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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 the St. Louis-based system. 

Whether it’s squeaking doors, hallway trash or a service issue, nurses can access the AOL platform by scanning a QR code. After inputting the feedback, the tool routes the issue to the appropriate group leader. For example, a submission about a squeaky door will be sent to Ascension’s internal maintenance and repair group. 

The goal is to acknowledge an AOL submission within three days. Ascension averages 2.73 days in response time, and the average time to resolve an issue is 3.84 days. 

The system piloted the tool in three states in February 2025. After the pilot’s quick success, Ascension rolled out the feedback platform throughout its network, which spans more than 100 hospitals across 16 states and the District of Columbia.

Dr. Rose told Becker’s the tool helps resolve pain points rather than allowing the problem to grow. 

“I think that’s [an] issue we have in healthcare. We identify these issues. Again, I go back to the pebbles in your shoe. The reason why they become more than pebbles is because we don’t fix it. And it’s not any one person’s fault. It’s just, people get busy, right? Or they forget about it,” he said. 

The AOL platform also serves as a recognition tool for nurses to praise other team members or departments. 

Dr. Rose attributed Ascension’s five-year record-high in nurse retention not only to the AOL platform but several other initiatives, including competitive wages, retention calls with local leaders, tuition assistance programs, and a standardized education platform for onboarding and competency trainings. 

For other hospitals looking to retain more of their nurses, his recommendation is simple: Listen to front-line staff, and design efforts based on their feedback. 

“Don’t make it hard to do the right thing,” Dr. Rose said. “[Ask,] ‘What barriers can we take out of your day?’ We know nursing is a complex cognitive, heavy burden profession. We want to be able to do things that reduces that.”

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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 are some of the top policy issues facing pharmacy leaders in the coming year: 

Preserving the 340B Drug Pricing Program 

As shifts continue with the 340B program, pharmacy leaders have emphasized maintaining the original intent of the program, which is to expand access to care for safety-net hospitals. 

Jennifer Bair, PharmD, chief pharmacy officer of Greenville, S.C.-based Prisma Health, which has locations in Tennessee and South Carolina, told Becker’s 340B savings have allowed the health system to expand pharmacy access in rural communities where commercial pharmacies have closed. The savings also allowed the system to implement a 24-hour pharmacy. 

However, in recent years major drugmakers have sought to limit the use of contract pharmacies to test rebate-based alternatives to traditional discounts. Drugmakers including Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly and Sanofi argued the measures will help improve oversight and curb abuse, while hospital groups and the Health Resources and Services Administration have pushed back, saying the rebate models threaten the financial support safety-net hospitals rely on to serve vulnerable populations. 

As a result, certain states have stepped in an attempt to protect contract pharmacies from drugmaker restrictions. For example, a Colorado Senate bill aims to prevent drug companies from limiting how covered entities use the contract pharmacies. Arkansas, Maine, Utah and Nebraska are pursuing similar protections. 

In April, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that reintroduces and reinforces a policy from his first term that adjusts Medicare outpatient hospital drug payments to reflect 340B drug discounts. The order came amid a Senate investigation led by Sen. Bill Cassidy, MD, into how covered entities are using 340B funding. 

Additionally, in June, HHS proposed transferring oversight of the 340B program from the HRSA to CMS. The move would allow the agency to use its in-house drug pricing expertise and streamline oversight, according to HHS. The funding for 340B oversight would be capped at $12 million under the proposal. 

One of the most recent concerns for hospitals and hospital groups is the introduction of the  340B pilot, set to be imposed by the HRSA. The program allows drugmakers to submit alternative rebate plans to the agency by Sept. 15 and, if accepted, the plans would go into effect for one year starting Jan. 1. 

In response, hospital groups including the American Hospital Association, America’s Essential Hospitals and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists issued an Aug. 8 letter outlining concerns about the speed and scope of the rollout, urging the agency to extend the deadlines. 

The American Medical Group Association also opposed the rebate pilot program, saying the move would undermine the program’s original purpose and threaten access for underserved communities. 

PBM transparency  

Pharmacy benefit managers also remain a top concern for policymakers and health systems, as mounting criticism continues on opaque pricing practices and their role in inflating drug costs. 

PBMs such as CVS Caremark, Express Scripts and Optum Rx control nearly 79% of U.S. prescriptions and are integrated across insurance and pharmacy networks.

In July 2024, a House Committee on Oversight and Accountability investigation found that PBMs steered patients toward higher-cost drugs and affiliated mail-order pharmacies. A 2024 investigation by the Federal Trade Commission also revealed PBM favoritism toward their own pharmacies and vast market control, affecting both medication access and affordability. 

In November, Good Rx and PBMs CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, MedImpact and Navitus Health Solutions faced class-action lawsuits accusing them of suppressing reimbursements to independent pharmacies for generic drug prescriptions. 

In 2025, states across the U.S. have stepped in to regulate PBMs amid concerns of their pricing practices and impact on independent pharmacy operations. In Iowa, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed Senate Bill 383, preventing PBM practices such as cost sharing that favor large pharmacy chains and mandating reimbursement based on average state or national drug prices. 

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, meanwhile, signed the Community Pharmacy Relief Act into law April 15. The measure bans PBM steering to affiliate pharmacies and spread pricing practices. 

In May, Illinois approved a bill banning PBMs from steering patients to affiliate pharmacies, with the measure requiring the full rebate to be passed down to insurers. The legislation also imposed a per-member fee on PBMs, with up to $25 million annually. 

The North Carolina House and Senate passed separate bills, with the House bill aiming to ban spread pricing and requiring minimum reimbursements for pharmacies, and the Senate bill focusing more on transparency and supply chain oversight. 

California is advancing a PBM oversight plan in its 2025-2026 budget. It would allow the state Department of Managed Health Care to manage PBMs through the authority to review their contracts and conduct financial audits. In June, the California Senate passed a PBM bill that would prevent spread pricing practices and the steering of patients toward their own pharmacies. 

Another model, billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs, launched in January 2022, sparking debate in the pharmaceutical space. The company prices 100 medications by a manufacturing fee, a 15% markup along with a shipping and handling fee. The company has rapidly expanded, with more than 2,500 medications available to its customers as of 2024. 

Other players, including UnitedHealth, Elevance Health, Express Scripts and CVS, also introduced pharmacy services and models focused on transparency and competitive pricing to meet growing demand. 

An emerging strategy for health systems amid ongoing criticisms of PBMs has been to bring PBMs in house. Salt Lake City-based Intermountain Health, through its insurance arm Select Health, rebranded its PBM to Scripius to gain greater control over prescription costs, enhance transparency and eliminate inefficiencies. 

Chapel Hill, N.C.-based UNC Health also launched its own pharmacy benefit management platform, offering a transparent model for drug cost management, claiming up to 32% of savings on annual prescription drug costs. 

The aim for the in-house PBMs is to allow health systems to design tailored drug management solutions for their patients. 

Health systems bracing for tariffs 

Tariffs have also emerged as a potential threat for pharmacy leaders, with potential implications for drug costs and shortages. 

In April, President Trump imposed a 10% baseline tariff on all foreign imports, along with higher levies for certain countries. The administration also said it was exploring a Section 232 investigation into pharmaceutical imports, which could lead to new tariffs under the Trade Expansion Act. 

Renton, Wash.-based Providence estimated costs to increase by around $10 million to $25 million annually after assessing the impact to essential medical equipment. 

A May report from the American Society for Health-System Pharmacists flagged tariffs as the top policy concern that could raise drug prices in 2025. This is because injectable generics and other other low-margin drugs, already prone to drug shortages, are at a heightened risk. 

Michael Gaino, PharmD, senior director of pharmacy practice and quality at the ASHP, told Becker’s tariff impacts on drug shortages may be difficult to trace because a drug manufacturer could choose not to disclose the reasoning behind a product shortage. 

“A lot of these products have very slim profit margins. We’re talking older drugs that are 20 to 30 years old. Especially for injectable medications, there’s a lot of overhead expense and by the time you factor all that in, in a lot of cases these drugs are making very little as far as revenue or margin,” he said. “Now you add on a tariff, and if the price is not allowed to rise — which there are penalties for some of these drugs — if the price rises faster than the rate of inflation, the manufacturer may choose just to stop making the drug, but they may never disclose the reason for discontinuing.” 

In September, President Trump signed an executive order modifying the scope of tariffs for certain imports, including certain generic pharmaceuticals and their ingredients. The changes are dependent on the U.S. reaching broader trade agreements, however. 

The post 3 policy issues on pharmacy leaders’ radar appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic Health System plans to close six clinics across southeastern Minnesota and transition care to other locations by Dec. 10, according to The Minnesota Star Tribune.

The health system cited staffing shortages and declining patient volumes in a Sept. 8 news release shared with Becker’s.

“MCHS is committed to continuing to provide high-quality rural healthcare, and to do so, we must adapt,” said the release. “At times, this requires making difficult but important decisions — such as consolidating clinic services — to maintain patient and staffing volumes, modernize facilities and ensure care remains safe, reliable and sustainable for the future.”

The health system will transition clinic services in Belle Plaine, Caledonia, Montgomery, North Mankato, St. Peter and Wells to nearby, alternate MCHS sites.

Additionally, elective procedures for ophthalmology, orthopedics/podiatry, endoscopy and gynecology will transition from Albert Lea to Austin and Waseca.

Patients will have the option to continue receiving care from their current provider at a different MCHS location or transition to another health system provider, MCHS added. 

The health system noted that it is also enhancing scheduling assistance, expanding transportation solutions, advancing virtual care options and ensuring access to essential specialty services.

MCHS said providers and staff affected by the regional changes will receive support to explore their future employment options and navigate the transition.

More information is available here.

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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, according to a Sept. 8 news release from the company. The service is now available in 48 states within the U.S. 

Prescriptions can be sent to Amazon Pharmacy by healthcare providers, and customers can transfer existing prescriptions, the release said.

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Atlanta-based Emory Healthcare utilized agentic AI to improve its CMS star measuring rating for blood pressure control from 1-star to 4 stars, according to an abstract presented Sept. 7 at the American Heart Association’s 2025 Scientific Sessions. 

The study enrolled 2,000 older adults with hypertension, who received calls from AI voice agents to provide recent blood pressure readings or to conduct a live blood pressure measurement during the call.

Here are five notes from the study:

1. The voice-based AI agent was able to reach 85% of patients over a 10-week period.

   Of those, 67% completed the call and 60% completed a compliant blood pressure reading during the call. Of all the blood pressure readings, 68% met the controlling blood pressure compliance threshold established by CMS.

2. Overall, 1,939 controlling blood pressure gaps were closed, marking a 17% improvement.
3. Elevated blood pressure readings and symptoms of dizziness, blurred vision or chest pain prompted the AI agent to escalate the call to a licensed nurse or medical assistant.
4. Utilizing AI agents reduced the system’s average cost per reading by 88.7%.
5. The average patient-reported satisfaction rate after interacting with the AI agent exceeded 9 out of 10, according to a Sept. 7 news release from the American Heart Association.

