Month: February 2024

Hospitals and health systems have continued to evolve their approaches and strategies to tackle today’s industry challenges. For New Orleans-based Ochsner Health, that has meant […]

Hershey, Pa.-based Penn State Health saw $22.9 million in operating income in the first six months of fiscal year 2024, ending Dec. 31, 2023, a […]

Russia-based ransomware gang ALPHV/Blackcat, aka BlackCat, has made headlines due to its attack on Change Healthcare, but the group has been targeting healthcare for a […]

Dallas-based Steward Health Care has named Octavio (Tavi) Diaz, MD, president of its North region in Massachusetts, effective Feb. 29, as part of the health […]

It’s not just hospitals and pharmacies that have been disrupted by the cyberattack on Optum’s Change Healthcare — physician practices have been hit hard too.

Preliminary estimates show the flu vaccine is offering moderate protection against severe illness and hospitalizations this season, according to a new CDC report.

Newark, Del.-based ChristianaCare has appointed Donna Antenucci, BSN, RN, vice president of population health operations.

Of late, it hasn’t always been sunshine and rainbows for home-based care providers after hitting the public market. BrightSpring Health Services (Nasdaq: BTSG), however, is […]

Nurses at Palm Springs, Calif.-based Desert Regional Medical Center launched a billboard campaign against the sale of the hospital to Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare, according to […]

Physicians in Alabama could be shielded from criminal or civil liability for performing in vitro fertilization procedures after the state’s legislature passed a bill Feb. […]

The Pennant Group (Nasdaq: PNTG) is more than halfway to meeting its goal of building a pipeline of 100 CEOs. The company announced that it […]

Greensboro, N.C.-based Cone Health has invested in a weapons detection system as part of a $3 million package to bolster security in its emergency department […]

Russian President Vladimir Putin urged his country’s citizens to have larger families and to make healthier choices to extend life. In his annual address Thursday, […]

Billings (Mont.) Clinic’s has moved away from using contracted anesthesia providers to create its own anesthesia department, causing some concern around how the health system […]

The Affordable Care Act does not require businesses to provide health benefits to their workers, but applicable large employers may face penalties if they don’t […]

A Michigan surgeon was arrested Feb. 27 and charged with one count of a false report or threat of terrorism, a felony punishable by up […]

This season’s influenza shots have so far been 42 percent effective, which is consistent with recent years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) […]

Poor infection control measures in U.S. nursing homes contributed to 17,000 deaths during the pandemic, according to a report published by HHS’ inspector general’s office.

Hollywood, Fla.-based Memorial Healthcare System says remote patient monitoring has been able to decrease hospital admissions, readmissions and emergency department visits, saving the organization $4 […]

By 2030, 51% of the world’s population, or 4 billion people, are expected to have obesity, according to trends tracked by the World Obesity Federation. 

Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare has started 2024 with a flurry of hospital sales. 

From the 2023 KFF/LA Times Survey of Immigrants – the largest nationally representative survey focused on this group – comes five key facts about information […]

The Host Julie Rovner KFF Health News @jrovner Read Julie’s stories. Julie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KFF Health News’ weekly health […]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is advising doctors to conserve a certain type of tetanus shot in anticipation of shortages after one […]

What does the Change Healthcare ransomware incident mean for healthcare organizations? Doubling your cybersecurity spending, according to one health system CIO. 

Hospitals in Arizona, Florida, Kansas and Oklahoma run by the Department of Veterans Affairs are among the system’s most at-risk facilities that are jeopardized by […]

WalletHub recently analyzed the 100 largest U.S. cities to compare their residents’ financial difficulties. 

Valleywise Health has reopened some of its inpatient psychiatric beds that had been closed since 2022 due to staffing shortages. However, dozens of the Phoenix-based […]

Consuming more ultra-processed foods has been directly linked to more than 32 adverse health conditions including several cardiometabolic conditions, mental disorders, and mortality outcomes, new […]

Loma Linda (Calif.) Health launched a multimillion dollar campaign Feb. 28 focused on growth and innovation.

