The immunization of children entering kindergarten against preventable diseases in all four towns on Outer Cape Cod lags far behind statewide averages. In both Truro and Provincetown, less than 80 […]
Health & Healthcare
GRAY AREA
Outer Cape Health Restructures as It Loses Top Staff
Financial operations will require an overhaul, says CEO Archer
WELLFLEET — Outer Cape Health Services is regrouping after a rash of staff departures over the past several months left the organization with a shortage of top leadership and primary […]
CANINE ALERT
Cannabis Toxicity in Dogs Is Increasing on Cape
Even small amounts can harm dogs that find and ingest it
TRURO — After a morning walk on Ballston Beach over the July 4th weekend, Heather Murray noticed her four-year-old Portuguese water dog, Maple, behaving strangely. “She was just sort of […]
KINSHIP CAREGIVERS
Grandparents Care for More Than 10% of Cape Children
A hidden burden made heavier by the opioid crisis and lack of services
ORLEANS — Carla Koehl, the executive director of the Cape Cod Foster Closet, set out one year ago to answer a simple question: how many kids living on the Cape […]
MENTAL HEALTH
With Clinicians Overbooked, Agencies Try to ‘Triage’ the Delays
When access to therapists is months away, nonclinical care can help, leaders say
WELLFLEET — When Dikke Hansen decided to “semi-retire,” giving up her position as director of behavioral health at Outer Cape Health Services in 2021 and taking up part-time work as […]
A SENSITIVE ISSUE
At a Forum on Temporary Signs, Opinions Are Few But Strong
Town leaders put temporary sign bylaw on hold while they assess public opinion
TRURO — After a controversy over election signs this spring resulted in multiple calls to the police dept., the town is still not enforcing its bylaw on temporary signs, according […]
HEALTH CARE
Nursing Home Reform Languishes on Beacon Hill
Despite latest failure, 3 lawmakers say long-term care legislation is not dead
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 […]
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 […]
