The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management plans to resume prescribed burns on state lands this week, with low-severity fires planned at locations across seven communities, weather permitting. DEM’s Forest Fire Program is targeting parcels at Durfee Hill Management Area in Glocester, Arcadia Management Area in Exeter, Nicholas Farm Management Area in Coventry, Big River […]
Environment & Health
Posted inCity & Government
Rhode Island Department of Health launches “Better State of Healthy” campaign during National Public Health Week
The Rhode Island Department of Health has launched a new public awareness campaign called “Better State of Healthy,” timed to coincide with National Public Health Week. The campaign features stories from public health professionals about the scope of RIDOH’s work and how to access the department’s resources and services. Materials include videos, social media content […]
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Expecting a baby? South County Health has you covered with free classes
These free classes are one of the many ways South County Health supports the health and well-being of mothers, babies, and families throughout the region. Classes fill quickly and are open to all participants—including those who are not South County Health patients, and regardless of where you plan to deliver. Newport sessions will be held […]
Posted inNews
Rhode Island sees spike in drug overdoses, health officials issue statewide alert
Rhode Island health officials are warning the public after a spike in non-fatal drug overdoses last week surpassed a statewide threshold for the first time since 2023. The Rhode Island Department of Health reported 55 people received care at emergency departments for suspected drug overdoses between March 10 and March 16 — exceeding the state’s […]
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How doula support enhances the pregnancy journey
Considering Doula support for your pregnancy journey? Join us for Meet the Doulas at South County Health. Register Today > For many expectant parents, preparing for birth involves choosing an obstetric provider, attending prenatal visits, and creating a plan for delivery. Increasingly, families are also considering the support of a doula—a trained professional who provides […]
Posted inNews
Rhode Island conserves 70 acres at Gull Cove in Portsmouth using oil spill settlement funds
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management has conserved 70 acres of coastal land at Gull Cove in Portsmouth, using $880,000 in funding from the Bouchard B-120 oil spill settlement. The property includes significant salt marsh habitat and coastal uplands along the northwestern shoreline of Gull Cove, an intertidal estuary adjacent to the Sakonnet River. […]
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How Midwives support women through the reproductive years
At South County Health’s Center for Women’s Health, Certified Nurse Midwives are among the providers caring for patients with clinical expertise and compassion, empowering women to make informed choices about their health. When people hear the word midwife, they often think of childbirth. While midwives are experts in pregnancy, labor, and postpartum care, their role […]
Posted inOpinion
Dr. Michael Fine: What’s crazy about paying for medical school
Before I describe the incredible cost of medical school, I want to mention how I paid for my medical education. I didn’t. You did, and I am very grateful for that. Like about 1800 other American medical students in 1979, I was lucky enough to get a National Health Corps Scholarship, which paid my tuition, […]
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When your period is disrupting your life, it’s time to talk about it
For many women, heavy or irregular menstrual cycles are often brushed off as “normal”—something to endure quietly while juggling work, family, and daily life. But changes in menstrual bleeding can be a sign that it’s time for a closer look—and effective treatment options are available. Heavy Bleeding Is Common — But Not Normal At the […]
Posted inNews
Dr. Michael Fine: What’s crazy about getting into medical school. Part 1.
Ok. We are somewhere between 50,000 and 300,000 doctors short. Probably more, given our current approach to immigration, because 25 percent of all doctors in the US come from other countries – because we don’t send enough of our own students to medical school. Instead, we import our doctors from elsewhere, from places who need […]
Posted inColumns
Caught off guard: Involuntary discharge and why it belongs in your aging plan
Recently, I was working with The Edward King House Senior Center, The Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island (SACRI) and Age-Friendly Rhode Island to bring an invitation-only screening of the film Involuntary and a panel discussion to Newport. While this screening has been postponed, one thing became clear to me: many people don’t know what […]
Posted inColumns
Dr. Michael Fine: What’s crazy about keeping Roger Williams and Fatima Hospitals alive?
