Tom Kisken

• Medi-Cal plan's improvements draw state praise Updated 05/22/2012 at 6:44 p.m.

  A local Medi-Cal insurance system knotted in issues over financial operations and past leadership seems to be unsnarling itself from trouble, a state official said Tuesday.

• Simi Valley Hospital hires new CEO Updated 05/11/2012 at 6:40 p.m.

  About 16 years after she started her career as a volunteer at Simi Valley Hospital, Kim Milstien will return as CEO of the 895-employee hospital.

• FDA concept would mean fewer prescriptions, more over-the-counter drugs Updated 05/11/2012 at 7:28 p.m. 10 Comments

  In the paradigm pitched by the Food and Drug Administration, people who won't see doctors for high blood pressure or diabetes may have another way to get their meds: Go straight to a pharmacy and buy them.

• Santa Barbara researchers uncover 'superbug' salmonella Updated 05/09/2012 at 6:24 p.m. 4 Comments

  UC Santa Barbara researchers have uncovered details on a handful of "extreme salmonella" strains and say it underscores the fragility of the nation's food safety system.

• Study says hospital charges don't add up Updated 05/07/2012 at 5:36 p.m. 36 Comments

  A person rushed to an emergency room with acute appendicitis in Ventura County could rack up hospital charges of anywhere from $6,782 to $84,554, according to a new study that asserts this Grand Canyon of a gap is driven mostly ...

• Smart meters still generating health concerns Published 05/05/2012 at 6:04 p.m. 77 Comments

  Southern California Edison is installing more than 300,000 digital meters across Ventura County. Edison and many scientists dismiss health concerns about the meters, but others are still worried.

• AARP joins antipsychotic-drug lawsuit against Ventura nursing home Published 05/01/2012 at 6:26 p.m. 26 Comments

  The AARP has joined what lawyers call an unprecedented class-action lawsuit accusing a Ventura nursing home of using powerful drugs without the informed consent of residents or family members.

• Study suggests moderate drinking may stir creative thinking Published 04/27/2012 at 8:26 p.m. 18 Comments

  It won’t make people smarter, more attractive or better drivers. But two or three cocktails may loosen a person’s focus enough to spike problem-solving abilities, according to research out of the University of Illinois at Chicago.

• Carpinteria watchers protect beachside maternity ward for seals Published 04/26/2012 at 7 p.m. 19 Comments

  Volunteers for 21 years have been watching over harbor seals during birthing season in Carpintera, one of only four birthing beaches in Southern California and the only one outside of La Jolla that can be publicly viewed.

• Ventura neurosurgery malpractice case settled Updated 04/25/2012 at 5 p.m.

  A former Ventura neurosurgeon being sued by 18 patients has settled one of the first cases to approach trial.

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