Paul John Scott
Grand Forks Herald
Rochester, MN, United States
Contact Paul
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
| Recent: |
|
| Past: |
|
Past articles by Paul:
When using a patient portal, remember your doctor is not your pal
Mayo Clinic study finds one-third of messages referred to a doctor by their first name. Women physicians were twice as likely to be "untitled" through patient communications deploying the use of a doctor's first name, and male patients were more likely to commit the error than female patients. → Read More
10-second balance test is found to predict mortality risk
Study found those who could not pass a simple test had twice the risk of mortality. → Read More
Abortion doesn't lead to emotional damage. Why does Minnesota fund centers that tell women otherwise?
Critics say warnings over "post-abortion syndrome" are unsupported by the best evidence and that the state Positive Alternatives Grant Program should not be funding crisis pregnancy centers that endorse it. → Read More
Demand for abortion in Minnesota is expected to climb. Will health systems step up?
"They could and they should" say reproductive health care advocates on whether abortion care should expand beyond established practice within family planning clinics and into health systems. → Read More
In post-Roe world, many seeking information on medication abortion, study finds
Use of a two-drug combination now make up over half of all abortions in the United States, according to the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion research organization. About 350,000 Google searches using those terms or "abortion pill" were conducted during the week of May 1 to 8, according to the… → Read More
Study charts toll of those injured in mass shootings
Authors report that nearly mass shootings cause six people to be injured for every one person killed, with 44% leaving disabled and carrying $65,000 in average hospital charges. Emergency medicine experts say AR-15 style weapons create extreme increase in bodily damage. → Read More
Study finds most state cancer plans out of step with evidence on mammograms
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends biennial screening of average risk women between ages 50-74, but state plans often said the age to start was 40, and did not specify when to end the screenings. Authors say all states should share the same advice, as well as raise awareness of those at higher risk. → Read More
Large Mayo study reaffirms safety of donating kidneys
Authors reviewed outcomes for over 3,000 procedures spanning two decades. Donation led to serious complications in only 2.5% all cases, and no deaths or subsequent need for missing kidney. → Read More
Serious cases of hepatitis among children have doctors stumped
Clusters are of unknown origin, and not believed related to COVID-19 at this time. → Read More
Stretched thin, nurses want a say when it comes to staffing
To stem burnout, the Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act would require all Minnesota hospitals create staffing committees for each unit of a hospital. These committees would be made up of direct patient care staff, and would set upper limits on patients allowed per nurse. The decisions would be binding. → Read More
Olmsted County continues to lead Minnesota in new COVID-19 cases
Spike of new cases extends in cluster of southeastern counties. → Read More
On TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, patient influencers are remaking the drug advertising market
Research says customers more easily swayed by personal stories of an individual medical odyssey than via traditional forms. Critics worry regulators are too responsive to media-savvy advocates, touting illness-awareness messages, platformed by powerful interests. → Read More
Regional organ donation group LifeSource downgraded to 'failing' in federal rankings
In a federal review, the Minneapolis-based organ procurement organization serving Minnesota and the Dakotas has fallen from a designation of "underperforming" to "failing." The organization says the slip reflects an off year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and that it is expanding its clinical staff.… → Read More
Report predicts worsening health care worker shortage in Minnesota
Hardest hit areas will be rural, according to the study of burnout and stress induced by pressures faced by treatment providers during 2020 and 2021. → Read More
Limited benefits, optimal timing of a second COVID-19 booster debated
Mayo Clinic vaccinologist Dr. Greg Poland says the latest data show the benefit of a second booster is real, but "fractional" and wanes fast, meaning that timing and individual health circumstances are important factors when considering a fourth shot. → Read More
Olmsted County, home of Mayo Clinic, leads Minnesota in new COVID-19 cases
Health officials say that declining hospitalizations is a better metric for tracking spread. → Read More
Over 1,100 Minnesotans accessed low-cost emergency insulin in 2021
The funding is the legacy of the Alec Smith Affordable Insulin Program, a law passed in 2020 to recognize a 26-year old type 1 diabetic who died in 2017 after rationing insulin because it was unaffordable. → Read More
Mayo vaccinologist says COVID-19's future is impossible to predict
Voicing his concern about the so-called "stealth omicron" sub-variant that now makes up 25% of new COVID cases in the U.S., Dr. Greg Poland cautioned that the relaxation of mitigation now underway was premature. → Read More
Study refutes stereotype that people with obesity lie about how much they eat
A new study has learned the reason that people with high body mass index (BMI) routinely under-report how many calories they eat, and it has nothing to do with lying, as is often believed. Their recommendation: doctors should stop asking about calories and start talking about food. → Read More
CDC says 3 shots reduced risk of ventilation or death from COVID variants
Agency finds those without a booster had a 3-4 times greater risk of hospitalization than fully vaccinated, while those who were not vaccinated at all faced 12 times the risk of hospitalization. → Read More