Becker’s reported on eight hospital and health system CFO moves in February: 

The owners of St. Louis-based Northview Village nursing home, which closed without warning in December, have been fined $56,310, by CMS the St. Louis Dispatch […]

The Alabama House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday giving in vitro fertilization (IVF) service providers civil and criminal immunity from prosecution or legal action […]

Michael Robinson was named chief community health officer for Providence South Division, effective March 4. 

Pfizer announced Thursday that its vaccine for RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, protects older adults for more than two seasons, according to a late-stage clinical […]

Fulton County Hospital in Salem, Ark., has officially agreed to join Mountain Home, Ark.-based Baxter Health. 

Last Friday, in a bathroom at the Newark airport, I encountered a phrase I hadn’t seen in a long time: Stop the spread. It accompanied […]

Plans to deliver same-day appointments in general practice at scale must not go too far and ‘make it hard to offer continuity’, NHS England’s primary […]

AdventHealth, in partnership with Medline, has opened a new 375,000-square-foot supply facility in Central Florida, according to a Feb. 28 announcement.

Providence, R.I.-based Care New England has tapped Maureen Bischoff as the new vice president of operations at its Providence-based Women and Infants Hospital, effective March […]

Ransomware attacks on healthcare organizations have cost the U.S. economy nearly $80 billion in downtime. There’s another expense that doesn’t come with a price tag: […]

More than 40 provider groups, health systems and digital health companies will begin internal testing of a generative AI-powered “healthcare provider” developed by Hippocratic AI. 

New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health’s CIO, Sophy Lu, said 2024 will be the “year of action” for the health system. 

West Reading, Pa.-based Tower Health has permanently closed two of its Pennsylvania urgent care centers and is making changes to other locations as part of […]

Here are 15 health systems with strong operational metrics and solid financial positions, according to reports from credit rating agencies Fitch Ratings and Moody’s Investors […]

Here are 12 health systems with strong operational metrics and solid financial positions, according to reports from credit rating agencies Fitch Ratings and Moody’s Investors […]

 The CDC is anticipating a shortage of Td vaccines — which protect against tetanus and diphtheria — as the maker of one shot has discontinued […]

According to an analysis of responses to KFF’s Employer Health Benefits Survey in 2023, relatively few (8%) large firms (with 200 or more workers) offering […]

Here are 14 times Becker’s reported on Oracle Health, the EHR vendor formerly known as Cerner, in the past month.

Researchers say the increase in secure messaging among healthcare providers could be a good thing, allowing them to trace EHR “breadcrumbs” to improve both care […]

The rate of patient collections fell from 54.8% in 2021 to 47.8% in 2022 and 2023, according to an analysis from Kodiak Solutions.

Thirty-two percent of independent pharmacy owners plan to shutter their businesses by the end of 2024, according to a February survey. 

Albany, N.Y.-based St. Peter’s Health Partners and its Troy, N.Y.-based Samaritan Hospital filed a lawsuit on Feb. 28 against New York state Attorney General Letitia […]

Optum’s Change Healthcare confirmed Feb. 29 that it was hacked by a ransomware gang after the group claimed to have stolen massive amounts of data.

Greensboro, N.C.-based Cone Health has established its own Center for Value-Based Care and hired three leaders to head up its work. 

Early morning meetings were never a fan favorite, but they’ve become a greater source of contention post-pandemic, according to a recent report from Korn Ferry.

Investment returns and outpatient services revenue drove results.

In 2022, overall prescriptions grew 1% from 2019 while mental health-related prescriptions increased 12%, USA Today reported Feb. 29. 

Independence Health System cut its losses by 14% in its first year as a combined health system, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Feb. 27. 

Within healthcare, several careers have the highest projected growth rates from 2022 to 2032.