We are now seeing the predictable twisting in the wind as our state leadership struggles with what to do about Roger Williams and Fatima Hospitals, which are bankrupt. Nobody in state government likes to see hospitals close, in part because people work at hospitals and those people vote, and their unions have lobbying power. That […]
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Menopause and Beyond: Whole-person care for every stage of a woman’s life
For many women, menopause marks a turning point—but not an endpoint. It’s a phase that can bring physical changes, emotional shifts, and new questions about long-term health. Yet too often, women feel unprepared for what’s ahead or unsure where to turn for guidance. At the South County Health Center for Women’s Health—now welcoming patients in […]
Posted inCity & Government
Rhode Island recommends AAP vaccine schedule following CDC changes
The Rhode Island Department of Health and the Northeast Public Health Collaborative are recommending families follow the American Academy of Pediatrics’ vaccine schedule in the wake of recent changes to federal childhood immunization guidance. On Jan. 5, Acting Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed a decision memorandum that reduced the […]
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The Unique Role of a Women’s Health Provider
Supporting Health Through Every Chapter At South County Health’s Center for Women’s Health, providers take a comprehensive, patient-centered approach to supporting women’s health through every stage of life. As care needs evolve, providers including OB-GYNs, physician assistants, and certified nurse midwives offer expertise designed to meet women where they are in each chapter. Care That […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
Dr. Michael Fine: What’s crazy about medicine
This week’s column is about two apparently unrelated events: my re-reading of The Citadel, by AJ Cronin, a classic novel/tearjerker about a British General Practitioner, written in 1937, and the new nutrition guidelines from HHS put forward by RFK Jr. There is a common thread, I promise, which is that medicine and health are not the […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
Rhode Island urges vaccinations as flu, COVID-19 hospitalizations climb
Health officials are urging Rhode Islanders to get vaccinated and take precautions as respiratory virus activity reaches high levels across the state. This flu season, 496 people have been hospitalized with influenza and seven have died from flu-related causes, according to the Rhode Island Department of Health. An additional 297 people have been hospitalized with […]
Posted inArts & Culture
New docuseries exploring Rhode Island’s coastal ecosystem premieres Friday
A new documentary series celebrating Rhode Island’s coastal wildlife and conservation efforts premieres Friday on Ocean State Media. “Ocean State: Rhode Island’s Wild Coast” debuts with its first episode, “Secrets of the Seagrass,” at 8 p.m. Jan. 9 on WSBE. The episode will be followed by a re-run of “Chasing Fins,” a short documentary about […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
Brown University Health moves to respiratory virus status red across all facilities
Brown University Health will require masking at all facilities in Rhode Island and Massachusetts starting Tuesday due to high community transmission of influenza and other respiratory viruses. The red status designation applies to all Brown University Health hospitals and affiliates, including Newport Hospital, Rhode Island Hospital, The Miriam Hospital, Bradley Hospital, Gateway Healthcare, Saint Anne’s […]
Posted inCity & Government
URI and local colleges seek hunter-harvested ducks for groundbreaking microplastics study
Local duck hunters have a unique opportunity to contribute to scientific research this month as University of Rhode Island researchers and their colleagues from three other Rhode Island institutions launch a study examining microplastic contamination in Narragansett Bay waterfowl. Postdoctoral fellows Tori Mezebish Quinn and Dylan Bakner, along with Professor Scott McWilliams from URI’s Department […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
Charlotte, Noah top Rhode Island’s most popular baby names in 2025
Charlotte and Noah were the most popular baby names in Rhode Island in 2025, according to preliminary data released Monday by the Rhode Island Department of Health. Charlotte topped the list for girls for the second consecutive year, with 51 babies given the name. Noah led the boys’ list with 63 babies, jumping from third […]
Posted inNews
Brown University Health moves to ‘Status Yellow,’ requiring masks at all facilities
Brown University Health will require masks at all of its facilities in Rhode Island and Massachusetts starting Thursday due to high community transmission rates of influenza and other respiratory viruses. The move comes as Rhode Island Department of Health data shows respiratory virus activity increasing sharply across the state. Flu-related emergency department visits have surged […]
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South County Health offers free childbirth classes to support growing families
Preparing to welcome a new baby is one of life’s most exciting—and sometimes overwhelming—moments. To help parents feel confident, supported, and ready for their childbirth experience, South County Health offers free childbirth education classes, now available in Newport. Newport area courses are held at the Newport County YMCA in Middletown and led by Victoria Gatling, […]
Posted inColumns
Dr. Michael Fine: What’s crazy about the Hepatitis B Vaccine and SNAP
This has been two weeks of particular craziness in health care, in which everyone, on all sides, did their level best at missing the boat. First, our friends at CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices went ahead and changed the recommendation for Hepatitis B vaccine for newborns, a crazy change if ever there was one. […]
Posted inColumns
The Doctor’s In Your House: How at-home urgent care is changing the visit
Getting urgent or emergency care when you need can be a stressful ordeal. When someone is sick or injured, it could mean reshaping daily life to get care, and for some, that simply isn’t doable. At best, the disruption is temporary. But for older adults, busy families, people with mobility limitations, or those who are […]