Takeaways: When Andrew Gallamore clocks out of work at his job in Bonner Springs, he clicks on his phone. Sometimes, to bet. His DraftKings app makes dropping $5 or $10 on a prop bet so easy. And once he’s back home in Missouri, having even a few dollars riding on how many yards a player […]
Suzanne King
Suzanne King is The Beacon’s health care reporter and has covered the beat since November of 2023. Previously she covered the telecommunications and technology industries for The Kansas City Star and the Kansas City Business Journal. She also covered local government, crime and education at newspapers in western Massachusetts and upstate New York. She grew up in Missouri and has lived in Kansas City for almost 30 years. Suzanne holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Boston University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Posted inHealth
How ransomware attacks at Wichita hospitals threaten your privacy and health
Takeaways: Since December, at least two Wichita medical practices joined a growing and unwelcome trend in health care: They got hacked and had to tell patients that their personal medical and financial information was in the hands of cybercriminals. In early December, Wichita Urology Group said more than 5,000 people may have been affected by […]
Posted inHealth
How ransomware attacks at Kansas City hospitals threaten your privacy and health
Takeaways: It happened in Topeka in November. In Liberty in December. And seemingly all the time everywhere: Hackers crack open a hospital’s digital heart, seize control of its computer network and hold it hostage. Those ransomware attacks threaten to spill your most intimate medical secrets onto the internet and lock up a hospital’s ability to […]
Posted inHealth, State Government
Pregnancy is deadlier if you’re Black. Missouri wants to shrink maternal mortality rates
Takeaways: Traci Dancy got pregnant with her first daughter at age 30. She didn’t have diabetes, high cholesterol or any other conditions that added extra danger to her pregnancy. Still, she worried. “As a person of color, I am very aware of the dangers and risks,” said Dancy, who lives in Lee’s Summit with her […]
Posted inHealth
St. Luke’s merger with a St. Louis hospital system could mean bigger medical bills in Kansas City
St. Luke’s in Kansas City completed its merger this month with St. Louis-based BJC Health System. While the hospital systems say the merger will “enhance patient care and accelerate medical breakthroughs,” economists say patients may see higher prices.
Posted inHealth
Narcan saves lives — if you can find it in Kansas City
Takeaways: Casey Johnson stepped into the bathroom of a Westport bar recently and immediately sensed something was off. She saw two still legs and hair grazing the floor in a neighboring stall. Johnson knocked on the stall door. She yelled. But when Johnson got no response, she grabbed the naloxone she always carries, crawled under […]
Posted inHealth
COVID in Kansas City: Local experts answer your questions going into the new year
Holiday gatherings this year face the prospect of a very unwelcome guest – JN.1, the fast-spreading COVID-19 variant driving this year’s winter surge.
To help Kansas Citians stay healthy during the busiest travel season of the year, The Beacon compiled information from local hospitals and health departments on the current best practices on vaccinations, avoiding infection and staying safe while traveling.
Posted inLocal Government
Fare-free buses might be good for Kansas Citians’ health
Takeaways: Almost four years after Kansas City became the first major American city to completely abandon bus fares, the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority may go back to making riders pay. But researchers studying the public health effects of free-to-ride buses suggest considering a bigger picture before hitting up riders for money. Public health researchers […]
Posted inHealth, Local Government
Kansas City health providers see ‘little to no interest’ in latest COVID vaccine
Alexandria Thompson’s job is to convince the most vulnerable people in her community to get vaccinated for the flu and COVID-19. She can offer education, transportation and up to $50 in gift cards to entice people to get the shots. But, she says, often that is not enough. “I just tend to lead with the […]