Andrew Cass

A hospital that was part of now-shuttered Upland, Pa.-based Crozer Health has been bought by a group of private investors for $1 million, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Sept. 5.  Ridley Park, Pa.-based Taylor Hospital closed April 26 after a bankruptcy court approved owner Prospect Medical Holdings’ plan to wind down…

In a video posted Sept. 9 on X, CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz, MD, said the agency is investing more than $75 million in what he called a “new campaign” to address the nursing home staffing shortage. Dr. Oz said he sent a letter to governors of all 50 states inviting…

Health systems are navigating rapid digital transformation, driven by patient expectations, workforce challenges and emerging technologies. During an August webinar hosted by Becker’s Healthcare and Wolters Kluwer, leaders from NYU Langone Health, Kaiser Permanente and Wolters Kluwer explored how tech-driven clinical workflows are shaping the future of population health. Key…

As the medical school landscape shifts in response to federal pressures and new demands in the healthcare space — such as technological advancements, AI and drug innovations — new physicians may be entering the field with gaps in their clinical education and personal development.  From accepting mortality to supporting survivorship,…

The Trump administration is weighing the imposition of severe restrictions on medicines from China that, if enacted, could sow “chaos” in the U.S. pharmaceutical industry, especially generics, The New York Times reported Sept. 10.  At the center of the proposed crackdown is a draft executive order that would block U.S.…

Between 2010 and 2019, incidence rates of 14 cancers increased among individuals younger than 50, with “concerning increases” reported in colorectal and uterine cancer mortality. While the statistics may raise alarm, one oncology expert is encouraging healthcare leaders to understand the full picture. Mary Gemignani, MD, is chief of the…

The new Apple Watch will include “powerful” new features such as hypertension notifications and sleep scores to keep wearers healthy, the tech giant said. For hypertension, the Apple Watch Series 11 will work passively in the background to review wearers’ heart sensor data from the past 30 days to determine…

HHS and the FDA are taking measures to crack down on misleading pharmaceutical advertisements, including digital and broadcast drug ads.  The FDA is sending roughly 100 cease-and-desist letters and thousands of warning letters to drug companies, citing “widespread violations” and deceptive marketing practices, according to a Sept. 9 news release…

Nearly 8 in 10 U.S. adults in a recent Harvard/SSRS poll said parents should be required to have children vaccinated against preventable diseases like measles, mumps and rubella to attend school — including most Democrats and Republicans. And about 7 in 10 U.S. adults in a New York Times/Ipsos poll…

The Make America Healthy Again Commission, a newly created advisory body under HHS, published a report on chronic disease and children’s health Sept. 9.  The commission’s “Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy” covers a slew of topics, including environmental chemicals, ultra-processed foods, screen time and “overmedicalization,” which the report describes…

A study found that GLP-1 drugs are associated with a lower risk of fractures, including hip and osteoporotic fractures.  The research, led by scientists from China and published in Acta Diabetologica, analyzed more than 490,000 adverse event reports from the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System between 2004 and 2022. Of…

Novartis is acquiring biopharmaceutical company Tourmaline Bio for $1.4 billion to boost its cardiovascular pipeline.  Tourmaline develops pacibekitug, a drug used to treat atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to a Sept. 9 news release from Novartis.  Novartis said the drug is in advanced phase 2 clinical trials and works to combat…

Clinician burnout remains one of the most urgent challenges in healthcare. In recent years, hospitals have turned to tools such as ambient documentation and virtual nursing, betting that AI could lighten the load by cutting down on paperwork and freeing physicians and nurses to focus on patient care. The question…

Infusion volumes at Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center in Jacksonville, Fla., have more than doubled since 2019, surpassing 39,000 annual visits, without adding a single chair. This growth, which includes a 140% increase in daily scheduled volumes and a 13% boost in chair efficiency, was achieved through data-driven redesign, predictive…

As hospitals continue to face mounting financial pressures, facility closures are ramping up as a direct consequence of those strains.  As of September 2025, Becker’s has reported 21 hospital closures, up from our coverage of 19 facility closures at this point in 2024. Becker’s capped its 2024 reporting with 25…

NYC Health + Hospitals, an 11-hospital system based in New York City, has saved nearly $250 million through strategies to reduce nurse turnover costs and reliance on travel staff.  In 2024, the health system saved more than $150 million by decreasing its reliance on travel nurses and filling 3,000 registered…

The U.S. is expected to add 5.2 million jobs from 2024 to 2034, with healthcare and social assistance projected to see the largest job growth and be the fastest-growing industry sector in terms of employment at 8.4%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Growth in healthcare and social assistance…

Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson has named Emma Burnham associate director for healthcare in the Bureau of Competition.  Four things to know:  1. Ms. Burnham has been appointed to the role after spending 11 years as a prosecutor in the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, according to a Sept. 9…

Imagine a future where some cancers are caught before symptoms appear, before they spread, before lives are disrupted. That’s the potential of multi-cancer early detection (MCED), a transformative approach that’s reshaping how healthcare leaders think about cancer screening. In 2025 alone, over 2 million new cancer cases and more than 618,000…

Rethinking the Capital Equation in Hospital Finance Hospital CFOs are under increasing pressure to balance competing financial demands. Rising utility costs, deferred maintenance, and aging infrastructure strain operating budgets, while investments in staffing, technology, and patient care require every available dollar. Too often, this creates a financial stalemate: delaying upgrades…

Ascension has reached its highest nurse retention rate in five years — 81.96% — aided by its employee feedback tool Always On Listening, or AOL.  The tool helps address the “pebbles” in people’s shoes, according to Rob Rose, DNP, RN, chief nursing officer and senior vice president of nursing at…

Pharmacy leaders are facing high-stakes challenges that could threaten the stability of drug access and affordability across the U.S. Amid this uncertainty, health systems are responding with urgency, with many exploring new ways to gain control over drug pricing, efforts to increased transparency and options for protecting vulnerable populations.  Here…

Amazon Pharmacy has expanded its RxPass service to Texas, allowing Amazon Prime members in the state, including those on Medicare, to receive over 50 generic medications for $5 per month through the prescription subscription service.  Medications covered include those to treat diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, anxiety and other common conditions,…

Massachusetts vaccinates the most out of any state, according to a WalletHub report published Sept. 9. To determine which states vaccinate most, the financial services site analyzed data across 16 metrics, which were grouped into three key areas: immunization rates among kids and teenagers; adult and elderly vaccination rates; and…