Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Michigan Medicine, Our Trusted Link for June, 2021

 


University of Michigan Health

The University of Michigan healthcare system, headquartered in Ann Arbor, is known as Michigan Medicine. It is ranked #11 on the U. S. News Best Hospitals Honor Roll. For the state of Michigan, it's ranked the #1 hospital, and it also ranks high for 13 adult and 10 children's specialties. 

The University of Michigan Medical School accepted its initial class in 1850, and in 1869 opened the first university-owned hospital in the U. S. On the U. of Michigan campus, the Medical Center contains the main hospital as well several specialty hospitals. Michigan Medicine also operates around 40 health centers around southeast Michigan. It employs over 20,000 people, including 3,500 on the academic staff. 

In 1887, University of Michigan opened the Hygienic Laboratory, the first purpose-built place in the U.S. for studying bacteria, assisting in public health issues. In 1902 the nation’s first Department of Bacteriology was established there. 

The faculty of the Medical School were among the first to experiment with radiology, and in 1913 appointed the first professor of roentgenology (now radiology) in the U. S. 

Other pioneering steps at Michigan Medicine include

  • 1905: the first Dermatology department in the U. S. 
  • 1906: an early Psychiatry department
  • 1913: introduction of the EKG to American physicians
  • 1922: the first hospital school for child patients
  • 1926: a research institute for blood-related diseases
  • 1928: world’s first successful lung removal
  • 1934: first statistical department, for recording and providing access to patient data
  • 1940: first U.S. human genetics program with a clinic for hereditary diseases
  • 1959: first hospital gift shop, run by volunteers and providing grants for patients from the proceeds
  • 1975: one of the first PhD programs in nursing research
  • 2001: nation's first comprehensive Depression Center

Specialties and Institutions

The Rogel Cancer Center has been recognized as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute since 1991. In 2018, $150 million was donated by Richard and Susan Rogel to support both cancer patients and cancer researchers. The program stands out for its multidisciplinary approach and sharing of resources. 

Cancer AnswerLine

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Cancer Deaths in the Great Plains Region

Cancer is the number two cause of death in America, accounting for over 599,000 deaths in 2019, or about 21% of all deaths in the United States that year.  Thanks to improvements in medical knowledge, the cancer death rate has dropped modestly over the past twenty years. Whereas in 1999 the U.S. recorded 197.0 cancer deaths per 100,000 population, by 2019 the cancer death rate had dropped to 182.7 deaths per 100,000 population.  The national trend in cancer deaths is also seen in the seven-state Great Plains region of the country.  Although a region where the cancer death rate historically runs above the national average, the Great Plains region also saw its cancer death rate drop between 1999 and 2019, from 204.7 deaths per 100,000 population to 193.2 deaths per 100,000 population.  A closer review of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, reveals the following about cancer deaths in the Great Plains region of the country:

Cancer Deaths in the Great Plains Region
Cancer Deaths in the Great Plains Region

Area/Deaths 1999 2009 2019
IA 6,346 6,249 6,335
KS 5,334 5,319 5,619
MN 8,892 9,580 10,042
MO 12,186 12,472 12,873
NE 3,410 3,336 3,482
ND 1,366 1,243 1,316
SD 1,632 1,503 1,737
Region 39,166 39,702 41,404
U.S. 549,838 567,628 599,601
Area/Death Rate* 1999 2009 2019
IA 217.5 206.0 200.8
KS 199.2 187.8 192.9
MN 182.5 181.4 178.1
MO 219.1 209.2 209.7
NE 200.0 184.0 180.0
ND 212.0 186.9 172.7
SD 217.5 186.2 196.3
Region 204.7 194.7 193.2
U.S. 197.0 185.0 182.7

(*) number of cancer deaths per 100,000 population

Source: CDC Wonder. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2019 on CDC WONDER Online Database, released in 2020. Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Files, 1999-2019, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Accessed on June 12, 2021

