A higher minimum wage for health care workers takes effect in two weeks, but Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to delay it because of the state budget deficit.

Some California hospitals have a nurse vacancy rate of 30%, stressing overworked staff and causing some to leave the industry earlier than they planned.

All three hospitals in the Santa Clara County healthcare system received a “C” grade for ensuring patient safety in 2021 and 2022.

Throughout California, as COVID-19 infections deplete their staff of nurses, anesthesiologists and other essential workers, hospitals are canceling or postponing so-called 'elective' surgeries to repair injured knees and aching back, remove kidney or bladder stones, and repair cataracts or hernias, among other procedures.

Long-simmering disputes with hospital employee unions over staffing are reaching crisis points, as almost a third of California hospitals report insufficient numbers of critical workers, including nurses, technicians and janitors.

The California Department of Public Health also mandated that all people visiting a health care setting must confirm their vaccination status or have tested negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours prior to their indoor visit.

Research shows the stress of experiencing racism, discrimination in care and other unjust social drivers of health are root causes.    

The country’s most populous state averaged more than 560 deaths a day at its peak in January, according to The New York Times.

Taube Pavilion is a newly opened $98 million mental health facility that is chipping away at outdated institutional models.