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New Britain, Conn.-based Hospital for Special Care has upgraded its EHR to Altera Digital Health’s Sunrise 25.1 and expanded its use of the platform under a renewed agreement that extends through 2032.

The long-term acute care hospital will implement the latest version of the EHR to streamline financial operations and enhance clinical workflows, according to a Sept. 9 news release shared with Becker’s. Sunrise 25.1 includes approximately 700 updates and features, including centralized billing tools, real-time insights and automated provider-level adjustments.

The hospital will also become the first to implement Sunrise Health Record, an intelligent faxing tool integrated into Sunrise’s health information management workflow, according to the news release.

Hospital for Special Care serves patients in New Britain, Hartford and Hebron and is the fourth-largest long-term acute care hospital in the U.S. It has used the Sunrise platform for more than a decade.

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Mortality from hypertensive kidney disease in the U.S. has grown by 48%, according to an abstract presented Sept. 5 at the American Heart Association’s 2025 Hypertension Scientific Sessions.

Researchers analyzed CDC data from 1999 to 2023 to assess changes and trends in the number of deaths associated with hypertensive renal disease.

Here are five notes from the abstract:

1. Between 1999 and 2023, the age-adjusted mortality rate for hypertensive kidney disease grew from 3.3 per 100,000 people to 4.91 per 100,000.

   During the study period, 274,667 deaths were attributed to hypertensive kidney disease in individuals aged 15 and older.

2. Men had a 4.48 average age-adjusted mortality rate, compared to 3.69 for women.
3. Black individuals had the highest average age-adjusted mortality rate at 10.37 per 100,000 people, compared to between 3.33 and 3.90 per 100,000 seen in other populations.
4. Washington, D.C., Tennessee and Mississippi had the highest age-adjusted mortality rates at 7.6, 5.9 and 5.83 per 100,000 people, respectively, while the western U.S. was the region with the highest overall age-adjusted mortality rate at 4.59 per 100,000.
5. “High blood pressure isn’t just about strokes or heart attacks – it’s also a major cause of kidney disease and death, especially in Black and Hispanic communities,” Joiven Nyongbella, MD, from Detroit-based Wayne State University Henry Ford Rochester Hospital, said in the release. “Despite national efforts to reduce health inequalities, Black individuals still had over three times the death rate compared to other groups of people.”

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Philadelphia-based Temple University Hospital has achieved twin milestones in the treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Care teams from the Advanced Pulmonary Hypertension, Right Heart Failure and CTEPH program at Temple’s Heart and Vascular Institute have completed their 500th pulmonary thromboendarterectomy and 500th balloon pulmonary angioplasty.

Temple University Hospital is home to the largest CTEPH center in the eastern U.S., with pulmonary thromboendarterectomies only performed at a handful of hospitals across the nation, according to an Aug. 21 news release from the health system.

CTEPH is a potentially fatal form of high blood pressure “in the circulation of the lungs resulting from a blood vessel that has been blocked by a prior pulmonary embolism,” the release said. 

Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy involves placing the patient on a heart-lung machine and cooling their body to 65 degrees to periodically pause circulation. Pulmonary angioplasty remains an option for patients who are not eligible for a pulmonary thromboendarterectomy.

Temple University Hospital’s pulmonary thromboendarterectomy survival rate is 95%, according to the release. 

Anjali Vaidya, MD, director of the Advanced Pulmonary Hypertension, Right Heart Failure and CTEPH program at Temple University Hospital shared more about the dual achievement with Becker’s. 

Editor’s note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length. 

Question: What do these twin milestones reveal about Temple’s efforts to build a nationally recognized center of excellence?

Dr. Anjali Vaidya: Temple Heart and Vascular has been committed to our goal of providing exceptional care to each individual patient. Our nationally recognized pulmonary hypertension center of excellence is a testament to years of specialized pulmonary hypertension careers with emphasis on advanced clinical care, scholarly innovation and vast educational outreach. 

Q: What were the most critical decisions or investments that enabled Temple to become the largest CTEPH center in the Eastern U.S.?

AV: Our team’s commitment to meticulous clinical care with exceptional outcomes, with interdisciplinary collaborations between cardiology and Dr. Yoshiya Toyoda’s [MD, PhD] cardiovascular surgery team.

Q: What has been most important to sustaining the interdisciplinary model at Temple’s pulmonary hypertension program?

AV: Our team works extremely well together across departments, all with a patient-centered approach. We learn from each other and grow our experiences in partnership across cardiology, cardiac surgery, interventional cardiology, anesthesiology, radiology and more. The collaborative model at Temple allows for the best patient experiences and outcomes. 

Q: Looking ahead, what innovations or research directions will shape the next phase of the program?

AV: Our team is continuously innovating on the scholarly front, inspired by and building on our clinical experiences and incorporating novel therapeutic techniques. The integration of multimodality treatments for an individual patient’s CTEPH management continues to evolve, and being at the forefront of this with colleagues around the world has been exceptionally rewarding and beneficial for our patients.

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Around the time when West Texas declared its measles outbreak over, the CDC published a measles assessment tool for infection control in healthcare settings. 

The assessment, rolled out Aug. 18, is intended to aid health departments and healthcare facilities in reviewing their measles prevention and response policies and procedures, as well as guide infection prevention and control practices during a community-based outbreak. 

The CDC also released resources on steps to follow during a measles exposure in healthcare settings, a sample script to assess patients and visitors, and a sample measles exposure notification letter. 

The resources can be accessed here. 

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Los Angeles-based Cedars-Sinai will implement an AI-powered documentation platform from health tech company Regard at two of its hospitals to support clinicians and streamline diagnosis.

The health system began working with Regard in 2017 through its startup accelerator program and later invested in the company’s Series B financing round via Cedars-Sinai Health Ventures. Since then, Cedars-Sinai has licensed the platform to assist physicians, nurses and revenue cycle staff by reducing manual chart review and note writing.

The platform uses artificial intelligence to analyze EHRs, surface diagnostic insights and draft clinical notes ahead of patient visits. Cedars-Sinai said the technology is being rolled out to hospitalists at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Cedars-Sinai Marina del Rey Hospital, according to a Sept. 9 news release from Regard.

Regard has launched in more than 150 hospitals across 15 states since 2020. The company said its platform has helped clinicians accept more than 8 million diagnoses, contributed more than $50 million in revenue for customers and delivered a fivefold ROI per user.

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Cleveland Clinic’s Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute in Weston, Fla., has appointed Greg Kasper, MD, as director of vascular services and the Len Stuart Distinguished Chair in Vascular Surgery.

Dr. Kasper is a vascular surgeon, and previously served as president and chief medical officer of Toledo, Ohio-based ProMedica’s Jobst Vascular Institute, according to a Sept. 4 news release from Cleveland Clinic.

He held the role of ProMedica’s vice president of medical affairs for five years during the COVID-19 pandemic, the release said. 

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Jeff Leek, PhD, vice president and chief data officer at Seattle-based Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, was named to the 2025 Time100 AI list for his role in launching the Cancer AI Alliance. 

The initiative brings together leading cancer centers and technology companies to accelerate research through AI while protecting patient privacy.

“This is really a team effort,” Dr. Leek told Becker’s. “There’s leaders across multiple different organizations, both in the major technology companies that are helping us and the cancer centers who have helped drive this forward. I view this sort of honor as an on-behalf-of-the-team honor.”

The alliance was announced in October 2024 by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Boston), Johns Hopkins Medicine (Baltimore) and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York City), in collaboration with technology partners such as AWS, Google, Deloitte, Microsoft, and Nvidia. Its goal is to build AI models across patient data without exchanging records between institutions.

“We wanted to be able to build AI for the future while protecting patient privacy and data security,” Dr. Leek said. “We decided that we would try to show a proof of concept one year later, October 1. Usually, these big institutional collaborations can take up to a decade, and we’re trying to do it all in one year.”

That rapid pace has required coordination across legal, privacy, security, technology and research teams. 

“There’s been this huge group of hundreds of people that have come together to enable us to build these models, and we’re going to be seeing the results on a very quick time scale,” Dr. Leek said.

A central feature of the Cancer AI Alliance is its ability to operate across multiple institutions and cloud providers. 

“The thing that’s been so exciting about [the alliance] is the intersection of all of these different groups that sometimes are competitive with each other,” Dr. Leek said. “But for this project, one of the people that helped us set it up says this great phrase: cancer is nonpartisan. And so people really put their differences and their competition behind.”

The collaboration is already being applied to difficult questions in oncology. 

“We’re going to use [the platform] to address big questions that our oncologists have, ranging from, how do bone metastases events happen after a metastasis in your body, to what are the biomarkers that will help us predict inhibitor therapies in brain cancers, to the kinds of problems that are thorny around who should get which immunotherapy,” Dr. Leek said.

The project’s origins stem from conversations between Fred Hutch leaders and board members with strong ties to the technology sector. 

“We wanted to do something on a national scale,” Dr. Leek said. “Really, what ended up happening is I called my friends who are chief data officers and data leaders at these cancer centers and said, ‘Do you want to try something like this on this kind of wild ride?’ And then our board members called their friends, who are the CEOs of these major tech companies, and said, ‘Do you want to try this together?’”

Looking ahead, Dr. Leek said he expects the alliance to expand quickly. 

“We’ve already had a ton of inbound interest from other technology partners who want to be part of [the Cancer AI Alliance], who can help us build out new components of our technology platform,” he said. “We’ve seen a lot of interest inbound from other cancer centers and health systems who want to join. The federated model is really appealing, because everybody gets to keep their data sovereign.”

The ultimate aim, he said, is to give oncologists new tools to improve patient care. 

“This platform and what we’re building is hopefully going to enable a dramatic acceleration of that research across all of the different cancer centers involved,” Dr. Leek said. “Ultimately for us, we want to scale to as many cancer centers as want to be part of the network.”

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Somerville, N.J.-based Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset has appointed Anthony Altobelli III, MD, as chief medical officer. 

Dr. Altobelli, a practicing cardiologist, has held the role of interim chief medical officer since fall 2024, according to a Sept. 5 news release from West Orange, N.J.-based RWJBarnabas Health.

He previously served as associate chief medical officer and as clinical chief of cardiology at New Brunswick, N.J.-based Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. He is co-director of sports cardiology for RWJBarnabas Health.

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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 uptake disparities and influencing factors. The metrics evaluated range from coverage rates for various diseases to the share of people without insurance.

Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with 100 representing the most favorable conditions. Final scores were determined based on a weighted average across all metrics. A full methodology breakdown can be found here. 

The new ranking comes as a patchwork of vaccine guidance emerges across the U.S. Limited approvals for updated COVID-19 shots and turmoil at the CDC have prompted a growing number of states to issue their own vaccine guidance, aiming to provide clarity and reduce access hurdles. 

