Recent content from Jeremy Olson
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.
Minneapolis nonprofit aims to boost organ donation among men, who lag behind women
Marketing campaign seizes on research that "big-hearted" Minnesota men will sign up to donate if they know more about transplants and recipients.
Analysis finds that after 2 years GLP-1 drugs for weight loss don't justify their price
Study of those who started taking blockbuster weight loss drugs in 2021 suggests patients need support services, not just the medications.
Mayo Clinic completes its first paired liver donation for transplantation
Option could increase transplant options for patients whose friends, relatives aren't good matches for living donations.
U of M expanding research of experimental treatment that saved COVID-19 patients
A spinoff company has been formed to produce a hormone supplement that reduces lung damage, but researchers still need to convince federal regulators of its safety and effectiveness.
Here's how to update your home office to avoid costly pain
From carpal tunnel wrist injuries to "dead-butt" syndrome, desk workers are at greater risk of strain because of poor posture while telecommuting. There are ways to make your home office more ergonomic that are as simple as talking to your HR Department or buying a wireless mouse.
Minneapolis couple allege Fairview sent placenta, not stillborn baby's remains, to funeral home
Grieving couple allege in lawsuit they received a cremated placenta rather than the remains of the daughter they lost due to pregnancy complications at 22 weeks.
U Medical School to study genetic solutions to back pain
Research seeks to identify genetic triggers that can change a person's susceptibility to back pain and resulting complications.
Surgery delays continue as Minnesota hospitals grapple with IV solution shortage
Hurricane Helene damaged Baxter's North Carolina plant that makes 60% of the U.S.'s supply of IV fluids, and Hurricane Milton is threatening another fluid manufacturer B. Braun Medical operates.
Telehealth remains popular in Minnesota, does not lower quality of care: MDH report
Telehealth visits are commonplace in primary care clinics, and research finds no harms to cost and quality of care in Minnesota.
Some elective surgeries in Minn. delayed amid hurricane-related shortage of medical fluids
Supply chain for IV fluids exposed as vulnerable after Hurricane Helene forces shutdown of manufacturing plant in North Carolina.
Minnesota medical debt protections kick in, shielding some consumers from collectors
Attorney general encourages Minnesotans to take advantage of free legal clinic Saturday to learn about options for resolving medical debt.
New calming room in Minnesota to serve as ER alternative
Medica, Emma Norton partner on new facility intended to reduce ER visits for mental health crises.
Mayo halting baby deliveries, inpatient pediatric surgeries in Fairmont
Cuts to southwest Minnesota hospital match those happening statewide as health systems grapple with worker shortages, demographic changes.
Minnesota's measles outbreak was bad but could've been worse
Health officials say the recent outbreak of the highly contagious virus looked bad this summer, but optimism is growing they may have contained it.
Elderly Minnesotan dies of rabies after bat bite
Minnesota has reported just seven cases of the rare infectious disease in more than 100 years, and all were fatal.
Maker of Ozempic, Wegovy sues Minnesota clinic over knockoff weight-loss medication
Lawsuit is part of a nationwide strategy by Novo Nordisk to protect its trademark and profits from its blockbuster GLP-1 drugs.
Mankato clinic to fill gap in rural mental health care, train next generation of therapists
Five-year agreement between Blue Cross and Minnesota State will help new clinic emerge as a regional hub for treatment, training.
Nurse vacancies decline but physician shortage grows at Minnesota hospitals
Amid signs of a youth movement shoring up the nursing ranks, hospitals in the state are facing another problem of aging doctors retiring.
Whether it's for the backpack or science, thousands volunteer for U of M research projects at fair
More than 150,000 Minnesota State Fair visitors have participated over the past decade, supporting hundreds of published studies.
Minnesota tallies 36 measles cases, second-worst total since 2000
State confirms that cases of the highly infectious disease are largely among unvaccinated Somali children.
Walz called out Trump for COVID-19 response. How effective was Walz in Minnesota?
The governor has made COVID-19 response a high-profile issue as he campaigns for vice president, accusing former President Trump of freezing in face of pandemic.
