PROVINCETOWN — Massachusetts politicians at both the state and federal level have made recent moves toward tightening regulation of the long-term care industry, especially as private-equity firms continue to buy […]
Health & Healthcare
REST AND REASSESS
Covid-19 Pauses Outer Cape Entertainment
Two venues canceled a week of performances in July
PROVINCETOWN — Four years after Covid-19 brought live performances worldwide to a halt, the virus is still working its will on Outer Cape arts venues. The Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater […]
A MANAGEMENT ISSUE
Patients Suffer at Outer Cape’s Only Nursing Home
AdviniaCare at Seashore Point fails to meet state minimum-staffing standards
PROVINCETOWN — This past spring, a Provincetown resident who the Independent has agreed not to name to protect the person’s privacy checked into the Seashore Point nursing home for rehabilitation […]
HEALTH CARE
DPH Launches Campaign on Risks at ‘Crisis Pregnancy Centers’
But the state has little power to deny licenses to centers that mislead women
HYANNIS — In the year since medication abortion became available on Cape Cod for the first time since 2008, the landscape of access has continued to shift. Access to prescriptions […]
RISKY BUSINESS
When Recreation Wrecks Your Erection
Misuse of TriMix can cause lasting damage, doctors say
PROVINCETOWN — As summer ramps up, so too does a nightlife scene that draws throngs of gay men to the tip of the Cape. Nightclubs like Purgatory and the Paramount […]
OUTER CAPE HEALTH
Canceled Appointments, Dropped Referrals, and Tangled Phone Lines
Patients support Outer Cape Health but struggle with its challenges, too
PROVINCETOWN — Nick Jefferson lives to rock climb. “I work so I can go climbing,” he told the Independent. So, when Jefferson, who moved to Provincetown in 2013, cut a […]
DIPLOMAS
The Tech’s Class of 2024 Is Ready for the Real World
Cape Cod Tech graduates 146 seniors in 15 disciplines
HARWICH — Cape Cod Regional Technical High School’s June 1 graduation ceremony was full of reflection. Student speeches recalled the obstacles of starting high school in the middle of the […]
HEALTH BUSINESS
Cape Cod Hospital Settles Medicare Suit for $24.3M
Whistleblower cardiologist Richard Zelman will receive $4.36 million
HYANNIS — Cape Cod Hospital has agreed to pay the federal government $24.3 million to settle allegations that it knowingly submitted hundreds of Medicare claims between 2015 and 2022 for […]
HEALTH CARE ACCESS
CVS Pharmacies Can Now Fill Scripts for Abortion Medications
OCHS is looking into certification to offer mifepristone
PROVINCETOWN — Although medication abortions are legal for terminating pregnancies of up to 10 weeks in Massachusetts, access to the two-pill combination prescription is extremely limited on Cape Cod. That’s […]
HEALTH CARE
Cape’s Only Abortion Care Clinic Prepares to Manage With One Medication
Providers get ready to adjust, should Supreme Court restrict mifepristone
HYANNIS — Six months ago, Health Imperatives became the only clinic on Cape Cod to offer medication abortion, ending the Cape’s 15-year period as an abortion care desert. Now the […]
HEALTH CARE
Two Years After Approval, Injectable HIV Prevention Is Still Scarce
Insurance hurdles limit access to an effective health strategy
PROVINCETOWN — After its approval by the Food and Drug Administration in December 2021, Apretude, an injectable medication for HIV prevention, was expected to be a game-changer for several high-risk […]
FUNDING
Outer Cape Towns Institute Opioid Remediation Plan
Most funds go to harm reduction and cash assistance; some expenditures have critics
The four Outer Cape towns began a joint effort on Jan. 1 to spend an unusual pool of money: $621,100 in “opioid remediation funds” that will come to the towns […]
OPIOIDS
Calls for Overdose Rescues Fall as Narcan Use Rises
But the risk from fentanyl is still increasing, police and activists agree
EASTHAM — According to data from the state Dept. of Public Health, calls to emergency medical services for opioid-related emergencies — that is, overdoses — decreased on the Outer Cape […]
HEALTH CARE
State Expands Eligibility for Low-Cost Health Plans
But those currently uninsured face a Jan. 23 deadline to sign up
PROVINCETOWN — This year’s “open enrollment” period on the state’s Health Connector website — that is, the window of time in which people without health insurance can easily sign up […]
PSYCHEDELICS
Select Board Asks State to Reconsider Supervised Use of Psilocybin
Resolution requests a simpler form of regulatory oversight
PROVINCETOWN — At its Dec. 11 meeting, the select board considered a subject that’s rarely on its agenda: psychedelic drugs. Board member Erik Borg had submitted for discussion a resolution […]