Talking General Practice speaks to King’s Fund senior fellow Beccy Baird about the think tank’s recent report on how we can build an NHS that […]

Talking General Practice speaks to King’s Fund senior fellow Beccy Baird about the think tank’s recent report on how we can build an NHS that […]

Sixty-five percent of physicians said they see definite or some advantage of using AI tools, including nonclinical uses, an American Medical Association report found.

King of Prussia, Pa.-based Universal Health Services projects net revenues to hit up to $15.7 billion in 2024, which would represent year-year-year growth of up […]

What began as a medical malpractice lawsuit against a Texas urologist has evolved into a broader accusation, The Texas Tribune reported Feb. 23. 

Two affiliate hospitals of Livonia, Mich.-based Trinity Health filed lawsuits Feb. 26 against North American Partners in Anesthesia, alleging the group’s noncompete clauses stifle competition […]

Walgreens’ Village MD is planning to exit the Illinois market in April, a spokesperson confirmed to Becker’s on Feb. 28.

The latest divestiture comes as the Dallas-based for-profit has sold other hospitals to reduce its debt load.

Steve Filton, CFO of King of Prussia, Pa.-based Universal Health Services, shares the cautious optimism on CMS’ two-midnight rule as other for-profit CFOs. 

A new CMS report reveals disparities in care quality and patient safety within U.S. hospitals before and during the pandemic, finding “a large proportion of […]

Roseville, Calif.-based Adventist Health has signed definitive agreements to purchase two California hospitals from Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare.

Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic is on track to open a $198 million hospital at its La Crosse, Wis., campus this fall, WEAU reported Feb. 28.

A prominent pathologist at Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Hospital, who was placed on administrative leave beginning in May amid misconduct allegations, has resigned his post, the […]

Bakersfield (Calif.) Heart Hospital has been renamed by its new owner, Roseville, Calif.-based Adventist Health, Bakersfield.com reported Feb. 28.

Most of the top paying metropolitan areas for nurse specialties are located in California, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Sanford-based HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital, part of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare, is unveiling its new $15 million HCA Florida Casselberry (Fla.) Emergency freestanding emergency […]

Cleveland-based Woodside Health, a medical office building management firm, has acquired Henderson, Nev.-based Seven Hills Medical Center. 

The proposed deal would create a 28-hospital system in New York and Connecticut. 

Munster, Ind.-based Community Healthcare System is changing its name to Powers Health effective July 1.

Researchers at the Icahn… read more

Experts are working together to bring down rates of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in low- and middle-income countries, which can be at least 3 times higher […]

This brief presents findings from the 2023 KFF Employer Health Benefits Survey on coverage of abortion services in large employer-sponsored health plans, changes employers made […]

Unemployed locum GPs are turning to food banks after a sharp drop in available work linked to rising use of additional roles staff such as […]

Unemployed locum GPs are turning to food banks after a sharp drop in available work linked to rising use of additional roles staff such as […]

Are you thinking about a facial makeover but worried about the cost of a mini facelift? You’re not alone!  According to the 2020 plastic surgery […]

07/03/2024 OSHwiki article in the spotlight: Domestic violence and the workplace Image © motortion- stock.adobe.com Domestic violence impacts employment, productivity, safety, and health in a […]

GP leaders have accused the government of an ‘ideological’ attack on NHS general practice – warning that real-terms cuts imposed under the 2024/25 contract leave […]

GP leaders have accused the government of an ‘ideological’ attack on NHS general practice – warning that real-terms cuts imposed under the 2024/25 contract leave […]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California lawmakers are weighing a pitch from the White House for states to toughen gun storage rules as legislation languishes in Congress. […]

Republican lawmakers in several states have resurrected and expanded the fight over whether transgender people may use bathrooms and other facilities that do not match […]

Letters to the Editor is a periodic feature. We welcome all comments and will publish a selection. We edit for length and clarity and require full names. Occupational […]

Early in the morning of Feb. 21, Change Healthcare, a company unknown to most Americans that plays a huge role in the U.S. health system, […]

Over the past two years, Madeline Beal has heard frustration and even bewilderment during public meetings about ethylene oxide, a cancer-causing gas that is used […]

