July 12, 2023
Providers | Tea Leaves
  • About 2,000 registered nurses are slated to launch a one-day strike Tuesday morning and, upon completion, will be locked out of their Ascension hospitals for an additional three days, according to statements from their union and the major Catholic health system. The nurses are employed at Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin, Texas, and Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph Hospital and Ascension Via Christi St. Francis Hospital, both in Wichita, Kansas. According to statements from the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU), the demonstrations pertain to contract negotiations and filed complaints that Ascension is insufficiently staffing the facilities. Barring a last-minute deal, the strike is set to be the largest among nurses in Texas and Kansas history, the union said. (Articles here and here)
  • A new survey has found that more than half of therapists are worried about the economy and plan to raise their rates in 2023. The survey, conducted by Heard, a bookkeeping and accounting solution for therapists, reached more than 1,200 self-employed therapists to better understand the state of private practice finances today. More than half of respondents were “very worried” or “somewhat worried” about the future of the economy and its impact on their practice in 2023, and more than half said they planned to raise their rates this year. This may reflect concerns about inflation, the report suggested. (Article here)