Monday, June 28, 2021

Physical Therapist Pay in the U.S. Southwest

Data released recently from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that there were nearly 221,000 physical therapists (PTs) at work in the United States as of May 2020.  About 22,000 of those working as physical therapists in the U.S. lived in the four-state Southwest region.  The Southwest region is a relatively good one for physical therapist pay, with three of the four states in the region having PT annual mean wage levels higher than the national average.  A deeper dive into BLS data from May 2020 reveals the following about PT employment and physical therapist pay in the U.S. Southwest:

Physical Therapist Pay in the U.S. Southwest

Physical Therapist Pay in the U.S. Southwest


State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
AZ 3,780 $91,930 15th
NM 1,460 $98,580 6th
OK 1,950 $92,670 13th
TX 14,710 $90,870 21st
U.S. 220,870 $91,680 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on May 2, 2021

Sunday, June 27, 2021

Licensed Practical Nurse Pay in the Great Lakes Region

Recently published employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that, as of May 2020, there were more than 676,000 licensed practical nurses (LPNs) employed in the United States.  Also known as license vocational nurses (LVNs) in some parts of the country, licensed practical nurses make up one of the largest healthcare occupations in the U.S.  Approximately 96,000 of those LPN jobs were in the five-state Great Lakes region of the country. A closer examination of BLS data from May 2020 reveals the following about licensed practical nurse pay in the Great Lakes region of the U.S.:

Licensed Practical Nurse Pay in the Great Lakes Region

Licensed Practical Nurse Pay in the Great Lakes Region

State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
IL 19,630 $54,580 14th
IN 14,710 $47,890 30th
MI 12,700 $52,220 18th
OH 40,850 $46,590 35th
WI 8,050 $48,070 28th
U.S. 676,440 $50,090 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on April 26, 2021

Thursday, June 24, 2021

Occupational Therapist Pay in the Great Plains Region

Recently released U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data from May 2020 indicated that there were just over 126,600 occupational therapists (OTs) employed in the U.S.  About 9,200 of those employed as occupational therapists lived in the seven-state Great Plains region of the country.  BLS data reveals the Great Plains region to be a very weak one in terms of OT pay, with OT annual mean wage levels in all states in the region falling below the national average for occupational therapists.  In fact, five states in the region ranked 40th or worse in the nation for OT annual mean wages.  A closer examination of the BLS data reveals the following about occupational therapist pay in the Great Plains region of the U.S. as of May 2020:

Occupational Therapist Pay in the Great Plains Region
Occupational Therapist Pay in the Great Plains Region

State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
IA 920 $82,130 36th
KS 1,490 $86,540 19th
MN 2,840 $77,790 44th
MO 2,180 $78,660 43rd
NE 940 $80,670 40th
ND 470 $73,280 50th
SD 390 $74,580 49th
U.S. 126,610 $87,480 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on April 26, 2021

Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Pharmacist Pay in the Far West Region of the U.S.

Recently published May 2020 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that there were more than 315,000 pharmacists employed in the United States.  About 48,000 of those employed as pharmacists in the U.S. lived in the six-state Far West region.  Generally speaking, the region is the strongest one in the nation for pharmacist pay.  The three best states in the nation for pharmacist annual mean wage levels were in the Far West U.S., and two other states in the region ranked in the top ten nationally.  BLS data from May 2020 details the following about pharmacist pay in Far West region of the U.S.:

Pharmacist Pay in the Far West Region of the U.S.

Pharmacist Pay in the Far West Region of the U.S.

State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
AK 470 $147,040 1st
CA 32,520 $146,070 2nd
HI 1,540 $128,780 10th
NV 2,790 $125,260 18th
OR 4,210 $136,700 3rd
WA 6,590 $129,970 8th
U.S. 315,470 $125,460 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on May 2, 2021