VR surgery for PPE. SNAP, food insecurity and medication adherence. Hospital racial composition and VBP. Drinking and jobs (part 1, part 2) Geographies with ultra-low […]

Grease-proof food wrappers being sold in the U.S. will no longer contain toxic “forever chemicals,” the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Wednesday. Jim Jones, […]

Almost 40% of patients prefer to self-medicate because doing so has worked for them previously, according to a survey published Feb. 27, led by market […]

Connecticut lawmakers are considering a bill that would require hospitals to collect and report data on emergency department wait times and volumes. Hospitals, meanwhile, contend […]

What is the main concern for hospitals and health systems when it comes to the Change Healthcare attack? The potential impact to patient care and […]

“At the end of the day, you can’t cut your way to a margin,” Michael Mutterer, RN, told Becker’s during a recent phone call. 

King of Prussia, Pa.-based Universal Health Services reported $1.2 billion in operating income (8.2% margin) in 2023, up from a $1 billion gain (7.5% margin) […]

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is partnering up with Columbus State Community College to address a critical workforce shortage. 

CDC Director Mandy Cohen, MD, has approved a recommendation from the agency’s advisory committee for adults over 65 to receive an updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine […]

Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente has proposed a project that would demolish its existing San Jose (Calif.) Medical Center and construct a new hospital.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has approved Senate bill 1015, now known as 2023 Wisconsin Act 97, which will secure $15 million in crisis response funding […]

York, Pa.-based WellSpan Health has cut its emergency department utilization by 32% after implementing a new program that incorporates behavioral care and addiction treatment, a […]

Hospitals are making progress to diversify their C-suites, management and boards, though there is still significant room for improvement, according to a Feb. 28 report […]

Below are the adjusted expenses for nonprofit, for-profit and government hospitals per inpatient day in 2022 in every U.S. state, according to the latest estimates […]

President Joe Biden issued an executive order to protect Americans’ sensitive personal data — including health data — from countries of concern. 

A federal immunization committee on Wednesday voted in favor of recommending an additional COVID-19 vaccine dose for seniors aged 65 and up. The Advisory Committee […]

Naples, Fla.-based NCH Healthcare System’s operating performance weakened mainly because of challenges with labor, rising prices, longer hospital stays and the introduction of a new […]

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell will step down from his leadership post in November, multiple news outlets reported Feb. 28. 

Nearly a quarter of health systems are appointing new executives to lead provider compensation — a function previously headed by COOs and CFOs, according to […]

Healthcare organizations experienced 35% of third-party breaches, according to a Feb. 28 report from Security Scorecard. 

Senate Republicans blocked an effort Wednesday to pass legislation that would federally protect access to in vitro fertilization (IVF). Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) sought to […]

GLP-1s, such as Type 2 diabetes therapies Ozempic and Mounjaro and weight loss drug Wegovy, are expected to bulk up the U.S. economy as more […]

In order to be successful moving forward, home-based care providers will need to understand the value-based care landscape and be prepared to operate in this […]

Scott Moran, MD, CEO of Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center, a maximum-security forensic psychiatric hospital in Jessup, Md., agreed in court Feb. 28 to a […]

Many hospital CEOs are finding new ways to use AI and encouraging colleagues to embrace positive changes.

Patients who receive home-based palliative care (HBPC) services experience fewer emergency department visits, fewer hospitalizations and lower costs once they start receiving services. That’s according […]

Hospital staff members experience 1.17 aggressive events — verbal and/or physical — for every 40 hours worked, with more aggression events occurring when staff have […]

Emergency department boarding has a solution, but hospitals aren’t implementing it, according to Hashem Zikry, MD, a current emergency medicine physician at UCLA, and former […]

Innovation is vital for health systems as they seek to improve patient outcomes and experiences, mitigate clinician burnout and address health equity. Innovation teams can […]

Ten months into the unwinding of the Medicaid continuous enrollment provision, states have conducted renewals for roughly half of all enrollees in the program. This […]

Smoking cannabis is associated with an increased risk of a heart attack or stroke, according to a new study.  The study, published Wednesday in the Journal of […]

Seventy-five percent of healthcare professionals say widespread AI adoption will happen within the next three years, a Feb. 27 report from Berkeley Research Group found. 