Here are the 10 states that vaccinate the most, along with their overall score, per the report (Note: The ranking included Washington, D.C.): 

1. Massachusetts — 81.95
2. New Hampshire — 71.26
3. Washington — 70.74 
4. Connecticut — 68.67 
5. Rhode Island — 68.17 
6. Vermont — 68.03 
7. Maine — 66.61
8. North Dakota — 61.20 
9. Wisconsin — 60.95
10. Iowa — 60.88

10 states that vaccinate the least: 

51. Mississippi — 13.25
50. Nevada — 27.90
49. Alabama — 29.94 
48. Georgia — 31.40 
47. Kentucky — 32.96 
46. Oklahoma — 33.71 
45. Florida — 34.05 
44. Wyoming — 35.65 
43. Arizona — 36.41
42. Alaska — 36.90 

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Compensation for physician assistants and nurse practitioners varies across specialties, according to a survey conducted by consulting firm SullivanCotter

The “2025 Advanced Practice Provider Compensation and Productivity Survey” draws data from more than 785 health systems, hospitals and physician group practices representing more than 155,000 certified anesthesiologist assistants, certified nurse midwives, certified registered nurse anesthetists, nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

Here are the highest-paid specialties for NPs and PAs, according to survey data shared with Becker’s. The specialties are in descending order, based on annual median total cash compensation, which is equal to base salaries plus annual incentive awards.

Editor’s note: The lists do not include additional premium-based compensation.

Nurse practitioners

Emergency medicine: $155,556

Anesthesiology – perioperative medicine: $154,336

Anesthesiology – pain medicine:  $154,089

Psychiatry – general:  $153,284

Psychiatry – inpatient:  $151,386

Cardiovascular surgery: $151,332

Pediatrics – neonatal-perinatal medicine: $150,977

Thoracic surgery: $149,755

Cardiology – invasive – interventional: $149,269

Psychiatry – outpatient: $149,180

Cardiology – electrophysiology: $149,163

Pediatrics – critical care medicine: $148,265

Radiology – diagnostic: $148,103

Cardiothoracic surgery: $147,039

Medical critical care: $146,401

Pediatrics – hospitalist: $145,741

Neurological surgery: $145,074

Pediatrics – general surgery: $144,980

Occupational and environmental medicine: $144,778

Psychiatry – child and adolescent: $144,677 

Physician assistants

Cardiovascular surgery: $166,250

Cardiothoracic surgery: $164,035

Psychiatry – general: $161,464

Orthopedic surgery – medical: $158,952

Cardiology – electrophysiology: $158,792

Oncology – medical oncology: $155,056

Radiology – interventional: $154,904

Pediatrics – neonatal-perinatal medicine: $154,622

Urgent care: $154,355

Dermatology:  $154,304

Obstetrics/gynecology – gynecologic oncology: $152,705

Emergency medicine: $152,250

Anesthesiology – perioperative medicine: $151,769

Occupational and environmental medicine: $151,222

Pulmonology – critical care medicine:  $150,521

Thoracic surgery:  $150,410

Medical critical care: $150,377

Surgical oncology – general: $148,549

Anesthesiology – pain medicine: $148,426

Vascular surgery: $148,141 

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September is National Preparedness Month, which aims to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for emergencies. The American College of Healthcare Executives advises healthcare executives to actively participate in disaster preparedness for natural and man-made disasters. This advice has never been more relevant as healthcare organizations plan for the 2026 fiscal year. The decreased financial resources from local, state and federal agencies require increased vigilance by healthcare leaders. Due to hospital roles as seminal entities during natural or man-made disasters, our community responsibilities remain fundamental, particularly within growing fiscal limitations. Our preparedness now for the potential of man-made or natural disasters will benefit both our local communities and our workforces as we strive to keep highly reliable and effective operations under all situations.

Five Recommendations for Healthcare CEOs

1. Standardize hospital policy manuals and hospital alert systems across shared health systems. Consider standardization of disaster policies with flexibility to accommodate special considerations by geographies. The National Incident Management System (NIMS) provides consistency within the hospital leadership command through a hospital incident command structure (HICS) during a disaster. However, there is no national standard for hospital alert systems and only 50 percent of U.S. hospitals have standardized codes. Codes Blue, Pink and Silver are no longer standard. Plain language hospital alerts are the industry best practice because they improve clarity, enhance safety and support transparency.

2. Incorporate regional hazards into the hospital Hazard Vulnerability Assessment (HVA) to better inform the NIMS planning cycle. National and regional hazards are often missed in the hospital HVA. Hospitals appropriately direct resources toward the higher-ranking hazards within the HVA. Incorporating state-recognized hazards into hospital planning addresses vulnerabilities in staff training, pharmaceutical availability, specialty materials and personal protective equipment required for the HVA hazards.

3. Ensure all hospital planning includes patients with special needs. Twenty-seven percent of the U.S. population falls into one or more special needs or disability category. Categories of special needs include Alzheimer’s, autism, blindness or limited sight, deaf or diminished hearing, dialysis dependency, homelessness, limited mobility, medically dependent on equipment using refrigeration, oxygen or electricity, mentally disabled, non-English speaking, pregnancy and children. Populations with special needs may have increased vulnerability during a disaster and hospitals need to plan for the varied needs of these populations. Hospitals must also remember to plan for the special needs of first responders, such as the police, fire and emergency medical technicians responding to a disaster.

4. Senior executives and board members should take a visible role during disaster drills. Staff focus mirrors leadership priorities. The time for executives to understand the incident response plan is before the actual event. The chief executive officer (CEO) should designate a senior leader to be accountable for emergency management within the system and hospitals. This senior leader oversees and supports the program before, during and after events. Transparent reporting through the quality structure and discussion at board meetings ensures vulnerabilities and challenges are understood and sufficient resources are allocated to address any problems.

5. Plan to be self-sufficient beyond the 96 hours required by the Joint Commission. While a hospital is not required to continue normal operations during the first 96 hours of a disaster, it must have a plan ensuring resources are managed and services prioritized, specific to the hospital’s size and critical functions. This recommendation is not a supply mandate but rather an attempt to foster awareness. The reality of local, state and federal resource reductions requires CEOs to consider their hospitals’ capabilities and limitations differently, plan for the progressive curtailment of services and identify trigger points for decisions within emergency operations.

Planning now, and following the outlined steps, will help to ensure smooth operations when a hospital is confronted with a crisis.

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Sonja Fulmer, PhD, has been named senior director of health policy at Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic.

She worked at the FDA for the past 11 years, most recently as acting director of the Digital Health Center of Excellence, before leaving the agency in August. She also served as assistant director for digital health policy.

Dr. Fulmer is the second high-ranking HHS official to depart for Mayo Clinic in recent months, joining Micky Tripathi, PhD, the former assistant director for technology policy who now serves as the health system’s chief AI implementation officer.

The post 2nd former HHS leader joins Mayo Clinic appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Houston-based Texas Medical Center launched its third five-month accelerator program in partnership with Innovate UK, welcoming eight medical device startups to its Innovation Factory on Sept. 8.

The cohort includes companies focused on behavioral health, maternal trauma and drug delivery, emergency monitoring, dementia and other neurological conditions, and precision surgical tools. The program is part of the Innovate UK Global Incubator Programme and the TMC–United Kingdom BioBridge.

TMC said the program will provide startups with access to clinical trial infrastructure, mentorship, and resources to support U.S. market entry and commercialization efforts.

Participating startups include CareLoop Health and Safehinge Primera, which are developing technologies to support behavioral health and risk prevention. PeriPear and Calla Lily are advancing maternal health solutions through wearable and drug delivery devices, while ACT Medical is developing tools to reduce fatal blood loss from knife wounds.

Additional participants are OmniBuds, a device monitoring all five vital signs continuously; Neu Health, a platform for monitoring symptoms in Parkinson’s and dementia patients; and Nami Surgical, which is creating miniaturized ultrasonic scalpels for robotic procedures.

“We are excited to welcome this new cohort and look forward to seeing their innovations make a difference at TMC and beyond,” said Tom Luby, chief innovation officer of the Texas Medical Center. “Since the launch of our first specialized accelerator through our Biobridge partnerships, we’ve seen commitment and ingenuity from entrepreneurs tackling complex medical challenges. They understand first-hand the realities of these conditions, and TMC provides a unique place to brainstorm, bring ideas to life, test, and commercialize solutions for impact here and around the world.”

The post Texas Medical Center launches 3rd startup accelerator appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Epic founder and CEO Judy Faulkner gives her employees the same message she delivers to her customers (and gave her kids): “Have fun and learn a lot.”

At Epic’s booth at the annual HIMSS health IT conference, she instructs staff: “Have fun. Enjoy being with your customer. See the other booths, say hello, and get a sense of what’s going on in the industry,” she recalled in a Sept. 8 blog post.

Ms. Faulkner remembered what an employee told her after attending a preconference meeting for a vendor partner: “He said that the other vendor’s staff were told, ‘You have all the right hardware. You have all the right software. You have all the right marketing materials. It’s your fault if you don’t sell, sell, sell.’

“I thought, ‘What a difference.’ We were saying, ‘Have fun and learn.’ And they were saying, ‘Sell, sell, sell.’”

At her executive address at Epic’s yearly Users Group Meeting, she also typically ends with the words: “Have fun and learn a lot.”

The post Why Judy Faulkner tells employees: ‘Have fun’ appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

St. Louis-based BJC Health System has appointed Robert Cannon president of its East Region (BJC HealthCare), effective Oct. 1, 2025, according to a Sept. 4 news release shared with Becker’s.

Mr. Cannon will succeed Nick Barto, who is set to become president and CEO of BJC Health System on the same date.

Mr. Cannon most recently served as group president for the East Region, overseeing Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital, Christian Hospital, Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital, Progress West Hospital and Goldfarb School of Nursing, according to the release.

BJC Health System operates in two regions with 47,000 employees.

The post BJC Health System taps East Region president appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Forty health systems made Forbes’ list of the top employers for tech workers.

The publication partnered with market research firm Statista to survey over 25,000 U.S. tech workers employed at organizations with at least 1,000 employees. The respondents evaluated their employers on such factors as salary, professional development opportunities, workplace flexibility, the ability to express ideas and opinions openly, and being technologically progressive.

Here are the health systems that appear on the Sept. 3 list (and their overall rankings):

7. Cincinnati Children’s

11. Cleveland Clinic

19. Yale New Haven (Conn.) Health

25. Vanderbilt University Medical Center (Nashville, Tenn.)

28. Ochsner Health System (New Orleans)

36. Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn.)