Mayo racing to define what is, and isn't, Alzheimer's in hope of better treatments
Misdiagnosing the cause of a patient's dementia wasn't as problematic in the past when treatments were limited. But new drugs demand more precision.
Measles cases rise again, vexing Minnesota officials trying to nail down cause
Investigation continues to link three mysteriously unrelated infections to overseas sources, or earlier Minnesota cases.
Under new law, hospitals face fines if they don't alert Minnesotans of closures, reduced care
Tougher approach seeks to avoid messy disputes such as in Fosston, Minn., where city leaders are fighting a hospital decision to stop providing routine baby deliveries.
Agencies try to minimize harm from Rainbow Health shutdown
LGTBQ clients had appointments canceled with no notice after closure, and clients with HIV worried about losing vital support services.
U of M study finds stunning impact of poverty on cell function, transplants
Poverty's impact on human biology has "unanticipated persistence," damaging cells in a way that endures even after they are transplanted into others.
Man critically injured in St. Paul bus stop shooting
The shooting occurred at a busy intersection in the Midway district.
Two injured in shooting incident at Brooklyn Park sports park
Shooter may not have been targeting anyone, but caused panic among as many as 300 youths.
Measles threat detected in Twin Cities, troubling public health officials
Experts say unvaccinated people are at risk after three unrelated cases were diagnosed.
July 4th was a COVID spreader in Minnesota, though illnesses far below pandemic peaks
Positivity rates of COVID-19 tests at urgent-care clinics in the east metro rise from 3% in May to 10% in June to nearly 30% now.
Essentia clinic and hospital providers vote to unionize across northeast Minnesota
Nurse practitioners and others celebrate unionization in attempt to gain control over medical practice, even as Essentia appeals federal ruling that permitted the vote.
Minnesota mental health patients stay 25 hours longer than necessary in ER because of shortages
More treatment beds will help in short term, but advocates hope for more services that prevent mental health crises in the first place.
Hennepin EMS seeks paramedic diversity to boost outcomes for minority patients
Foster child-turned first responder-turned breast cancer survivor-turned paramedic is payoff from Hennepin Healthcare's efforts to increase diversity, fix racial disparities in patient care.
Leaving surgical objects in patients rare but growing problem in Minnesota
A lawsuit over a sponge left inside a patient at a Duluth hospital underscores the consequences of an error that is deemed preventable.
Most patients quit GLP-1 drugs in two years, jeopardizing their weight loss
Update by Eagan-based Prime Therapeutics finds more patients quitting the popular weight-loss medications because of cost, access or short-term success.
COVID on the rise everywhere else — is Minnesota next?
Viral variants driving infections in other states are present in Minnesota, creating potential for another post-holiday bump in illnesses.
Minnesotans now need only doctor's OK for medical cannabis
Legislative changes took effect Monday that remove barriers from Minnesota's medical cannabis program after nine years of cautious expansion.
Demand for magnetic therapy in Minnesota prompts expansion of the depression treatment
Transcranial magnetic stimulation gained little attention for years, but emerged in the post-pandemic era as more Minnesotans grappled with depression.
Nineteen rural Minnesota hospitals band together to survive and thrive
The Headwaters Network will give small hospitals opportunities to gain efficiencies without joining large health systems.
Pharma industry has some explaining to do in Minnesota over 10 costly drug classes
State releases its first list of drugs of substantial public interest, focusing on those that are being sold well above their list prices.
Landmark University of Minnesota papers on Alzheimer's and stem cells retracted
Discoveries elevated the profile of the University of Minnesota, which took years to investigate claims of errors and misconduct.
Money pressures, decline in births, prompt North Memorial to shutter special nursery
Research has found more complications when fragile preemies are transferred to other hospitals, but North Memorial leaders said they are equipped to prevent them.
Tularemia infection surge prompts warning, especially for Minnesota cat owners
The infectious disease remains rare, but 21 cases in animals last year tripled the usual total and increased human transmission risks.
Charges link five Minnesotans to phony Medicaid billing, lavish spending
Accusations are latest results of two ongoing state-federal investigations related to billing for medical transportation and home care services.
