Breaking News

AI has been firmly integrated into revenue cycle management (RCM) as organizations look to boost efficiency, enhance patient experience and prepare for a rapidly evolving future. In a recent discussion hosted by Becker’s Healthcare and Zotec Partners, leaders shared strategies for balancing cutting-edge innovation with operational realities. The conversation featured…

Health systems are taking on what one leader has called the “next major workforce crisis”: a shortage of nurse educators. In 2024, U.S. nursing schools turned away 80,162 qualified applications. Within that total, 65,398 applications from entry-level baccalaureate were turned away, 1,530 from RN-to-BSN, 7,603 from master’s, 5,366 from DNP…

As the Trump administration moves forward with sweeping tariffs aimed at increasing U.S. manufacturing, health systems are ramping up efforts to protect patients from potential effects.  At Renton, Wash.-based Providence, COO Darryl Elmouchi, MD, said the health system has implemented a supply chain risk management program to help prepare for…

For a more in-depth analysis of trends shaping the industry in the second half of 2025, find our full trends report here. The healthcare industry continues to face rapid transformation, with financial, technological and operational pressures reshaping how organizations deliver care. CommerceHealthcare® has identified key mid-year developments that are influencing…

The healthcare industry is no stranger to change, but the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA) — nicknamed the “Big Beautiful Bill” — may represent one of the most significant shifts in years. If the projections hold, millions of Americans could lose coverage over the next decade. According to the…

By rethinking consumer experience, Ascension said it has driven its net promoter score, a critical metric in measuring customer satisfaction, above 80 and cut complaints by 40%.  The health system, which operates more than 100 hospitals across 16 states and the District of Columbia, has also reduced the average time…

Members of SEIU 1199NE have reached a tentative labor contract with Care New England’s Butler Hospital in Providence, R.I. Both parties confirmed the agreement in a brief joint statement shared with Becker’s. “On behalf of both Butler Hospital and members of the bargaining committee representing all job classifications of the…

AI is no longer an abstract concept for healthcare; it’s delivering measurable operational and clinical gains. But to capture value without leaving staff behind, leaders must take a deliberate, systemwide approach. During a recent discussion hosted by Becker’s Healthcare and Healthlink Advisors, Patrick Woodard, MD, CIO of Monument Health in…

President Donald Trump on Aug. 13 revoked Executive Order 14036, a 2021 directive issued under the Biden administration aimed at promoting competition across the U.S. economy, including healthcare. Five things to know: 1. Executive Order 14036 ((Promoting Competition in the American Economy) is no longer in effect. The Biden-era order,…

Novant Health Future Forward, a new debt-free education initiative, is now available to eligible team members at Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Novant Health. Beginning Aug. 18, the system will cover up to $5,250 in annual pre-paid tuition for full-time employees and $2,625 for part-time employees, according to an Aug. 18 health system…

Seattle-based Fred Hutchinson Cancer Institute had the lowest admission rate for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy of all prospective payment system-exempt cancer hospitals between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024.  Eleven cancer hospitals are required to participate in the PPS-Exempt Cancer Hospital Quality Reporting Program, a specialized quality reporting program…

More than 10% of pediatric visits to the emergency department for mental health conditions result in ED boarding, according to research published Aug. 15 in JAMA.  Boarding, or the practice of holding patients in the ED while waiting for an appropriate inpatient bed, is a growing issue as it can…

Hematologists and oncologists are the most in-demand physicians, according to an AMN Healthcare report, “2025 Review of Physician and Advanced Practitioner Recruiting Incentives,” published Aug. 5. The staffing agency analyzed 1,420 permanent physician and advanced practitioner recruitment requests between April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025.  Here are four notes…

The FDA has approved Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy to treat metabolic associated steatohepatitis, or MASH, in adults who have excessive scar tissue in the liver.  MASH is a serious liver condition linked to obesity, Type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol, affecting approximately 14.9 million adults in the U.S., according to an…

Medicare and other federal programs could see deep cuts under the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 after the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was passed on July 4, according to an Aug. 15 Congressional Budget Office letter. The S-PAYGO act, enacted under former President Barack Obama, helps require Congress to…

The expiration of a 2015 federal cybersecurity law could put hospitals and health systems at risk for more cyberattacks, a former FBI leader wrote in Fortune. The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 has enabled rapid threat intelligence sharing between government and businesses, including thousands this year alone, preventing “countless”…

Large hospitals spent more on capital projects last year to stay competitive while small hospitals tightened their budgets, according to Moody’s. The ratings firm tracked financial data for 209 hospitals across the U.S., finding the gap in capital spending grew between the largest and smallest hospitals last year. Below are…

The federal government is looking to expand the use of real-world data in health research and regulation, according to a draft strategy report obtained by Politico. Here are six things to know about the draft strategy report: The draft report, issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, outlines…

Here are seven new drug shortages and discontinuations, according to drug supply databases from the FDA and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.  Amphotericin B injection: Leadiant Biosciences has discontinued manufacturing all presentations of its amphotericin B injection, an anti-infective used to treat serious fungal infections. The discontinued strengths are…

Matt Brown was appointed president of CommonSpirit Health’s south region, according to an Aug. 15 news release shared with Becker’s. Mr. Brown will lead an $8 billion healthcare market spanning Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas. “[Mr.] Brown’s appointment follows a highly successful interim period and underscores his proven…

Eli Lilly recently spoke out against proposed tariffs on pharmaceuticals, warning they could increase drug costs and restrict patient access.  The drugmaker said it has invested more than $50 billion in U.S. manufacturing since 2020, including 10 projects aimed at supplying the domestic market entirely from within the country, according…

Members of the Michigan Nurses Association at UP Health System-Marquette plan to hold a “practice strike” Aug. 18.  The union represents about 600 registered nurses and techs at the 222-bed specialty care hospital, according to the MNA. UP Health System-Marquette, part of Brentwood, Tenn.-based Lifepoint Health, has more than 1,800…

When Bloomington, Minn.-based HealthPartners launched its My dashboard interface in 2021, it was not available to everyone. The personalized digital hub — designed to surface the right prompts, tools and health reminders for each user — was rolled out in phases: first to HealthPartners members who also received care within…

Health systems interested in building a central pharmacy should prioritize personalization and preparation, according to Melanie Massiah-White, vice president and chief pharmacy officer of Fairfax, Va.-based Inova Health System.  “[Spend] time initially scoping services you hope to provide from your pharmacy service center,” Ms. Massiah-White told Becker’s. “Then do your…