37. Mount Sinai Health System (New York)

43. Penn Medicine (Philadelphia)

50. Northwell Health (New Hyde Park, N.Y.)

70. Universal Health Services (King of Prussia, Pa.)

75. Kaiser Permanente (Oakland, Calif.)

80. Nationwide Children’s Hospital (Columbus, Ohio)

87. Christus Health (Irving, Texas)

94. Banner Health (Phoenix)

100. OhioHealth (Columbus, Ohio)

103. AdventHealth (Altamonte Springs, Fla.)

133. Advocate Health (Milwaukee, Wis.)

163. Mass General Brigham (Somerville, Mass.)

164. BJC Health System (St. Louis)

166. Prisma Health (Greenville, S.C.)

168. Emory Healthcare (Atlanta)

170. Tenet Healthcare (Dallas)

174. WellSpan Health (York, Pa.)

175. Indiana University Health (Indianapolis)

182. Community Health Systems (Franklin, Tenn.)

184. Henry Ford Health (Detroit)

185. Baylor Scott & White Health (Dallas)

186. Allina Health (Minneapolis)

203. Sutter Health (Sacramento, Calif.)

205. Ascension (St. Louis)

207. HCA Healthcare (Nashville, Tenn.)

208. Akron Children’s Hospital (Akron, Ohio)

233. Northwestern Medicine (Chicago)

239. CommonSpirit Health (Chicago)

247. Sanford Health (Sioux Falls, S.D.)

249. Adventist Health (Roseville, Calif.)

255. Intermountain Health (Salt Lake City)

273. Novant Health (Winston-Salem, N.C.)

276. RWJBarnabas Health (West Orange, N.J.)

284. UPMC (Pittsburgh)

The post 40 best health systems for tech workers: Forbes appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Inflation-adjusted CEO pay in nonprofit hospitals climbed between 2012 and 2019, with higher compensation associated with larger size and profits, according to a new study from Houston-based Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.

The study, published Aug. 12 in Medical Care, analyzed more than 1,800 health systems and independent hospitals using IRS 990 and Schedule H tax filings to identify CEOs and their total compensation.

Key findings from the study include:

1. CEO average pay climbed 34% between 2012 and 2019, rising from about $1 million to $1.3 million. By comparison, registered nurses’ average salaries grew 2.3% during the same period.

2. Compensation was strongly tied to hospital size and profits. In 2019, CEOs of organizations with at least 500 beds earned 157% more than those leading hospitals with fewer than 100 beds.

3. Pay was modestly linked to lower mortality and readmission rates, but these quality-related associations weakened over time, the researchers said.

Read the full study here. 

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York, Pa.-based WellSpan Health has appointed Andrew Cochrane as vice president of the health system and president of WellSpan Chambersburg (Pa.) Hospital, effective Oct. 6.

In his new role, Mr. Cochrane will oversee operations of the 274-bed hospital and hospital-based services in the Chambersburg area, with a focus on aligning systemwide safety, quality and care management efforts.

Mr. Cochrane previously served as president and CEO of The Cochrane Group, an organizational and leadership consulting group. His prior roles include leadership positions at Robbinsdale, Minn.-based North Memorial Health and Maple Grove (Minn.) Hospital, where he oversaw 353-bed and 130-bed hospitals, respectively. 

He succeeds John Massimilla, who retired earlier in summer 2025.

The post WellSpan taps hospital president appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Mike Hulefeld, president and COO at New Orleans-based Ochsner Health will step down from the role at the end of 2025 after 27 years with the health system. 

Mr. Hulefeld first joined the system as an administrative fellow and has served in a number of roles, including 13 years as president and COO of the system since November 2022, according to an Sept. 8 news release shared with Becker’s. Prior to 2022, he also served as CEO of Ochsner Medical Center–New Orleans for four years. 

In his role as president and COO, he was responsible for the daily operations across the health system’s 47 hospitals and over 370 health and urgent care centers. During this time, Mr. Hulefeld also spearheaded the establishment of Ochsner MD Cancer Center with seven locations across New Orleans. 

Mr. Hulefeld will remain involved with the health system following the transition, serving as a mentor and educator of Ochsner leaders, the release said. 

Ochsner also named Timothy Riddell, MD, executive vice president and COO. Dr. Riddell has served as the chief medical officer for Ochsner’s Northshore, Mississippi Gulf Coast, Baton Rouge, Acadiana and Rush regions since January. 

The post Ochsner Health president and COO to step down after 27 years appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Christian Pizarro, MD, has joined New York City-based Mount Sinai Health System as chief of congenital heart surgery and director of pediatric cardiovascular surgery. 

Dr. Pizarro is an internationally renowned expert in neonatal cardiac surgery and pediatric heart transplantation. He has spent more than 20 years leading complex congenital heart surgeries and pediatric care, according to a Sept. 9 news release. He joins Mount Sinai from Nemours Children’s Hospital in Wilmington, Del., where he served as chief of pediatric cardiothoracic surgery and cardiac transplantation. 

At Mount Sinai, Dr. Pizarro will oversee the system’s pediatric heart surgery program, with a special focus on neonatal surgery, transplantation and complex cardiac repairs. He will also work to expand services, including valvular and airway reconstruction. 

The post Mount Sinai taps chief of congenital heart surgery  appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

The average CFO’s tenure is 4.7 years, according to a recent report from Crist Kolder Associates.

The executive recruiting firm examines the backgrounds and measures turnover of C-suite executives in a portfolio of 667 Fortune 500 and S&P 500 companies, 9.7% of which are healthcare organizations. Analysts tracked data from Jan. 1, 2015, through July 31, 2025, to compile this year’s Volatility Report.

Here is the average CFO tenure by industry:

1. Financial – 5.3 years

2. Technology – 5.2 years 

3. Services – 5 years

4. Healthcare – 4.8 years 

5. Consumer – 4.5 years

6. Energy – 4.3 years

7. Industrial – 4.1 years 

The post How healthcare CFO tenures stack up against other industries | 2025  appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Provo, Utah-based Revere Health, an independent multispecialty physician group, has shared plans to lay off 177, with a Nov. 3 date of notice, according to a Utah WARN notice.

The notice comes after Revere Health shared plans to partner with Dallas-based IKS Health, a healthcare technology and revenue cycle management firm, The Salt Lake Tribune reported Sept. 9.

Under the partnership, IKS Health will provide tools like machine learning and automated claims processing to manage billing, collections and denial prevention, which will replace staff-performed “traditional manual processes,” according to a news release shared with the Tribune. 

Patient care will not be interrupted by the layoffs, the release said. 

Revere Health was founded by three physicians in 1969. It comprises more than 200 physicians, over 200 advanced practice clinicians, more than 2,500 total employees, and more than $350 million in annual revenue, according to a fact sheet on its website.

Becker’s has reached out to Revere Health for comment and will update this story should more information become available. 

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The healthcare COO role is becoming increasingly complex in today’s healthcare environment. Eighty percent of COOs say their responsibilities have significantly increased over the past three years — but how long are they staying in the role?

Here are six things to know about the makeup of healthcare COOs, according to executive search firm WittKieffer’s analysis of 180 COOs at hospitals and health systems in 2025:

1. The average tenure of COOs is 4.4 years. Nearly 70% were promoted internally, while 33% were hired externally.

2. Sixty-one percent of healthcare COOs are younger than 55. Another 30% are 55 to 64 years old and 9% are 65 or older. The average age is 52.

3. Directly before becoming a hospital COO, 38% were a functional leader in operations, facility services or administration. Twenty-six percent previously served as a hospital COO, 24% were clinical leaders and 12% were general managers, such as CEOs or presidents.

4. Among systemwide COOs, 41% were general managers directly before assuming their current role. Twenty-five percent were COOs at the hospital or health system level, 22% were functional leaders and 12% were clinical leaders.

5. Among hospital and health system COOs, 37% are women and 10% are ethnically diverse.

6. The most common degrees held by COOs within healthcare are Master of Business Administration (50%), Master of Healthcare Administration (30%) and Master of Science in Nursing (13%).

The post The path to the healthcare COO role appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital North has launched multi-year partnerships with Citrus and Hernando County school systems to expand healthcare career education and workforce development.

TGH North — which includes TGH Crystal River, TGH Brooksville and TGH Spring Hill — will invest more than $600,000 over three years, according to a Sept. 8 health system news release. It will support the Academy of Health Careers at Crystal River High School, Citrus County Education Foundation, Health Science Academies at Hernando County Schools and the Hernando County Education Foundation.

Support will include scholarship funding, medical equipment, professional attire and clinical experiences for students. 

“This initiative is about more than funding — it’s about creating real pathways for students to explore and pursue careers in healthcare,” Jennifer Siem, senior director of strategic growth and governmental affairs at TGH North, said in the release. “By investing in these programs, we’re not only supporting education — we’re building a future-ready workforce that reflects the needs and values of our region.

The post Tampa General partners with high schools on career pathways appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

The face of a nurse now appears on a television screen in hundreds of rooms at Jackson, Mich.-based Henry Ford Jackson Hospital. From a command center down the hall, the nurse conducts safety checks, reviews charts and helps patients prepare for discharge — all without ever crossing the threshold.

This new model, known as virtual nursing, is not a futuristic experiment so much as a response to an immediate crisis. Michigan is already short as many as 20,000 registered nurses, according to Eric Wallis, DNP, RN, chief nursing officer of Detroit-based Henry Ford Health, and the average nurse in the state is older than 50.

“We know that a lot of that workforce is going to be moving to retirement age,” he told Becker’s. “What I’m excited about is that this gives some of our nurses the opportunity to take on a virtual role, to not have to be on their feet for a 12-hour shift.”

The system began experimenting with the idea in 2024, asking bedside teams which parts of their work could be shifted to the virtual model. Tasks heavy with documentation — admissions, discharges, chart reviews — topped the list.

“Coming out of the pandemic, there was an incredible workload and burden and burnout and stress that was on our nurses,” Dr. Wallis said. “And so we really were trying to think about, you know, what is that next evolution? What is that next model of care? And really, how do we support our teams?”

When the program expanded this summer, its effect was immediate. According to Wallis, in August — the first full month live across Jackson’s acute care units — virtual nurses spent more than 600 hours on patient calls, completed nearly 25,000 tasks and interacted with about 1,350 patients. More than 200 beds at the hospital are now wired for the technology. Wallis said those numbers translated into hundreds of hours of bedside work lifted off floor nurses — time redirected to bedside care.

For nurses on the floor, the change has been welcome.

“The feedback that we get from our nurses over and over and over again was, this is the best thing that you’ve ever done for us,” Wallis said. “It’s really pretty rare that we get almost 100 percent universally positive feedback on something, and so it’s been really, really well received.”

Patients and families have been receptive as well. Hospital leaders say Jackson’s communication and “likelihood to recommend” scores each rose about four percentage points during the pilot, lifting the hospital’s percentile ranking from the teens to above the 80th percentile nationally.

Virtual nurses also intercepted potential lapses in care. In the program’s first week, they caught eight issues before they became problems, Dr. Wallis said.

“Family members really like having the virtual nurse available for their loved one as well,” he said. “They feel like it’s another layer of safety.”

The technology, developed by Care.ai, links with interactive televisions already in patient rooms. A green light signals when a camera is active; when not in use, it angles toward the ceiling. Henry Ford plans to add features such as fall-risk detection and keyword recognition later in 2025.

Outfitting each room and integrating the technology requires significant upfront costs, though Dr. Wallis said the health system expects to recoup the investment in patient safety gains, nurse retention and labor savings. Clinton Township, Mich.-based Macomb Hospital will be the next site to launch later this year, followed by Wyandotte (Mich.) Hospital and West Bloomfield (Mich.) Hospital in 2026.

