Morning round up: Health care debates ramp up

• Children suffering from serious illnesses are getting a morale boost, thanks to local photographers who are turning Comer Children's Hospital into a fierce fashion studio. A program called Flashes of Hope is taking portraits of the kids.

• The Illinois Department of Public Health is working to address health care disparities in the state, especially when it comes to minorities. It's part of Minority Health Month and STD Awareness Month:

“Although we have made advances in reducing health disparities among minorities, we need to continue to work to eliminate these disparities. Statistics show minorities are heavily impacted by STDs, which is one of the reason numerous Minority Health Month events are focusing on education and awareness of STD/HIV/AIDS. By changing risky behaviors we can turn around this alarming trend, stop the suffering and save lives,” said state public health director, Dr. Damon T. Arnold.

This is a topic the Daily News has covered several times, as of late.

• A nasty story from the Trib says Riverridge Hospital in Forest Park failed to protect young patients from sexual assault at the hospital.

State officials commissioned the UIC report after a Tribune investigation in July showed that Riveredge left sexual predators unguarded despite allegations that mentally disabled children were assaulted.

In light of the UIC report, the state Department of Children and Family Services said it would continue its current "intake hold" barring new admissions of juvenile state wards to the Forest Park facility.

• The Illinois House approved legislation called the Health Insurance Consumer Protection act, which would help people acquire health insurance in a state that, according to some, coddles the insurance industry.

The bill requires insurance companies to spend at least 75 percent of premium dollars on medical care, rather than executive salaries, marketing and profits; established an Office of Consumer Health Insurance to independently review denied claims and rate increases; and simplifies the insurance application process. The bill was sponsored by Greg Harris (D-Chicago).

• What are you doing at noon? There's a rally at Federal Building Plaza (Adams and Dearborn) to support single-payer health care. It's being organized by Physicians for a National Health Care Program.

• Here's a neat story from WLS about CPS students who are already preparing for a career in health care. The story says "The Department of College and Career Preparation affiliated with the Chicago public school system is the driving force behind the Medical and Health Careers Academy at Roger Sullivan High School in the Rogers Park community. The academy prepares high school students for careers in the health field."

• Mercy Hospital is one of the top .05 percent of hospitals in the country for its use of electronic systems. But, says the New York Times, it's an anomoly among hospitals, which are slowly moving forward in the tech age. Actor Dennis Quaid hopes more hopsitals use electronic records; he was in Chicago this weekend for a health care conference, and discussed the fight his young daughters had after they were given near-fatal doses of a drug.

• The University of Chicago and Holy Cross are joining forces to treat older patients: "On April 6, some older patients will be transferred from U of C hospital to Holy Cross, where they will continue to be treated by U of C doctors, the two hospitals announced Friday."

The program is similar to one UC has enacted, where it refers non-critical patients to community health centers.

• Another eulogy for "ER," this time from the New York Times.

• Crain's takes a close look at the health care debate, and shows that health care contributions in Chicago are down 20 percent.