Alexandra Murphy

A child enrolled in Capside Biotherapeutics’ gene therapy trial for STXBP1 developmental and epileptic encephalopathy has died, prompting the company to pause the study while investigating the death.  The patient was the first participant in the clinical trial. Capside said it is working to determine what happened and has notified…

Landmark Hospital of Cape Girardeau (Mo.), a long-term acute care facility, has shared plans to close “in the coming weeks,” according to a Sept. 10 news release. The hospital has been open since early 2006 and is part of Cape Girardeau-based Landmark Holdings of Florida, which operates six long-term acute…

The American Medical Association is supporting new federal enforcement measures aimed at curbing information blocking, a practice the group says has long impeded patient care and physician efficiency. Here are five things to know: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Sept. 3 that it will penalize EHR…

Five hospitals and health systems recently posted job listings seeking revenue cycle executive directors. Note: This is not an exhaustive list. Listings were compiled from job-seeker sites. 1. City of Hope, based in Duarte, Calif., seeks an executive director of revenue cycle strategy and automation to work remotely.  2. Kootenai…

Tracy Griffin has been named chief information security officer of Cincinnati-based Bon Secours Mercy Health. Ms. Griffin has served as interim CISO of the 48-hospital system since May, having joined the organization in 2010 as information security audit and compliance manager. She previously worked in information security leadership at hospitals…

The District of Columbia holds the highest ratio of nurses to population, to a significant degree, at 7.14 per 100 residents, while Utah has the lowest, at 1.38, according to a Becker’s analysis. The analysis is based on U.S. Census Bureau state population estimates as of July 1, 2024, and…

Oracle has introduced new AI-powered features in its Fusion Cloud Applications aimed at helping healthcare organizations strengthen supply chain operations. The enhancements include Oracle Fusion Cloud Advanced Inventory Management, which uses artificial intelligence to optimize stock levels, prevent shortages of critical supplies, and automate replenishment tasks. The system also integrates…

Gaurava Agarwal, MD, grew up with coal mine references through his father, and those metaphors have informed Northwestern Medicine’s approach to clinician wellness and burnout prevention. Dr. Agarwal, who serves as Chicago-based Northwestern Medicine’s chief wellness executive, told Becker’s that growing up with coal mining in his family background —…

Spending through the 340B Drug Pricing Program rose by 565% between 2010 and 2021, increasing from $6.6 billion to $43.9 billion, according to a report from the Congressional Budget Office.  In 2021, 87% of 340B purchases were made by hospital-based facilities, and 41% of total spending was on cancer drugs,…

A new analysis from the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review has found that blockbuster GLP-1 drugs from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly offer substantial health benefits and are a cost-effective option to treat obesity.  The findings mark a shift from ICER’s last assessment on GLP-1s in 2022, which concluded…

Data from more than 750 hospitals indicate the most effective tool to reduce inpatient falls is sensor technology, according to a Sept. 10 report from Sg2, a Vizient company.  Fall-prevention sensor technologies, such as bed, chair and toilet alarms, can reduce patient falls by as much as 30%, Sg2 found.…

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…