Dr. Wallis has begun referring to the initiative as “virtual acute care,” a reimagining of hospital staffing he hopes could expand beyond nursing.

“We’re talking with some of our physician service lines right now about how they can use the virtual technology to make their providers more efficient, to make our pharmacists more efficient,” he said. “We’ve already got a list of at least eight other use cases that we’re working on.”

The post The next phase in virtual nursing appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Troy (Ala.) Regional Medical Center has appointed Steven Lisenby as CFO.

Mr. Lisenby brings more than 35 years of hospital finance experience in Alabama, Florida and Texas, according to a Sept. 8 hospital news release. 

He most recently served as CFO of Northwest Florida Community Hospital in Chipley, a role he began in 2020, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Mr. Lisenby is responsible for overseeing all financial operations of the organization, including hospital and clinic services. His responsibilities also include patient business services, medical records, materials management and accounting, along with statistical analysis, budgeting, strategy development and contract negotiations.

He succeeded Kathy Hill, who returned to her home in the Dothan, Ala., area. Ms. Hill took on the role following the retirement of Mike Myers.

Troy Regional is a 97-bed hospital.

The post Alabama hospital taps CFO from Florida appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Hundreds of healthcare workers across multiple Kaiser Permanente facilities in Northern California began a one-day strike Sept. 8.

Here are five things to know:

1. The strike involves more than 600 nurse midwives and nurse anesthetists across more than 20 hospitals. They are negotiating over issues including “unsafe staffing, burnout, and the risk to patient care,” according to a Sept. 8 news release from United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals.

2. A total of around 1,300 healthcare professionals at Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California facilities represented by the union are on strike. This includes UNAC physician assistants and acupuncturists as well as Local 39 engineers, who issued sympathy strike notices to the health system, a Kaiser Permanente spokesperson said in a statement shared with Becker’s.

3. Kaiser Permanente has been negotiating with the Alliance of Health Care Unions on a new national agreement since May, which includes UNAC/UHCP. The current agreement expires Sept. 30.

“The decision to call for a strike is disappointing given Kaiser Permanente is scheduled to continue our negotiations with UNAC/UHCP on multiple dates in September,” the spokesperson said. “We will continue to bargain in good faith to reach an agreement that is good for our employees and allows us to continue providing high-quality care that is affordable for our members and patients.”

4. Hospitals and medical offices will remain open during the strike and there are “robust plans in place to ensure we can continue to deliver the high-quality care and services our members and patients deserve,” the spokesperson said.

“We’re not only fighting for fair treatment at work — we’re demanding the staffing, resources, and respect that make safe, expert care possible,” Charmaine Morales, RN, president of UNAC/UHCP, said in the release.

5. Kaiser Permanente said its staffing levels have met or exceeded California’s mandated nurse-to-patient ratios.

“In 2024, we added more than 6,332 people to our workforce — including 4,695 in care delivery and 1,684 in Alliance-represented roles,” the spokesperson said. “We are proud that about 92% of our employees in Alliance-represented roles choose to stay with Kaiser Permanente, significantly higher than the national healthcare average.”

The post Hundreds of California Kaiser workers strike appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

The American Hospital Association is calling on federal regulators to launch an antitrust investigation into its claims of drug manufacturers’ actions regarding 340B rebate models. 

In a letter sent to the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice, the AHA accused several pharmaceutical giants of undermining the 340B drug pricing program through behavior the association said may violate federal competition laws. 

Here are five notes: 

1. The AHA argued that major drugmakers, including Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly, Sanofi, Novartis and Bristol Myers Squibb, have imposed new rebate models that restrict access to 340B drug discounts.
2. Under the rebate model, 340B eligible hospitals must pay full price upfront for medications and wait for rebates, a reversal of the program’s initial, upfront discount structure, the letter said. AHA warned the models would result in forcing financially strained safety-net providers to issue interest free loans to wealthy pharmaceutical companies.
3. The letter also outlined a timeline of events when drug companies began announcing rebate models in rapid succession, starting with Johnson & Johnson in August 2024 and other drugmakers following suit shortly thereafter. AHA argued the timing showed a “parallel conduct,” raising concerns under antitrust law.
4. As a result, the AHA urged the FTC and the Justice Department to launch a formal investigation into what it called a “potential antitrust conspiracy” which could threaten the financial stability of safety-net hospitals serving low-income and rural communities.
5. Most recently, the Health Resources and Services Administration launched a rebate model pilot program in August, offering manufacturers the opportunity to propose alternative discounts. In response, hospital groups, including AHA, America’s Essential Hospitals, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and others issued an Aug. 8 letter voicing concerns about the speed and scope of the rollout, urging the agency to extend key deadlines. 

   The American Medical Group Association also recently opposed the 340B rebate model , saying it would undermine the initial program’s intent and jeopardize access to care for millions of vulnerable patients. 

   “Safety-net providers operate on razor-thin margins. The rebate pilot would destabilize these institutions, directly threatening access to affordable medications for patients,” Jerry Penso, MD, president and CEO of AMGA stated in a Sept. 8 letter. “HHS should withdraw the proposal and strengthen the existing upfront discount model that has successfully supported providers and patients for decades.”

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The World Health Organization has updated its Model Lists of Essential Medicines and Essential Medicines for Children, adding drugs for cancer, diabetes, obesity and other conditions. 

Among the additions are GLP-1 receptor agonists semaglutide, dulaglutide and liraglutide, along with tirzepatide, used to treat Type 2 diabetes and obesity, according to a Sept. 5 news release from the WHO. 

Twenty medicines were added to the adult list and 15 to the children’s list, bringing the totals to 523 and 374, respectively. The updated lists include treatments for conditions such as cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, psoriasis and various blood disorders. 

In cancer care, WHO added immunotherapy drugs including pembrolizumab, atezolizumab and cemiplimab. 

A WHO committee focused on medications shown to improve survival by at least four to six months, citing a need to prioritize treatments with a measurable impact, the release said. 

The post WHO adds GLP-1s to essential medications list appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

The Federal Trade Commission on Sept. 5 voted 3-1 to dismiss its appeals in two legal challenges to its 2024 rule banning noncompete agreements in employment contracts.

On Sept. 5, the agency dismissed appeals in Ryan, LLC v. FTC and Properties of the Villages v. FTC and acceded to the vacatur of the noncompete rule, which a Texas federal judge struck down in August 2024. The rule would have invalidated tens of millions of existing noncompete agreements and prohibited employers from entering into or attempting to enforce any new noncompetes.

FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson and Commissioner Melissa Holyoak, who both dissented when the rule was first issued, argued the agency had exceeded its authority, noting the rule would have preempted state laws, voided more than 30 million contracts and redistributed “nearly a half trillion dollars of wealth within the general economy.” 

The commission’s decision follows strong opposition from the healthcare sector. The American Hospital Association and the Federation of American Hospitals filed a friend-of-the-court brief earlier in February urging nationwide vacatur of the rule, arguing it would “create significant distortions in the healthcare labor market because the commission lacks the statutory authority to apply the rule to nonprofit hospitals.”

Chip Kahn, president and CEO of the Federation of American Hospitals, previously described the policy as a “double whammy” for hospitals. “The ban makes it more difficult to recruit and retain caregivers to care for patients, while at the same time creating an anticompetitive, unlevel playing field between taxpaying and tax-exempt hospitals,” Mr. Kahn said in April.

“The ban makes it more difficult to recruit and retain caregivers to care for patients, while at the same time creating an anticompetitive, unlevel playing field between taxpaying and tax-exempt hospitals — a result the FTC rule precisely intended to prevent,” Mr. Kahn said in a statement shared with Becker’s. “In a time of constant healthcare workforce shortages, the FTC’s vote today threatens access to high-quality care for millions of patients.”

The AHA also warned that a one-size-fits-all approach across industries would worsen ongoing workforce shortages.

While the FTC’s rule will not take effect, Mr. Ferguson said the commission under current leadership will continue to pursue enforcement actions against what it views as unlawful noncompete agreements through antitrust laws.

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Cleveland Clinic has opened a new community pharmacy at South Pointe Hospital in Warrensville Heights. 

The pharmacy, located in the South Pointe Medical Office, aims to address growing concerns over pharmacy access in Cuyahoga County’s eastern suburbs, where many neighborhoods have been designated as pharmacy deserts from widespread closures, according to an Sept. 5 news release from the health system. Ohio lost 219 retail pharmacies in the past year, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy reported. 

“This location at South Pointe Hospital helps bridge a gap in care in this region,” Lindsey Amerine, PharmD, chief pharmacy officer for Cleveland Clinic, said in the release. 

Cleveland Clinic now operates 27 retail pharmacies across the region.

The post Cleveland Clinic opens pharmacy to fill care gaps appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Samir Elian, MD, former chief of cardiology at Flint, Mich.-based Hurley Medical Center, has sued the hospital for alleged retaliation after he raised concerns about insufficient care practices and an inadequate quality assurance program. 

In a complaint filed in Michigan federal court, Dr. Elian said one patient died in Hurley’s ICU while awaiting transfer for emergency heart surgery and another died after going into cardiac arrest because the unit had only one working mobile cardiac monitor, according to a Sept. 8 report from MLive. 

Dr. Elian is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, reinstatement and back pay for the “substantial economic injury, loss of goodwill, harm to his business reputation, loss of esteem and standing in the relevant hospital community, and loss of business opportunities” associated with what he called the hospital’s retaliation, the report said. 

Laura Jasso, spokesperson for Hurley Medical Center, told Becker’s that “Dr. Elian’s lawsuit is a collection of false allegations that demonstrate a superficial understanding of cardiac services rather than any semblance of truth. Hurley will aggressively defend his baseless claims and seek sanctions against him for having filed them.” 

Read the full MLive report here.

The post Former cardiology chief sues Michigan hospital appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Kettering (Ohio) Health is reversing plans to replace Kettering Health Greene Memorial hospital in Xenia, Ohio. Instead, the system plans to invest further in the Greene Memorial facility and build a separate outpatient facility for a total investment of about $35 million, according to a news release shared with Becker’s.

As of Sept. 4, the system is awaiting approval from the city of Xenia to build a $26 million, 24,000-square-foot outpatient health center. The new campus would offer primary care, on-demand walk-in care, lab services and imaging while over $10 million will go toward renovations at Kettering Health Greene Memorial.

“We remain committed to addressing the local shortage of primary care and specialist physicians in Xenia,” said Ron Connovich, president of Kettering Health Medical Group, in the release.

Just over a year ago, Kettering Health had planned to replace Greene Memorial. However, the system faced pushback from the city for its $44 million replacement plan. Soon afterward, city officials advocated for Greene Memorial hospital to remain open, even proposing to acquire it earlier in 2024.

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Hospitals nationwide could see annual revenue losses of up to $25 billion through Medicaid losses stemming from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, according to a new analysis from Kodiak Solutions.

