Kristian Foden-Vencil
Kristian Foden-Vencil is a veteran journalist/producer working for Oregon Public Broadcasting. He started as a cub reporter for newspapers in London, England in 1988. Then in 1991 he moved to Oregon and started freelancing. His work has appeared in publications as varied as The Oregonian, the BBC, the Salem Statesman Journal, Willamette Week, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, NPR and the Voice of America. Kristian has won awards from the Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists and the Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors. He was embedded with the Oregon National Guard in Iraq in 2004 and now specializes in business, law, health and politics.
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The Trillium Community Health Plan in Oregon gave 50 schools money to integrate the Good Behavior Game. It keeps kids plugged in and learning, and hopefully less likely later to pick up a dangerous habit like smoking.
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In Oregon, the online health marketplace isn't working for people looking to buy individual policies. But the state has been rapidly expanding Medicaid anyway. In Texas, insurance helpers may face state regulations that would make it even harder to assist people seeking coverage. -
Oregon's health exchange has yet to enroll a single person. Problems with Cover Oregon's website have reduced the state to asking people to submit paper applications for insurance coverage. Then the state has to send them back a form saying how much that insurance will cost. Then a person would send it back to actually enroll. -
Many people don't take their doctor's advice to see a psychotherapist, even when they really need to. So Oregon is experimenting with placing clinical psychologists in medical practices. The goal is to improve patient care and save money. But it means that doctors and therapists will have to change how they work. -
Oregon is trying to reduce health costs by encouraging people who get routine care in hospital emergency rooms to go to doctors' offices instead. Cutting out even a few hospital visits can save a lot of money. -
How hard can it be to measure the health of a population? Oregon is finding out it's difficult to decide even what to track. But the state received almost $2 billion in federal funds to improve the health of its residents and to cut costs. The state faces substantial fines if it can't prove it has done the job. -
Health insurers are obligated to cover pumps to help moms breast-feed. But there is a variety of equipment. Some nursing mothers prefer faster, electric models that cost more. Insurers may say a less expensive manual pump would do just fine. -
Oregon created a simple two-page form that has helped people exert control over their care at the end of life. A statewide database that contains the information is providing insight into what people prefer. -
Until recently, electronic medical records hadn't really caught on. But the 2009 federal stimulus package provided tens of billions to speed up the process. Now in one state, Oregon, two-thirds of doctors have electronic medical records, and researchers are mining the data to help doctors improve the care they give patients.
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One Portland, Ore.-area running store owner is exhibiting a runner's calm about news that barefoot running may put less stress on feet, saying Americans are not set up to run barefoot. But companies such as Nike are releasing minimal shoes that that are supposed to simulate barefoot running and other companies are taking advantage of the growing movement.
