Health and Medicine

WSIU and Illinois Newsroom reported this story as part of a weeklong series from public radio stations around the state focusing on the potential impact of marijuana legalization.

Since February, patients in Illinois have been able to swap their opioid prescriptions for marijuana. And many are doing just that.

They’re part of a program designed to let patients who might not qualify for the state’s regular medical marijuana program exchange an opioid prescription, like Oxycontin, for weed.

A nationwide EpiPen shortage is nearing its one-year mark, leaving many fearing the risks of anaphylactic shock.

Illinois lawmakers are being asked to decide whether nurses are dangerously overworked — and what to do about it.

Nurses want limits on how many patients they’re assigned. They argue it would improve patient outcomes and workplace safety. But opponents counter a “one size fits all” approach will not work.

Illinois lawmakers in the House voted Tuesday to raise the age to purchase cigarettes and other tobacco products from 18 to 21.  Last year, the proposal made it to the governor’s desk, but then-Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed it. Supporters of the change are more optimistic this time.  

A mental health triage center is on pace to open this spring in the building housing the McLean County Health Department on West Front Street in downtown Bloomington.

Illinois nurses are calling on state lawmakers to restrict the number of patients under their care.

Neurosurgeon Ann Stroink of Bloomington said she makes a trip to Washington nearly every month. She's a volunteer advocate for her professional groups, not a professional lobbyist.

Dr. Don Arnold’s home office overflows with medical textbooks, old anatomical prints and six pages of a recommendation letter from his first application to medical school - framed and hanging on the wall.

“It says I have very unique and viable talents that would serve me well, but on paper a very poor academic record,” he says. “So this is code. For those who don’t know. Nobody’s going to outwardly tell you not to take a person, but this is how they write it in code.”

A new study by the American Lung Association says Illinois is not doing enough to reduce tobacco use.

OSF Healthcare’s first Bloomington-Normal Urgo retail clinic allows patients to add an urgent care-style visit to their list of errands.

Last year brought a lot of flu activity across the state and this year health professionals are urging the public to roll up their sleeves and get flu shots early this year. 

The Illinois Department of Public Health said they are trying to prevent an outbreak of Hepatitis A after several neighboring states have experienced their own.

Illinois county officials have about four months to figure out details of the rabies vaccination effort for cats.

Legislation signed into law this month by Gov. Bruce Rauner amended Illinois' Animal Control Act. Beginning in January, cat owners must vaccinate their cats for rabies and keep them updated from the age of 4 months. The second rabies shot must be done within one year of the first vaccination.

Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti was in Bloomington-Normal on Thursday to witness a demonstration of Advocate BroMenn’s telehealth system.

Gov. Bruce Rauner has signed five laws expanding mental health and addiction-treatment services and Medicaid coverage of them.