The law, passed July 4, cuts about $1 trillion from Medicaid over the next decade, making it the largest reduction in the program’s history. The number of uninsured Americans is projected to grow by 14.2 million by 2034, which includes the 10 million newly uninsured estimated by the Congressional Budget Office due to the legislation’s Medicaid and Medicare provisions, plus the 4.2 million that will lose coverage from the expiration of ACA enhanced premium tax credits.

Five things to know:

1. Kodiak modeled the hospital revenue and profit impact of four Medicaid disenrollment scenarios (5%, 10%, 15% and 20% reductions) in which enrollees become uninsured and shift to self-pay. The analysis is based on data from 2,100 hospitals and 300,000 physicians using Kodiak’s revenue cycle platform.

2. Depending on the scenario, the average hospital would lose between 0.4% to 1.4% of its annual net revenue, or $1 million to $4 million. Collectively, hospitals could see a decrease of up to $25 billion in net revenue annually. Net income for the average hospital could decrease by more than 71%, with a 70% drop in operating profit margin.

• 5% Medicaid disenrollment: $1M+ drop in annual net revenue
• 10% disenrollment: $2M+ drop
• 15% disenrollment: $3M+ drop
• 20% disenrollment: Nearly $4M drop

3. Worst-case scenario: For an average hospital with $278M in net revenue and a 2% margin, net income could fall by 71% to $1.6M, while operating profit margins could shrink by 70%, to 0.6% from 2%.

4. Hospitals will see uncompensated care costs increase by more than $63 billion by 2034 if disenrollment accelerates.

5. Hospitals are encouraged to focus on Medicaid enrollment assistance, expand preventive care services for the uninsured, and prepare for cost reductions or increase payer reimbursement elsewhere to offset the revenue declines.

The post OBBBA impact could cost hospitals $25B a year: Report appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Jesup, Ga.-based Wayne Memorial Hospital said it received a ransom note after a June 2024 cyberattack that allowed hackers to access some patient information.

In a Sept. 7 notice filed with the Maine attorney general’s office, the hospital said an unauthorized party gained access to its network, encrypted some files and left a ransom note on June 3, 2024. Wayne Memorial immediately disconnected its network and took systems offline while working to restore them from backups, according to the letter.

A forensic review found the hackers had access to hospital systems between May 30 and June 3, 2024. Files that may have been exposed contained personal and medical information, including names, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, financial account details, Medicare and Medicaid numbers, medical histories, treatment information and lab results.

The hospital reported that 34 Maine residents were among those affected. While there is no evidence the information has been misused, Wayne Memorial said it is offering free credit monitoring and identity theft protection to those impacted.

In August 2024, the hospital posted a public notice of the event on its website. Individual notification letters were sent on Aug. 27, 2025.

The post Hackers leave ransom note after cyberattack at Georgia hospital appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Pontiac, Mich.-based McLaren Oakland appointed Joseph Zajchowski, MD, as its chief medical officer, effective Sept. 8. 

Dr. Zajchowski most recently served as CMO of McLaren Lapeer (Mich.) Region, a 222-bed hospital. Trained as an emergency medicine physician, he has previously worked at McLaren Northern Michigan in Petoskey, McLaren Flint (Mich.), Kona Community Hospital in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, and Mayo Clinic Arizona in Scottsdale, according to a news release shared with Becker’s. 

McLaren Oakland is part of McLaren Health Care, a 12-hospital system based in Grand Blanc, Mich.

The post Michigan hospital names chief medical officer appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Mass General Brigham, based in Somerville, Mass., and eGenesis have received FDA approval for a clinical trial testing genetically engineered pig kidneys. 

The trial will evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of EGEN-2784, a genetically engineered pig kidney, after 24 weeks post-procedure, according to a Sept. 8 news release from eGenesis. Study participants will be patients who have end stage kidney disease, are 50 or older, are dependent on dialysis and are on the kidney transplant waitlist. 

Cambridge, Mass.-based eGenesis is a biotech company that researches and develops human-compatible engineered organs. EGEN-2784 is the company’s lead candidate for kidney transplantation, according to the release. 

The trial currently includes three patients. The first patient, a 67-year-old man, has surpassed seven months after the transplant, making him the world’s longest-living recipient of a genetically engineered pig kidney. He continues to live dialysis-free, according to the release.

The post FDA greenlights trial for pig kidney transplant appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Jacksonville, Fla.-based Baptist Health has named Sarah Sanders executive vice president and chief consumer officer, effective Sept. 8.

Ms. Sanders will oversee the organization’s marketing, communications, digital strategy, advertising and community engagement, according to a Sept. 8 health system news release.

She most recently served as vice president and chief marketing and communications officer at San Francisco-based UCSF Health, a regional academic health system with seven hospitals. Ms. Sanders previously led marketing and communications strategies for Nemours Children’s Health in Jacksonville.

Baptist Health includes six acute care hospitals and more than 200 ambulatory locations across Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia.

The post UCSF Health executive heads to Baptist Health appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Boston, MA, September 3, 2025: ECG Management Consultants, a leading healthcare consulting firm to health systems, physicians, and investors, today announced the launch of Cipher Collective, a curated marketplace of AI-enabled health technology partners powered by ECG. This launch is designed to deliver efficiency, scalability, and clarity to health systems navigating the complex landscape of AI solutions.

With the healthcare market saturated by disconnected point solutions and uncertain ROI, many organizations face pressing challenges: legal and regulatory considerations, suboptimal technology deployments, and the need to identify AI use cases and related solutions that align with overall strategic goals. Cipher Collective addresses these obstacles head-on, offering a single point of entry to a fully vetted suite of technologies. Each solution is strategically tied to a specific point along the patient-provider journey and fortified by ECG’s strategic advisory capabilities, operational expertise, and implementation leadership.

“AI adoption in healthcare is at an inflection point,” said Asif Shah Mohammed, Partner and Head of Digital Innovation at ECG. “Our clients are eager to unlock the potential of AI, but they’re overwhelmed by the noise in the market and want to alleviate risks. Cipher Collective brings order to the chaos by offering clear guidance on an organization’s AI roadmap with an ROI-focused pathway forward.”

Each initial network member (Alpha Nodus, Azra AI, Janus Health, Mediktor, OpenBots, Reveal HealthTech, and WellStack) offers a best-in-class solution with the proven ability to support high-impact use cases, from digital triage and virtual care pathways to advanced documentation tools, automation, intelligent workforce management, and revenue cycle optimization. Powered by ECG, the Cipher Collective anticipates providing a differentiated go-to-market offering that will target increased revenue, reduced costs, improved access, and an enhanced experience for patients, providers, and staff. 

“Health systems are interested in leveraging AI to improve operational efficiency and patient experience, but it can be difficult to gauge the integrity, impact, and sustainability of each product, and our clients have little room for error considering their thin margins,” said Chris Collins, CEO at ECG. “Cipher Collective is designed to offer our clients a credible hub to examine different solutions through the lens of the health system, not a traditional product transaction.”

About ECG Management Consultants, a Siemens Healthineers Company

With knowledge and expertise built over the course of 50-plus years, ECG is a national consulting firm that is redefining healthcare together with its clients. ECG offers a broad range of strategic, financial, operational, and technology-enabled consulting services. ECG is an industry leader, offering specialized expertise to hospitals, health systems, medical groups, academic medical centers, children’s hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, investors, and payers/health plans. As an affiliated partner of Siemens Healthineers, ECG’s consultants have established a proven track record of delivering results fueled by a unique combination of top talent and tech-enabled solutions.

The post ECG Launches Cipher Collective: An AI Partner Network for Health Systems appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Key Takeaways

• Mainstreaming genetics – Testing now guides real-time treatment.
• New care models – Clinicians empowered, workflows optimized.
• Education & coverage – Training gaps and reimbursement hurdles persist.
• AI with oversight – Scales insights but needs human validation.

Genetic testing is rapidly moving genomics from a niche specialty to becoming more integrated into mainstream clinical practice. Once deployed primarily to diagnose rare and inherited conditions after initial clinical evaluations, genetic insights are now shaping real-time treatment decisions across clinical specialties to benefit patients earlier in their healthcare journeys and to promote delivery of personalized care.

During a recent webinar hosted by Becker’s Healthcare, leaders from Providence’s Swedish Cancer Institute in Seattle, Labcorp, and Gene Pool Media shared perspectives on embedding genetics into everyday care and strategies to expand precision medicine at scale.

Here are four key takeaways from their discussion:

1. Transforming cancer care

Genetic testing has moved beyond academic centers to being reflected in clinical guidelines adopted by a growing number of clinicians. Marianne Dubard-Gault, MD, medical director of Cancer Genetics & High-risk Services at Swedish Cancer Institute, routinely offers genetic testing to patients newly diagnosed with breast, ovarian and pancreatic cancer.

The presence of specific biomarkers or variants in a tumor can affect the treatment sequence or type of therapy a patient receives.

“Targeted therapy is possible because we identified the genetic predisposition or the biomarker in the blood or the tumor, and we were able to tailor and prescribe medication developed for that particular thing and really give people outcomes that we haven’t seen in the past,” said. Dr. Dubard-Gault.

Rebecca Previs, MD, director of medical affairs for oncology at Labcorp, agreed and also highlighted the shift from a one-size-fits-all model to personalized care in ovarian cancer, with somatic and complementary germline testing now central to treatment decisions.

“We have this unique ability to understand a patient’s biology within their own tumor,” said Dr. Previs. “For many patients in the oncology space, including ovarian cancer, both germline [inherited] and somatic [tumor/acquired] testing are at the heart of this paradigm shift.”

2. New models of care

Despite growing evidence of its real-time impact on patient’s health, genetic testing is still often underutilized due to a disconnect between established clinical guidelines and broader real-world adoption as noted by Dr. Previs. She also observes that testing is often not ordered due to inconsistent workflows and limited resources.

“Testing doesn’t happen unless providers know to order the test,” Dr. Previs said. “There are a lot of stakeholders involved for physicians and the multidisciplinary healthcare team. That clinical utility piece is so critical and we have to lead with evidence.”

As genetics becomes an integral part of everyday healthcare, it’s essential to evolve care models to seamlessly support and enable genetic testing. Sarah Young, clinical program manager for oncology at Labcorp, pointed to workforce shortages and that there aren’t enough genetics professionals for every patient. Empowering clinicians to order genetic tests, while reserving genetic counselors for complex cases, has proven effective for the teams she works with.

3. Education and reimbursement remain major hurdles

All panelists stressed the importance of provider education. Kira Dineen, CEO of Gene Pool Media and host of the DNA Today podcast noted that physicians receive little genetics training in medical school.

Insurance coverage also lags behind scientific progress. Dr. Dubard-Gault said she spends up to a third of her time on prior authorizations, which can help minimize financial burden to patients but can introduce delays in initiating genetic testing. Ms. Dineen added that reimbursement gaps create frustration.

One positive development is a new 2025 billing code for genetic counseling that covers preparation and documentation time.

