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Nearly one in three nonfederal acute care hospitals in the U.S. reported using generative artificial intelligence integrated into their electronic health record in 2024, according to a national survey analysis published Dec. 12 in JAMA Network Open. The findings are based on a survey of 2,174 nonfederal U.S. acute care…

Medscape has published a report on the best cities for young physicians to start their career, based on an analysis of factors ranging from compensation to local cultural life. The ranking, published Dec. 12, also took into account job opportunities, malpractice rates, professional development and outdoor recreation. Austin, Texas, topped…

The FDA is considering adding a black box warning to COVID-19 vaccines — the latest development in a broader shift in how the agency approaches vaccine oversight and safety communication, according to a Dec. 12 CNN report.  Here are seven things to know: 1. The proposal signals a more aggressive…

In the One Big Beautiful Bill era, capacity is more than a scheduling concern for hospitals and health systems — it’s a financial imperative. During a recent Becker’s Healthcare webinar hosted by LeanTaaS, executives from University Hospitals (Cleveland), Sutter Health (Sacramento, Calif.) and Scripps Health (San Diego) shared how their…

As policy uncertainties, reimbursement pressures and continued cuts and closures weigh on hospitals and health systems heading into 2026, third-quarter operating margins showed wide variation.  Several systems, such as UnityPoint, Montefiore Health System and Providence, saw operating losses or near-break-even results, while others like Allegheny Health Network, UPMC and Northwell…

Healthcare continues to pay a significant financial toll for ransomware attacks, the U.S. Treasury Department found. Here are four things to know from the December report, where the U.S. Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement Network analyzed Bank Secrecy Act data involving cyberattacks: 1. From January 2022 through December 2024, U.S. companies…

More than 100,000 students were enrolled in U.S. medical schools in 2025 — a record high, according to data released Dec. 9 by the Association of American Medical Colleges. Total enrollment reached 100,723 students in 2025, with the largest-ever incoming class of 23,440 first-year students. Here are three other key…

Ten hospitals and health systems were included on Forbes’ “America’s Best Companies 2026″ list, published Nov. 19. The list features 500 public and private companies, all evaluated on more than 100 metrics across 11 categories, including employee ratings, financial performance and sustainability. To be eligible, companies had to be headquartered…

U.S. News & World Report released its 2026 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care ratings Dec. 9, which also recognize hospitals providing services to underserved communities. The media company used self-reported maternity care data to identify 147 hospitals as Maternity Care Access Hospitals for providing maternity services in areas that would…

U.S. News & World Report released its 2026 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care ratings Dec. 9. To compile the list, U.S. News evaluated a record-breaking 901 hospitals providing labor and delivery services. Hospitals submitted detailed data, which were examined based on quality measures, such as C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies;…

Workers with a strong sense of purpose in their roles are more likely to be engaged at work and less likely to feel burned out or search for a new job. Yet only 30% of hiring managers consider purpose to be a key predictor of success, according to Gallup survey…

Virginia Beach, Va., is the most caring U.S. city in 2025, based on its high shares of residents who volunteer or fundraise and its low violent crime rate, according to a Dec. 8 ranking from personal finance website WalletHub. To develop the ranking, WalletHub compared the 100 largest U.S. cities…

The FDA has recalled multiple lots of a blood pressure medication sold under the brand name Ziac, according to a Dec. 6 report from USA Today.  The medication — bisoprolol fumarate and hydrochlorothiazide tablets — is manufactured by Glenmark Pharmaceuticals and may have been cross-contaminated with cholesterol drug ezetimibe, the…

More than 2 in 5 primary care physicians in the U.S. are experiencing burnout, according to survey results published Nov. 20 by the Commonwealth Fund. The 2025 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey of Primary Care Physicians drew responses from 10,985 physicians. The survey was conducted between March 12 and…

Many bedside nurses say virtual nursing programs have not eased their workload, though a slight majority have seen benefits to patient care when working alongside virtual nurses, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing in Philadelphia.  Researchers at Penn Nursing’s Center for…

Becker’s has compiled a list of the hospitals patients would recommend in each state using Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems data from CMS. CMS created 10 HCAHPS star ratings based on publicly reported HCAHPS measures. The patient recommendation star rating combines data from three HCAHPS survey questions…

Colorado, Louisiana and New York — particularly New York City — reported high levels of flu-like illness during the week ending Nov. 29, according to the latest CDC data on respiratory virus trends. The CDC’s respiratory illness activity map reflects outpatient visits among patients who present with a fever plus…

Unemployment claims nationwide have remained largely stable over the past year. However, state-level changes varied significantly, ranging from a 45% decrease to a 65% increase, according to a Dec. 4 analysis from personal finance website WalletHub.  Alabama saw the largest week-over-week decrease, while North Dakota had the steepest year-over-year drop…

Forbes launched an inaugural quality ranking of U.S. general acute care hospitals Dec. 4, which analyzes data on outcomes, best practices, value and patient experience.  The media company said its list, “Forbes Top Hospitals 2026,” differs from other hospital rankings and ratings in three key ways. First, the primary quality…

One in 4 patients say they’ve switched healthcare providers because they lost trust in them, marketing agency Monigle found. Here are the top 12 reasons consumers don’t trust their providers, according to the survey of 1,000 household healthcare decision-makers published in November: 1. Rushed or unpersonalized care: 23% 2. Financial…

The American Hospital Association outlined five key ways hospitals and health systems are reimagining their workforce strategies in a Dec. 3 report. The association’s 2026 Health Care Workforce Scan report offers an annual snapshot of healthcare employment based on the latest industry reports and research. AHA said health systems will…

Major shifts to Medicaid eligibility and financing set to take effect under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in 2026 and beyond are emerging as a top concern for revenue cycle leaders, who say the changes could further intensify financial pressures. “We used to talk about try[ing] to make a…

Months after the CDC eliminated its infection control committee, two epidemiology organizations have created the Healthcare Infection Prevention Advisory Group.  The two organizations, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, said in a Dec. 2 news release that the advisory…

With Medicare Advantage enrollment approaching 55% of eligible beneficiaries, health systems across the country are grappling with a question that’s gone largely unaddressed in policy circles: What happens if the healthcare providers best equipped to care for seniors can no longer afford to participate? Over the past couple of years,…