Genetic discoveries map out your health risks, if you can keep up with them
HealthPartners is testing a new tool that keeps patients in Minnesota and Wisconsin informed of their changing risk profiles and helps doctors identify the right screening needs.
Teen pregnancies decline again in Minnesota after pandemic bump
Loss of access to birth control and sex education were blamed for the increase in teen pregnancies in 2021, but the disruption only lasted one year.
Minnesota's long-term care insurance industry is in crisis
Companies are raising premiums, capping benefits and sometimes denying payouts, while elderly Minnesotans are struggling to afford payments and access their benefits.
Preventable errors double in Minnesota hospitals in past decade
Medication errors and disabling assaults in Minnesota hospitals contribute to rise in rare but troubling reportable events in the post-pandemic era.
Hennepin medics will no longer handcuff combative patients
Change to alternative restraints is part of movement to get paramedics out of unsafe situations, recognition that handcuffs can be traumatic.
Three Anoka children infected with measles may have exposed others at HCMC
The siblings, all younger than 10, contracted measles after visiting Europe, where the fast-spreading viral disease is common.
Its finances and facility in shambles, Red Wing nursing home will close in July
Lawmakers offered special funding to try to keep Bay View open, but debts and disrepair now appear too severe.
Minnesota legislation targets health insurers' power to block medical care, medications
House bill would prevent redundant insurance red-tape for treatment of chronic diseases. The fate of prior authorization will be decided in the session's final days.
Wildfire smoke is linked to more emergency room visits for heart attacks
Short-term health impacts of poor air quality have been apparent in Minnesota. Research is trying to assess the long-term consequences as well.
Minnesota eyes 'sprint' paramedics to ease rural shortages, lagging emergency response
Legislature considers $6 million to test the use of chase vehicles that would respond to medical emergencies on the Iron Range and in the northwest lakes region.
University of Minnesota strengthens case to treat COVID with metformin, not ivermectin
The common anti-diabetes drug lowered viral loads and reduced risks of a second wave of COVID-19 illness in patients.
To the chagrin of surviving spouses, medical debts in Minnesota can outlive patients
Senator who enabled spousal liability for medical debts of deceased loved ones calls practice "repulsive" and wants state law repealed.
Minimum wage proposed for Minnesota's nursing home workers
Recommendation by union-backed state standards board seeks to stabilize staffing at nursing homes that are in rising demand in Minnesota.
One day in the frantic life of a Children's Minnesota emergency room nurse
The pediatric provider revealed life in its St. Paul emergency department as part of a hiring campaign to beat other Minnesota hospitals to scarce nurses and caregivers.
Sexually transmitted diseases in Minnesota are down, but HIV and newborn syphilis cases are up
Rises in HIV cases among Hispanic Minnesotans, and syphilis cases among women, suggest an emerging front in fight against sexually transmitted diseases.
Medical debt shuffle: Allina sells bills to itself to sue patients
Minnesota lawmaker wants to ban the practice of selling medical debt and incentivizing collectors to aggressively pursue patients.
Mahnomen hospital shutters inpatient beds to survive, a first in Minnesota
The northwest Minnesota hospital is converting to a rural emergency center that stabilizes patients but offers no inpatient beds for prolonged care.
Hospitals too busy to train Minnesota paramedic students, exacerbating shortage
Students must observe many patients with emergency or traumatic injuries before they can become paramedics, but a lack of access to hospitals since the pandemic is delaying their progress.
Minnesota pharmacies want permission, funding to administer vaccines
More than a third of Minnesota's standalone independent pharmacies have closed amid financial struggles since 2018, and only 156 remain in business across the state.
Showdown set between Minnesota and drug industry over rising costs
Affordability board is one of the most powerful in the nation, but drug industry says it's not the solution for lowering prescription costs for Minnesotans.
Doctors, nurses speak out against closure of intensive care unit at Unity hospital campus
Providers fear the move will result in delays and longer ambulance rides to Mercy's main campus in Coon Rapids.
Fairview clinic responds to post-COVID rise in fatiguing disorder in kids
The immune system's overreaction, common in severe COVID-19 cases, appears to play a role in development of POTS, which often emerges in children.