“The ROI is so much better than it was last year because of this new billing code,” Ms. Dineen said. “Hiring a genetic counselor might make you money as opposed to losing money that it used to. We’re specialized in genetics. New codes like the one above help payers, providers and patients alike to streamline healthcare delivery.”

4. The future of genetics

The panelists also discussed the role of AI in genetics. Dr. Previs called AI “a future state tool” that could help scale variant interpretation and patient education. But she stressed that human oversight is essential. Clinicians must be empowered to do their jobs more efficiently, not have their clinical judgment replaced by AI.

While AI can be a powerful tool to help clinicians, Dr. Dubard-Gault cautioned that clinicians should not rely solely on automated analysis. A system created with close collaboration between clinicians and AI developers, with clinicians validating outputs, is key to giving patients peace of mind and helping to improve outcomes.

The panelists agreed that genetic testing should no longer be viewed as exceptional. In order to meet a new reality where genetic insights are part of everyday care, education, reimbursement reform and thoughtful use of technology will be critical to scaling access.

“Genetic testing saves lives,” Dr. Dubard-Gault said. “We don’t always see it because when we do it well, we prevent cancer. We identify that common thread in the family and catch the next cancer before it can even start.”

The post From niche to routine: How genetic testing is reshaping everyday care appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Minneapolis-based Allina Health shut down its infusion unit at St. Paul’s United Hospital on Sept. 5, the St. Paul Pioneer Press and FOX 9 KMSP reported. 

The closure comes after the system told Becker’s it was shuttering four Allina clinics in November to have more efficient use of space and resources. The news outlets also reported how United Hospital’s pain center closed in July.

“Allina Health has made the decision to consolidate our infusion services on our United Hospital campus,” a spokesperson for Allina Health said in a statement to Becker’s. “Allina Health will help patients transition their care to two remaining infusion centers at our United Hospital campus — Allina Health Cancer Institute or Allina Health United Medical Specialties Clinic Infusion Center — or another Allina Health infusion center in the metro area.”

The system did not respond to questions about how many patients will have to transfer their care and how many employees were impacted.

“We will work with impacted care team members to find other positions within the Allina Health system,” the system said.

The post Allina Health shutters hospital infusion center appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Omaha, Neb.-based CHI Health is building its own pipeline of clinical support staff through a new program that offers free training, certification and guaranteed employment to aspiring certified nursing assistants. 

The goal of the CNA Advance Program is twofold: Develop an internal pipeline of highly skilled CNAs and strengthen support for registered nurses at the bedside, according to Jenny Stachura, MSN, RN, chief nursing officer of CHI Health’s Nebraska and Iowa market, which includes CHI Health St. Elizabeth, where the initiative began. 

The three-week training program launched in 2024 and has since graduated more than 50 students. Once participants pass a final exam, they are guaranteed a position at one of five CHI Health in the Omaha metro area.

Becker’s recently spoke with Ms. Stachura, who shared more about the impetus behind the program, how leaders are evaluating its success and plans for expansion.

Question: Can you share a bit about what it took to operationalize the CNA advance program across CHI Health St. Elizabeth, and what lessons have you learned about launching a training-to-employment pipeline within a clinical environment?

JS: Launching the CNA Advance Program at CHI Health St. Elizabeth required significant cross-departmental collaboration and a clear understanding of our workforce needs. We established a dedicated project team, including representatives from nursing leadership, human resources, education and finance, to design and implement the program. A key first step was a comprehensive needs assessment to identify specific clinical areas with high CNA vacancies and to understand the existing skill gaps of new hires.

Recruitment and selection were critical. We targeted individuals with a strong desire to enter healthcare but who might not have had prior clinical experience. This involved community outreach and developing a screening process that assessed interest and commitment.

Lessons learned include the importance of continuous communication and feedback loops between the program team, students and clinical staff. We found that regularly soliciting input helped us refine the curriculum and address any challenges in real-time. Additionally, dedicating sufficient resources for mentorship and providing ongoing professional development for preceptors proved crucial for the program’s success and the retention of our newly trained CNAs. Finally, celebrating milestones and successes, both big and small, has been instrumental in building morale and demonstrating the organization’s commitment to this pipeline.

Q: Beyond graduation numbers, how are you evaluating whether this program is delivering the outcomes the organization needs? 

JS: While graduation numbers are a key metric, we evaluate the CNA Advance Program’s success through several other critical outcomes to ensure it aligns with our organizational needs. Primarily, we track retention rates of graduates within our facility, comparing them to the retention of CNAs hired through traditional recruitment channels. This helps us understand the long-term impact of the program on workforce stability.

We also monitor the performance and competency of our CNA Advance graduates. This includes regular feedback from nursing unit managers and preceptors regarding their clinical skills, adherence to protocols, teamwork and overall contribution to patient care. 

Furthermore, we analyze the impact of the program on specific unit-vacancy rates and staffing levels. Ultimately, the program’s effectiveness is measured by its ability to create a sustainable pipeline of skilled and engaged CNAs who contribute to high-quality patient care and positively impact our overall operational efficiency.

Q: How does the CNA Advance Program fit into your broader strategy for workforce development and nurse retention?

JS: The CNA Advance Program is a cornerstone of our broader workforce development strategy, particularly in addressing the critical need for qualified nursing support staff. It directly contributes to nurse retention by ensuring that our registered nurses have adequate and competent CNA support, which reduces their workload and allows them to focus on higher-level patient care. This, in turn, can mitigate burnout and improve job satisfaction among our nursing staff.

The program also aligns with our long-term talent management goals by cultivating a dedicated internal talent pool. Many of our CNA Advance graduates express interest in pursuing further education to become [licenced practical nurse or RNs, and we support these aspirations through tuition reimbursement and career laddering initiatives. This creates a sustainable pipeline of healthcare professionals who are already familiar with our organizational culture and values.

By investing in this training-to-employment model, we are building a more stable, skilled and engaged workforce from within, ultimately strengthening our ability to deliver high-quality patient care and adapt to evolving healthcare demands.

Q: Are there any plans to evolve or scale the program in the next year? 

JS: Yes, we actually expanded the program this past year to include the five CHI Health campuses within the Omaha metro. By doing so, we have been able to expand the program’s capacity to accommodate more students per cohort, addressing the continued demand for CNAs across the organization. 

We also plan to enhance the career laddering component of the program. Our goal is to not only fill immediate CNA vacancies but also to nurture a long-term talent pipeline for all levels of nursing roles within CHI Health. Finally, we are looking into integrating new technologies or simulation-based training methods into the curriculum to further enhance the practical skills and preparedness of our graduates.

The post Free CNA training program targets staffing gaps, nurse retention at CHI Health  appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

New York City-based NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center has appointed two leaders for its newly established Gastrointestinal Cancer Center. 

Anirban Maitra, MD, and Manuel Hidalgo, MD, will serve as co-directors of the center, according to a Sept. 5 news release from the health system. 

Dr. Maitra is a gastrointestinal and pancreatic pathologist. He previously served as associate director of translational research and as the inaugural scientific director of the Pancreatic Cancer Research Center at Houston-based University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Dr. Hidalgo is a translational researcher and clinical oncologist. He has served in professorial roles at Boston-based Harvard Medical School, Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University, and New York City-based Weill Cornell Medical College. He also served as faculty and director of the ASCO/AACR Methods in Clinical Cancer Research Workshop from 2019 to 2024.

The post NYU Langone launches GI cancer center, appoints 2 leaders appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Sweeping policy changes are reshaping reimbursement and funding, putting unprecedented pressure on operating margins. Hospitals can no longer afford inefficiency in how they manage costly assets like operating rooms, staffed beds or infusion chairs. The stakes are high: patient access, financial stability, and community trust all hang in the balance. For healthcare leaders, the mandate is clear – build resilience or risk falling behind.

Forward-thinking health systems are already acting. By leveraging AI-powered capacity management, they are shortening length of stay, unlocking beds, optimizing operating room (OR) blocks, leveling infusion workloads and demonstrating measurable ROI in the face of tighter regulation.

On September 16–17, 2025, healthcare executives will gather virtually for Transform Hospital Operations Virtual Summit and Transform Infusion Center Operations Virtual Summit, hosted by LeanTaaS in partnership with Becker’s Healthcare. This free, two-day event will bring together more than 7,000 leaders to exchange strategies and real-world case studies on creating sustainable operations.

Driving resilience with intelligent operations

The Transform Virtual Summits will explore practical solutions to today’s most pressing capacity challenges in healthcare. Sessions will highlight how health systems are:

• Reducing emergency department (ED) boarding by treating inpatient flow as an interconnected system
• Unlocking OR capacity through smarter block management and connected surgical workflows
• Using predictive data and automation to streamline discharges, align staffing, and prevent delays
• Balancing infusion workloads to reduce bottlenecks, improve staff satisfaction, and protect patient access

Speakers from Baptist Health Arkansas, University Health Texas, WVU Medicine, Atrium Health, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Providence, Inova Health, MultiCare Health System, OhioHealth, NewYork-Presbyterian, Hartford HealthCare and UCSF Health will share how these strategies are driving results across their organizations.

Two tracks, one vision: resilient operations

Transform Hospital Operations Virtual Summit is organized into two focused days. The first day (September 16) tackles inpatient flow challenges and solutions, with strategies to streamline discharges, reduce length of stay and align staffing with patient demand. The second day (September 17) shifts the spotlight to perioperative operations, featuring proven methods to maximize OR utilization, boost throughput and recover lost surgical volume.

Running concurrently on September 17, Transform Infusion Center Operations Virtual Summit offers a dedicated forum for cancer care leaders. Sessions will showcase how infusion centers are applying AI and advanced analytics to balance patient schedules, ease staff burden and sustain growth.

The time to act is now

Rising labor costs, accelerating demand, and outdated manual processes make it essential to rethink how resources are managed. Data-driven solutions and transformation services provide a proven way to safeguard margins and expand access while reducing administrative strain on staff.

LeanTaaS is at the forefront of this transformation. Its iQueue software suite supports nearly 200 health systems and more than 1,200 hospitals nationwide, using predictive models to reveal hidden capacity, expand access, reduce costs and strengthen resilience.

Healthcare executives ready to stay ahead of these pressures are encouraged to join the Transform Virtual Summits – an exclusive opportunity to learn from peers, discover best practices and shape the future of healthcare operations.

Register today: Transform Hospital Operations Virtual Summit / Transform Infusion Center Operations Virtual Summit

The post The time is now: building operational resilience for a changing healthcare landscape appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Health system leaders are evaluating what new AI tools their organizations should integrate into their Epic EHRs, following several announcements at Epic’s annual User Group Meeting in Verona, Wis.

Epic unveiled a range of new features designed to enhance clinical, administrative, and patient experiences. Available now are tools such as AI for self-scheduling, actionable follow-ups for radiology, AI wound measurement, outpatient denials appeals through the AI assistant Penny, and MyChart Central for early adopters.

Looking ahead, Epic plans to roll out AI-generated notes in early 2026, AI charting for patient education, a digital concierge in MyChart, automated claims follow-up, and a digital AI colleague for clinicians by late 2026. Future updates will include voice agents, real-time authorizations, and automated credentialing.