Epic secured the title of Best in KLAS for health system-owned home health agencies in 2024, according to a Feb. 27 report from KLAS. 

Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) gave a graphic description of an abortion procedure during a Senate hearing Wednesday, leading one witness to say his statements did […]

For many working in healthcare, violence is a daily, palpable issue. Solving the crisis will involve consistent coordination between multiple stakeholders, but it starts with […]

Hospital margins were down slightly month over month in January, but up to begin the year as compared to 2021 and 2022, according to Kaufman […]

Covington, Ky.-based St. Elizabeth Healthcare appointed a new chief operations officer and chief clinical officer.

From workplace violence to affordability, medical association leaders have their eyes on several issues in the healthcare field that need to be changed.

In a bid to reduce wait times, Grand Blanc, Mich.-based McLaren Health is now offering an online scheduling option for patients seeking care at two […]

Technology has become one of the dividing lines between financially successful and struggling hospitals, according to Kaufman Hall’s National Hospital Flash Report, released Feb. 28.

Multiple videos have been circulating on TikTok with individuals claiming to be sick with a ‘mysterious virus‘ after testing negative for three of the most […]

One of R1 RCM’s largest shareholders is asking the revenue cycle management company’s board to reject a potential offer to take the firm private.  

Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health has named Leah Klinke executive vice president of revenue operations, according to a post on her LinkedIn page. 

Four years after what was once the “novel coronavirus” was declared a pandemic, COVID remains the most dangerous infectious respiratory illness regularly circulating in the […]

Elevance joins a growing list of insurers expanding their weight management offerings amid soaring demand for GLP-1 drugs.

Baptist Behavioral Health, part of Beaumont, Texas-based Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas, has received $70 million in improvement funding from the 88th Texas Legislature. 

Patient advocates and physicians are growing frustrated about the lack of treatments for long COVID-19 despite more than $1 billion of federal investments and continuous […]

Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D) on Tuesday called for Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo to be removed from his post over his response to a […]

In June 2022, the Federal Trade Commission launched a probe into the business practices of pharmacy benefit managers and how they affect drug affordability and […]

Pittsburgh-based UPMC reported a $198 million operating loss (-0.7% margin) in 2023, down from a $162 million gain ((0.6% margin) in 2022, according to financial […]

Barbara Martin, BSN, RN, was appointed president of Ascension Saint Joseph-Joliet (Ill.).

Members of the Massachusetts Nurses Association at Newburyport, Mass.-based Beth Israel Lahey Anna Jaques Hospital have approved a new three-year contract.

GPonline outlines the key changes to the GP contract for this year and provides links to relevant guidance and further information.

GPonline outlines what’s set to change under the GP contract in 2024/25.

GPonline outlines what’s set to change under the GP contract in 2024/25.

Funding for general practice will increase by £259m in total in 2024/25 according to GP contract details published by NHS England, with a 2% pay […]

Funding for general practice will increase by £259m in total in 2024/25 according to GP contract details published by NHS England, with a 2% pay […]

Funding for general practice will increase by £259m in total in 2024/25 according to GP contract details published by NHS England, with a 2% pay […]

St. Charles Health System, a private nonprofit system in Bend, Ore., has been named in a lawsuit after allegedly denying charity care to eligible patients, […]

Lalit Bajaj, MD, has assumed the role of chief quality officer of Children’s Hospital Colorado.

Oakland, Calif.-based Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, part of Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health, could close by 2030, KRON reported Feb. 27.

Over 20 hospitals and affiliated companies have united in multidistrict litigation that suggests in a complaint that drug distributors, pharmacies and other entities have contributed […]

Four eye ointments are being voluntarily recalled after a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspection noted a “lack of sterility assurance” at the facility where […]