Tuesday, June 22, 2021

Heart Disease Deaths in the Southwest

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in U.S., accounting for more than 659,000 deaths in 2019, or about 23% of all deaths in the United States that year.  Advances in medical knowledge have contributed significantly to a decline in the heart disease death rate over the past twenty years. From 259.9 deaths per 100,000 population in 1999, by 2019 the heart disease death rate had dropped to 200.8 deaths per 100,000 population.  Even so, the heart disease death rate nationally has been creeping back up since the middle of the last decade.  The national experience with heart disease deaths is mirrored in the U.S. Southwest, where the 2019 death rate of 174.7 per 100,000 population was nearly 22% lower than it was in 1999.  A deeper look at data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, reveals the following about the trend in heart disease deaths in the Southwest region of the United States:

Heart Disease Deaths in the Southwest

Heart Disease Deaths in the Southwest


Area/Deaths 1999 2009 2019
AZ 10,800 10,273 12,587
NM 3,452 3,214 4,245
OK 11,263 9,202 10,960
TX 43,418 38,077 46,139
Region 68,933 60,766 73,931
U.S. 725,192 599,413 659,041
Area/Death Rate* 1999 2009 2019
AZ 215.0 162.0 172.9
NM 190.9 157.8 202.4
OK 327.7 247.5 277.0
TX 211.2 153.5 159.1
Region 223.6 164.7 174.7
U.S. 259.9 195.4 200.8

(*) number of heart disease deaths per 100,000 population

Source: CDC Wonder. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2019 on CDC WONDER Online Database, released in 2020. Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Files, 1999-2019, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Accessed on June 9, 2021

Sunday, June 20, 2021

Drug Induced Deaths in New England

There were over 74,500 drug induced deaths in the United States in 2019, or about 22.7 drug induced deaths per 100,000 population.  Drug overdoses, both intentional and accidental, accounted for almost 95% of these fatalities.  In the twenty years from 1999 to 2019, the drug induced death rate per 100,000 population more than tripled nationally.  While all regions of the country experienced sharp increases in the number of drug induced deaths in the twenty years from 1999 to 2019, the experience in the six-state New England region was particularly bad.  During the same twenty year period that the national drug induced death rate more than tripled, in New England the death rate more than quadrupled.  From a drug induced death rate per 100,000 population that was already over 11% above the national average in 1999, by 2019 the region's drug induced death rate was more than 43% above the national average rate.  A review of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, reveals the following about drug induced deaths in the New England region.:

Drug Induced Deaths in New England

Drug Induced Deaths in New England

Area/Deaths 1999 2009 2019
CT 330 397 1,263
MA 512 916 2,312
ME 70 182 391
NH 62 172 420
RI 61 168 312
VT 31 57 142
Region 1,066 1,892 4,840
U.S. 19,128 39,147 74,511
Area/Death Rate* 1999 2009 2019
CT 9.7 11.1 35.4
MA 8.1 14.1 33.5
ME 5.5 13.7 29.1
NH 5.1 13.1 30.9
RI 5.9 15.9 29.5
VT 5.1 9.1 22.8
Region 7.7 13.1 32.6
U.S. 6.9 12.8 22.7

(*) number of drug induced deaths per 100,000 population

Source: CDC Wonder. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2019 on CDC WONDER Online Database, released in 2020. Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Files, 1999-2019, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Accessed on June 5, 2021

Thursday, June 17, 2021

Physician Assistant Pay in the Mid-East U.S. Region

Recently published May 2020 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) put physician assistant (PA) employment at just over 125,000 nationally.  Nearly 27,300 of those PA jobs were in the Mid-East region of the country.  BLS data revealed a mixed tale about pay levels for physician assistants in the region.  Two Mid-East U.S. states, New Jersey and New York, were among the ten best states in the country in terms of physician assistant annual mean wages.  However, every other state in the region had an average PA annual mean wage level that fell below the national average.  An examination of BLS data from May 2020 revealed the following about physician assistant pay in the Mid-East U.S. region:

Physician Assistant Pay in the Mid-East Region

Physician Assistant Pay in the Mid-East Region

State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
DC 500 $114,330 24th
DE 440 $112,020 31st
MD 2,930 $114,970 23rd
NJ 2,350 $131,210 6th
NY 13,760 $126,370 9th
PA 7,300 $107,520 41st
U.S. 125,280 $116,080 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on April 24, 2021

Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Firearm Deaths in the Southeastern U.S.

