An investigation by the news organization Voice of San Diego found that the doctor, Tara Zandvliet, has issued 141 of the 486 medical vaccine exemptions in the San Diego-area since 2015, in today's bite-sized hospital and health industry news from California, District of Columbia, and North Dakota.
- California: Tara Zandvliet, a San Diego-based doctor, has been charged by the state medical board with gross and repeated negligence for providing a four-year-old girl with a permanent vaccine exemption based on family medical information deemed irrelevant, according to charging documents. In addition, the board claims Zandvliet did not keep adequate and accurate medical records and conducted herself unethically and inappropriately, which "demonstrates an unfitness to practice medicine." Further, an investigation by Voice of San Diego, a news organization, found that Zandvliet has issued 141 of the 486 medical vaccine exemptions in the San Diego-area since 2015. The next-highest number of exemptions written by an individual doctor was 26, according to the investigation (Mole, ARS Technica, 10/23).
- District of Columbia: A bill introduced by city councilmember Mary Cheh (D) would require hospitals to "eliminate processed meats from all menus," including bacon and hot dogs, and provide patients, staff, and visitors with "a variety of healthful foods." Neal Barnard, president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, said, "It's not uncommon for patients to wake up from heart surgery to be greeted with bacon and sausage—the very foods that may have contributed to their health problems in the first place" (Parker/Ford, WJLA, 10/22).
- North Dakota: State officials have announced a new grant program to address North Dakota's nursing shortage. The program will provide eligible health care facilities in the state with up to $4,000 in matching funds for each nurse who relocates to North Dakota (Verdadeiro, KFYRTV, 10/22).