Tim Sheehan / Central Valley Journalism Collaborative

The number of senior citizens who live alone in the San Joaquin Valley has grown by more than 30% since 2012, adding to a population at increased risk to both physical and mental health.

A new medical institute in Fresno is bringing advanced neuroscience treatment and research to the San Joaquin Valley, reducing the need for patients to travel to San Francisco or Los Angeles for care.

An increase in seasonal agricultural work and the end of the school year in the San Joaquin Valley are expected to mean more people spending more time working and playing outside – potentially increasing the risk of contracting valley fever.

California expects to save more than $300 million per year by restricting Medi-Cal dental benefits for undocumented, low-income residents. But advocates say it will come at the expense of broader health concerns and reduced access to care.

Health care leaders across the central San Joaquin Valley fear that federal cuts to Medicaid and state reductions in Medi-Cal benefits represent a “tsunami” of changes that jeopardize the financial stability of hospitals and clinics, and threaten residents’ access to care in the region.

Some are concerned the ongoing political controversy in Congress over the expiration of Obamacare tax credits is causing people to sit on the sidelines and take no action to enroll or renew.

Two weeks after giving preliminary approval to a law that would outlaw kratom sales, the Fresno City Council pivoted, giving a final green light to a modified law that restricts, rather than bans, the sale of kratom products to adults.

Premium increases could make coverage under the Affordable Care Act unaffordable for many households after Jan. 1 and add to the number of uninsured in the San Joaquin Valley.

Up and down the San Joaquin Valley, hospital programs for newly-hired registered nurses are providing a year of additional training and experience beyond what they received en route to their nursing degree.

The ratings are based on an analysis of 45 hospital quality measures in five broad categories including mortality, safety of care, readmission rates, patient experience, and timely and effective care.