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HEALTHCARE
NEWS
Google's most-searched diseases, by state
By Rachel Popa
H
PV, celiac disease and diabetes are
the most-Googled diseases in the
U.S., despite not being as deadly or
as prevalent as heart disease, the nation's top
killer, according to an analysis from insur-
ance research company TermLife2Go.
e most Googled diseases in each state:
Alabama: AIDS
Alaska: Asthma, stroke and liver disease
Arizona: HPV
Arkansas: HPV
California: HPV
Colorado: Asthma
Connecticut: Asthma
Delaware: Liver disease
Florida: Cancer and HPV
Georgia: HPV
Hawaii: Diabetes
Idaho: Celiac disease
Illinois: Relapsing polychondritis
Indiana: Diabetes and HPV
Iowa: Diabetes
Kansas: Celiac disease
Kentucky: Emphysema and asthma
Louisiana: AIDS
Maine: Heart disease, Ebola virus and Lyme
disease
Maryland: HPV
Massachusetts: Alzheimer's
Michigan: HPV
Minnesota: Epilepsy
Mississippi: AIDS and multiple sclerosis
Missouri: Colitis
Montana: Rheumatoid arthritis and celiac
disease
Nebraska: Scleroderma
Nevada: HPV
New Hampshire: Celiac disease
New Jersey: Colitis
New Mexico: Diabetes
New York: Cancer, HPV, colitis and Crohn's
disease
North Carolina: HPV
North Dakota: Liver disease
Ohio: HPV
Oklahoma: Lupus
Oregon: AIDS
Pennsylvania: HPV
Rhode Island: HPV
South Carolina: Scleroderma
South Dakota: Diabetes
Tennessee: Asthma
Texas: HPV
Utah: Celiac disease
Vermont: Alzheimer's
Virginia: HPV
Washington: HPV
West Virginia: Chronic obstructive pul-
monary disease, stroke, kidney disease and
rheumatoid arthritis
Wisconsin: Diabetes and celiac disease
Wyoming: Pulmonary hypertension and
Crohn's disease n
Washington health system files for bankruptcy, cites issues with
revenue cycle vendor
By Ayla Ellison
A
stria Health, a three-hospital health system based
in Sunnyside, Wash., filed for Chapter 11 bank-
ruptcy protection on May 6.
Astria plans to use the bankruptcy process to restructure
its finances, enter into a plan of reorganization with its
creditors and replace its billing company, according to TV
station KIMA.
In a press release issued May 6, the health system said it is
facing a significant shortfall in cash flow due to issues with
the company it contracted with to manage its billing in
August 2018. Astria said the unidentified company failed
to process a significant number of accounts receivable,
leading to a backlog of unpaid claims, according to the
Yakima Herald-Republic.
"Although hospital leadership has actively managed the
supply chain to ensure necessary supplies for patient
care, this delay in cash collections has now become
severe enough to potentially disrupt the organization's
ability to pay for crucial items in a timely matter," Astria
Health wrote in its news release, according to the Yakima
Herald-Republic.
Astria said it has secured debtor in possession financing
and the bankruptcy filing will not affect operations at its
hospitals or clinics. They will remain open as the health
system moves through the bankruptcy process.
"As one of the largest healthcare providers and employ-
ers in the Yakima Valley, we believe this step was neces-
sary in order to protect the Valley's hospitals and its local
economies," Astria Health President CEO John Gallagher
told KIMA. "We believe it will protect and sustain the three
hospitals for the future."
Astria hopes to emerge from bankruptcy by late 2019. n