For health system CIOs, the announcements highlight both opportunity and complexity. At Palo Alto, Calif.-based Stanford Health Care, Michael Pfeffer, MD, CIO and associate dean, said the “depth and breadth of Epic’s infusion of AI into many aspects of their EHR platform stood out” as particularly notable.

Stanford is evaluating the tools through a “responsible AI lifecycle” that reviews fairness, usefulness, and reliability while ensuring alignment with strategic and operational plans. Multiple groups and committees at the health system also assess Epic’s AI tools and roadmap to determine their value, timing and prioritization, and alignment with Stanford’s strategic priorities.

“It’s exciting to see Epic embrace AI capabilities to enhance the patient, clinician, and admin experiences,” Dr. Pfeffer told Becker’s. “You’ll see more automation tools in the short term and more augmentation tools in the mid-term that will continue to transform the EHR experience at Stanford Health Care.”

At Tallahassee (Fla.) Memorial HealthCare, Interim CIO Chris Belmont said Epic’s focus on building its own agentic AI tools could help automate repetitive tasks, such as generating letters for insurance denials.

“Its [the tools] more than a shiny object—it’s valuable and relevant to the operations of healthcare organizations.,” Mr. Belmont told Becker’s. “My biggest concern is how we can keep up with it, but that’s a nice problem to have rather than chasing spot solutions.”

TMH is still transitioning from its March Epic go-live, prioritizing adoption, competency, and trust in the data before rolling out AI capabilities. But it is working with Epic’s team to pick AI solutions that are valuable for its different users.

“We have identified a handful that we want to start with and will spread the work out over time to not overwhelm our IT team or end users,” Mr. Belmont said. “As we move further away from Epic being ‘new’ at TMH, we’ll continue to evaluate and add AI capabilities that make sense for our organization.”

Mr. Belmont said in the future, he believes that Epic will continue to grow their portfolio of AI solutions.

“AI is the most exciting thing I’ve seen in my 40+ years in healthcare,” he said. “As AI becomes more familiar to us all, I hope it gets folded into the solution versus being called out individually as AI. The focus should be on the benefits and the outcomes (the why) instead of the underlying tools.”

He said he’s also interested in the cost model moving forward.

“The investments necessary for AI are tremendous, and how Epic will recoup those investments could be significant to some organizations, including TMH,” Mr. Belmont said.

Overall, Mr. Belmont feels TMH is in a great position to adopt the AI solutions.

“Epic undoubtedly plays a role in our future success,” he said. “We aren’t large enough to put AI solutions together on our own, but with Epic’s help, we can get the benefit without all the burden of building it ourselves. I see it as a speed-to-value opportunity.”

With Epic’s AI portfolio expanding rapidly, health system IT leaders are taking a deliberate approach, carefully evaluating which tools align with organizational priorities, establishing governance frameworks, and planning phased adoption.

The post Health systems navigate Epic’s growing AI portfolio appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

The 2022 merger of Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium Health and Advocate Aurora Health, then dually based in Downers Grove, Ill., and Milwaukee, created one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the country in Advocate Health. 

“We are poised to push past traditional geographic and care delivery boundaries to create a healthier tomorrow for all,” Charlotte, N.C.-based Advocate Health CEO Eugene Woods said at the time. 

Now operating as one entity, the 69-hospital system has more than 162,000 employees and provides care for about 6 million patients across Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina and Wisconsin, with Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the system’s academic core.

Almost three years since the merger, Advocate has tapped two leaders to build a national cancer service line. A daunting task on its own, the service line aims to serve as a replicable care model that establishes a blueprint for providing standardized — and exceptional — specialty care at scale.

Ruben Mesa, MD, and Nike Onifade will lead the Advocate Health Cancer National Service Line as president and senior vice president, respectively. Theirs is a partnership balanced with clinical and administrative experience, with both having spent time at the leadership helm of cancer centers across the U.S. 

Dr. Mesa and Ms. Onifade spoke to Becker’s about their plans for the unified cancer service line, the challenges and advantages brought on by such an expansive system footprint, and what it means to create “The Advocate Way.”

The case for a national cancer service line

“What I’ve learned along the way is that cancer is not only healthcare, it is a mission. And cancer has been a strong part of the mission for our institution as it’s come together,” Dr. Mesa said. 

Each year, Advocate Health cares for about 50,000 newly diagnosed cancer patients in addition to cancer patients already in the system, “making it a very significant activity and area of focus — from research, practice and education,” he said. 

Atrium Health’s Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center, which Dr. Mesa has led since 2023, is one of only 57 NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the U.S. He carries a wealth of insights from his time as executive director of the Mays Cancer Center at the UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center, and as deputy director and chair of hematology and medical oncology at the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center in Phoenix. 

“The origin of the service line is really around the concept of: How do we really work together as one system to decrease the burden of cancer in our communities?” Dr. Mesa said. “And then, how do we bring the innovations, clinical trials and expertise of the system to our patients in a way that is both aligned but also a platform for innovation across the system?”

The answer will be found through what Ms. Onifade calls establishing “The Advocate Way.”

“Fifty-thousand new cancer patients each year, that’s a tremendous number,” Ms. Onifade said. “We feel it’s not just a privilege but also a responsibility for us to align and elevate the way we deliver cancer care across our footprint and the system.”

Ms. Onifade’s administrative background is firmly planted in oncology, having served as division vice president of the oncology service line for both Houston-based St. Luke’s Health, a member of CommonSpirit Health, and the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine, also in Houston, as well as senior director of operations at Pittsburgh-based UPMC Hillman Cancer Center.

“Ruben and I have spent a lot of time traveling to the various regions we now oversee, seeing how care is delivered,” she said. “We’re meeting people who are incredibly passionate about their work and about finding the best ways to care for patients. Their passion is unique to their local markets; it is also tied to our enterprise focus.”

Balancing local and national needs

As Dr. Mesa and Ms. Onifade navigate how to standardize “The Advocate Way” across six states with diverse patient populations and geographic considerations, prioritization has emerged as a key classifier. 

“When we talk about our size and scale — we’re taking care of patients from the South Side of Chicago, to rural Wisconsin, to suburban Georgia,” Ms. Onifade said. 

“While there are very important things for us to align around, [alignment on] other things might be more neutral and [misalignment] on others that might be detrimental,” Dr. Mesa said. “The process of identifying what falls in each bucket is important.”

Dr. Mesa envisions a “team of teams” model, where innovation can occur alongside clinical requirements and expectations. The standards that must remain aligned across the Advocate Health footprint are quality, safety, service and patient experience. 

“Whether a patient presents in Green Bay, Wisconsin, or Greensboro, North Carolina, their expectations around receiving a certain therapy for lymphoma should be the same, as should their access to our clinical trials or the best of our supportive care,” he said. 

“We want patients to get the highest level of care within their home state or city, without needing to fly to a quaternary hub for more complex care,” Ms. Onifade said. “But we also want to leverage the amazing things happening in the communities and provide care curated to that particular community.”

Developing a national cancer workforce at scale

Patient care metrics, quality and safety are not the only elements Dr. Mesa and Ms. Onifade are aiming to align across the system. They also consider unifying the oncology workforce as a crucial component to establishing “The Advocate Way” across the national service line. 

“Right now, our Atrium teams feel very connected, our Advocate teams feel very connected, and our Aurora Cancer teams in Wisconsin feel very connected,” Ms. Onifade said. “Our goal is to bring all of that engagement together under the national service line [and maintain] this community and culture of support.”

Dr. Mesa said he has seen how important it is for organizations to have established engagement structures to maintain the passion and purpose of care teams. He foresees supporting the oncology workforce through training and development opportunities such as tumor boards or specialty councils, as well as initiatives that foster a sense of both local and national community among colleagues. 

“It’s incredibly important to leverage the fact that we have very dedicated, passionate people who love caring for patients, and give them the resources and tools to continue being successful in their roles,” Ms. Onifade said.

A mission for all 

Unlike a standalone institution, Advocate Health’s national cancer service line has system and primary care integration built into its care model. 

Driven by the diversity of its patient population and the system’s overall commitment to clinical innovation, Dr. Mesa and Ms. Onifade said the lessons they learn while establishing the national cancer service line will have broad applicability for other health systems.

“The 50,000 new patients we see, when we compare that with socioeconomic data as well as the types of cancers represented, is a fairly accurate reflection of the national data published by the American Cancer Society,” Dr. Mesa said. 

“And there is an element of cancer in every specialty and every disease group,” Ms. Onifade added. “You can have cancer in orthopedics, in cardiology, in pediatrics.”

“[The Advocate Way is] really a ‘for all’ mission,” Dr. Mesa said. “Regardless of our role in that mission, we will bring the same passion and purpose that we would if our loved one were the person experiencing cancer.”

The post ‘The Advocate Way’: A new model for systemwide cancer care integration appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Atlantic City, N.J.-based AtlantiCare has appointed Kay Yoon-Flannery, DO, as chief of women’s oncology at the AtlantiCare Cancer Care Institute in Egg Harbor Township, N.J..

She will lead alignment of breast, gynecologic and genetic cancer services across the system, according to a Sept. 8 news release.

Dr. Yoon-Flannery previously served as director of quality and process improvement, director of physician engagement, and co-director of the Janet Knowles Breast Center at Camden, N.J.-based MD Anderson Cancer Center Cooper, according to her LinkedIn profile.

The post AtlantiCare appoints chief of women’s oncology appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Rachel Kemp, DNP, MSN, has been named chief nursing officer of Singing River Health System in Ocean Springs, Miss.

Dr. Kemp joins the system from Memphis, Tenn.-based Regional One Health, where she served as vice president of patient care services. Under her tenure, the level 1 trauma center saw a 20% reduction in harm events and maintained a 4% nurse turnover rate, according to a Sept. 4 news release.

Dr. Kemp brings more than 16 years of experience in healthcare leadership to her new role, including eight in executive-level positions. 

Singing River Health System operates three hospitals and a network of outpatient clinics and specialty centers across Mississippi’s Gulf Coast region. 

The post Mississippi system taps chief nurse  appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

Froedtert South and Carthage College, both based in Kenosha, Wis., have partnered to expand the health system’s workforce.

The organizations are offering fully funded certified nurse aide training and guaranteed employment for program graduates, according to a Sept. 5 joint news release.

The Duncan Family CNA Program Scholarship covers the full cost of Carthage’s monthlong CNA training. Each scholarship recipient commits to working at Froedtert Pleasant Prairie (Wis.) Hospital for at least 1,000 hours over a two-year period. Froedtert South hired 13 students from the most recent class.

Since the CNA program launched in January 2024, 182 students have completed training. 

The partnership also includes a $5,000 annual scholarship for students in Carthage’s four-year bachelor of science in nursing program. Both scholarships are funded by Tom Duncan, a retired Froedtert South administrator, and Jan Duncan, who served as a speech and language therapist for more than 30 years.

Enrollment remains open for the winter CNA session beginning in January 2026.

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