involved the work of more than 80 health professionals over three days.
Reversing Minnesota's declining birthrate is costly — and controversial
Chronic health conditions and decisions to delay pregnancies mean state may have to rely on methods like immigration to grow.
Drug study on blood loss prevention may enroll Minnesota trauma patients without consent
National study of emergency patients will seek to determine if earlier drug therapy will slow bleeding and save lives of trauma victims.
Second Trump presidency raises big questions for Minnesota health care
Observers say Trump administration may make changes to the Affordable Care Act, while Kennedy will seek government data on vaccine safety and other topics.
Minnesotans may get money back in settlements with generic drugmakers over alleged price-fixing
Price-fixing allegations lead to settlements with generic drugmakers
Minnesota sees COVID-19 lull this fall, pneumonia in kids
Walking pneumonia up COVID in lull Minnesota
Public health officials debate how to respond to loss of trust after pandemic
Minneapolis hosted national conference at an inflection point for public health and its ability to navigate the U.S. through epidemics, diseases.