There were more than 39,700 firearm deaths, or about 12.1 firearm deaths per 100,000 population, in the United States in 2019.  Nationally, by 2019 the number of firearms-caused deaths per 100,000 population had increased approximately 17% and 18% from 1999 and 2009 levels, respectively.  The twelve-state Southeast region saw its firearm death rate jump from 13.6 deaths per 100,000 population in 1999 to 16.1 deaths per 100,000 population in 2019.  Already a region with a higher firearms-caused death rate than most regions of the country in 1999, by 2019 the firearm death rate (per 100,000 population) in the Southeast was 33% higher than the national average.  A closer review of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, reveals the following about the trend in firearm deaths in the Southeastern U.S. over the past twenty years:

Firearm Deaths in the Southeastern U.S.
Firearm Deaths in the Southeastern U.S.

Area/Deaths 1999 2009 2019
AL 790 830 1,076
AR 388 465 580
FL 1,721 2,324 2,872
GA 1,105 1,247 1,695
KY 525 560 682
LA 779 810 1,013
MS 515 487 710
NC 1,057 1,112 1,397
SC 552 634 1,012
TN 848 966 1,270
VA 823 836 1,025
WV 250 251 300
Region 9,353 10,522 13,632
U.S. 28,874 31,347 39,707
Area/Death Rate* 1999 2009 2019
AL 17.8 17.4 21.9
AR 14.6 16.1 19.2
FL 10.9 12.5 13.4
GA 13.7 13.0 16.0
KY 13.1 13.0 15.3
LA 17.5 18.0 21.8
MS 18.2 16.5 23.9
NC 13.3 11.8 13.3
SC 13.9 13.8 19.7
TN 15.0 15.3 18.6
VA 11.8 10.5 12.0
WV 13.8 13.6 16.7
Region 13.6 13.5 16.1
U.S. 10.3 10.2 12.1

(*) number of firearm-caused deaths per 100,000 population; death count includes both intentional and unintentional fatalities caused by a firearm

Source: CDC Wonder. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2019 on CDC WONDER Online Database, released in 2020. Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Files, 1999-2019, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Accessed on June 2, 2021

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

Chiropractor Pay in the New England Region

According to data recently published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of May 2020 there were just over 34,700 chiropractors employed in the United States.  About 1,300 of those employed as chiropractors lived in the six-state New England region.  For chiropractors, pay levels in the region are mixed.  About 70% of the region's chiropractors live in Connecticut, Massachusetts or New Hampshire, states where the annual mean wage for chiropractors top the national average.  Connecticut, in fact, ranked 5th nationally for chiropractor annual mean wages.  However, elsewhere in the region chiropractor pay falls below the national average. BLS data from May 2020 shows the following about chiropractor pay in the New England region:

Chiropractor Pay in the New England Region

Chiropractor Pay in the New England Region

State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
CT 240 $102,290 5th
MA 570 $90,160 16th
ME 210 $80,210 29th
NH 130 $86,900 20th
RI 110 $81,000 27th
VT 70 $69,190 40th
U.S. 34,760 $83,830 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on April 21, 2021

Sunday, June 13, 2021

Cancer Deaths in the Far West Region

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in America, accounting for more than 599,000 deaths in 2019, or 21% of all deaths in the U.S. that year.  With advances in medical know how, the cancer death rate has dropped modestly over the past twenty years, from 197.0 deaths per 100,000 population in 1999 to 182.7 deaths per 100,000 population in 2019.  The national trend in cancer deaths is also seen in the six-state Far West region of the country.  Already a region with a cancer death rate below the national average, the cancer death rate in the Far West declined from 165.0 deaths per 100,000 population in 1999 to 158.2 deaths per 100,000 population in 2019.  A deeper examination of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, reveals that the favorable trend in cancer deaths in the Far West region of the country has not been a universal experience, as both Alaska and Hawaii have seen their cancer death rates worsen over the past twenty years:

Cancer Deaths in the Far West Region
Cancer Deaths in the Far West Region

Area/Deaths 1999 2009 2019
AK 633 895 1,021
CA 53,067 55,991 59,512
HI 1,916 2,244 2,500
NV 3,556 4,461 5,434
OR 6,905 7,487 8,080
WA 10,653 11,922 12,960
Region 76,730 83,000 89,507
U.S. 549,838 567,628 599,601
Area/Death Rate* 1999 2009 2019
AK 101.3 128.1 139.6
CA 158.4 151.5 150.6
HI 158.3 166.6 176.6
NV 183.8 166.2 176.4
OR 203.5 196.6 191.6
WA 182.3 178.8 170.2
Region 165.0 159.1 158.2
U.S. 197.0 185.0 182.7

(*) number of cancer deaths per 100,000 population

Source: CDC Wonder. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2019 on CDC WONDER Online Database, released in 2020. Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Files, 1999-2019, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Accessed on June 12, 2021

Friday, June 11, 2021

Health Services Management Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region

Health services managers, ranging from chief executives to front-line supervisors, are integral to maximizing the operational effectiveness of a wide variety of healthcare businesses, including hospitals, outpatient care centers, skilled nursing facilities, physicians' offices, and home health care providers. There were about 402,000 health service management jobs in the U.S. as of May 2020 according to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  More than 14,400 of those employed as health services managers lived in the five-state Rocky Mountain region.  Except in Colorado, health services managers in the region typically earn less than the national average annual mean wage for their profession.  And two states in the region, Idaho and Montana, had annual mean wage levels for health service managers that ranked in the bottom ten nationally.  A closer examination of May 2020 BLS data shows us the following about health services management pay in the Rocky Mountain region:

Health Services Management Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region

Health Services Management Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region


State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
CO 5,850 $122,090 19th
ID 2,070 $99,830 45th
MT 1,670 $100,790 42nd
UT 4,040 $107,660 34th
WY 840 $104,510 38th
U.S. 402,540 $118,800 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on April 21, 2021

Thursday, June 10, 2021

Heart Disease Deaths in the Mid-East Region

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America, accounting for just over 659,000 deaths in 2019, or about 23% of all deaths in the U.S. that year.  With advances in medical knowledge, the incidence of death by heart disease has dropped considerably over the past twenty years, from 259.9 deaths per 100,000 population in 1999 to 200.8 deaths per 100,000 population in 2019.  That said, the heart disease death rate nationally has been creeping higher since the middle of the last decade.  The national experience with heart disease deaths is mirrored in the Mid-East region of the country.  While the heart disease death rate in the Mid-East region declined from 1999 to 2019, it did so to a greater extent than did most of the nation.  Whereas the region had a heart disease death rate per 100,000 population that was about 17% higher than the nation as a whole in 1999, by 2019 the Mid-East's heart disease death rate had dropped to only 12% above the national average.  A closer examination of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, reveals the following about the trend in heart disease deaths in the Mid-East region of the country:

Heart Disease Deaths in the Mid-East Region

Heart Disease Deaths in the Mid-East Region

Area/Deaths 1999 2009 2019
DE 2,011 1,796 2,053
DC 1,652 1,288 1,187
MD 12,080 11,210 11,770
NJ 23,493 18,086 18,716
NY 58,987 47,283 43,806
PA 41,707 32,297 32,299
Region 139,930 111,960 109,831
U.S. 725,192 599,413 659,041
Area/Death Rate* 1999 2009 2019
DE 259.5 201.4 210.8
DC 289.7 217.5 168.2
MD 229.9 195.6 194.7
NJ 281.0 206.6 210.7
NY 312.4 244.9 225.2
PA 340.1 255.0 252.3
Region 303.5 233.5 224.8
U.S. 259.9 195.4 200.8

(*) number of heart disease deaths per 100,000 population

Source: CDC Wonder. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2019 on CDC WONDER Online Database, released in 2020. Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Files, 1999-2019, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Accessed on June 9, 2021