🎯Today's Healthcare Pulse
Updated 25m agoWhat's happening: Telefónica, Vithas and UFV launch quantum‑AI project to design cancer drugs
A joint initiative by Telefónica, Fundación Vithas and the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria applies a hybrid artificial‑intelligence and quantum‑computing model to create therapies for the BRAF V600E cancer mutation. The approach pairs a Long Short‑Term Memory neural network with a Quantum Circuit Born Machine, producing candidate molecules with higher precision than traditional methods.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Hims & Hers acquires Eucalyptus in $1.15B deal
News•Feb 10, 2026
3-Day Hospital Stay Rule for Nursing Homes Fails to Improve Outcomes, Cut Costs, as Researchers Question ‘Rigid’ Thresholds
A JAMA Internal Medicine cohort study of more than 600,000 Medicare hospitalizations found that reinstating the three‑day inpatient rule lengthened stays but did not curb skilled nursing facility (SNF) discharges, improve 30‑day outcomes, or lower Medicare spending. The rule increased the likelihood of a three‑day stay by about 1.1 percentage points, with a larger effect among hip‑fracture and dementia patients. Researchers argue the policy adds costs without delivering its intended savings and suggest it is outdated. They recommend waiving the rule as a starting point for reform.
By Skilled Nursing News
News•Feb 10, 2026
As Medicaid Falls Short for Nursing Homes, Some Providers Turn to Integration Over Selling or Closing
Medicaid reimbursement shortfalls are pushing nonprofit nursing homes toward drastic choices, including sale or closure. In New York, ArchCare, a nonprofit post‑acute system, chose to integrate Wartburg’s 34‑acre senior‑care campus instead, preserving its mission while expanding service breadth. The integration...
By Skilled Nursing News
News•Feb 10, 2026
Dr. Oz Says Drinking Is a ‘Social Lubricant.’ Some Experts Worry About That.
Dr. Mehmet Oz described alcohol as a “social lubricant” while the U.S. dietary guidelines were revised to eliminate the traditional one‑drink‑for‑women, two‑drinks‑for‑men cap. The updated recommendations now only advise Americans to drink “less,” despite evidence that even low‑level consumption raises cancer...
By New York Times – Health
News•Feb 10, 2026
CMS Proposes 2027 ACA Marketplace Changes to Address Rising Premiums
CMS released a proposed rule for the 2027 ACA marketplaces aimed at curbing rising premiums and stabilizing enrollment after enhanced subsidies expired in 2026. The rule would allow non‑network plans to sell on the exchanges, extend catastrophic coverage terms up...
By HFMA – Healthcare Financial Management Association
News•Feb 10, 2026
A Conversation About Nighttime Itch with Gil Yosipovitch, M.D., Dermatology Professor at Miller School of Medicine at the University of...
Researchers at the Miami Itch Center, led by Dr. Gil Yosipovitch, found that nocturnal pruritus spikes due to circadian shifts in cytokines, increased skin permeability, and a modest rise in skin temperature. The study links chronic itch to chronic pain,...
By Managed Healthcare Executive
News•Feb 10, 2026
New Grants Fuel Psychedelic End-of-Life, Palliative Care Innovation
Healing Hearts Changing Minds (HHCM) announced a $566,260 grant program called Walking Each Other Home, supporting seven hospice, palliative and psychedelic care organizations across the United States. The funding will enable clinical trials of psilocybin for brain‑tumor patients, ketamine‑assisted psychotherapy...
By Hospice News
News•Feb 10, 2026
MDMOM: Innovating Around Maternal Health in Maryland
The Maryland Maternal Health Innovation Program (MDMOM), funded with $15.8 million from HRSA, is coordinating data, quality improvement, workforce development, and community engagement across all 32 birthing hospitals in the state. Led by Dr. Andreea Creanga, the initiative has instituted statewide...
By Healthcare Innovation
News•Feb 10, 2026
AdvaMed Names New EVP of Technology and Regulatory Affairs
AdvaMed announced Melissa Torres as its new executive vice president of technology and regulatory affairs, succeeding long‑time leader Janet Trunzo. Torres arrives with more than two decades of FDA leadership, most recently as associate director for international affairs at CDRH....
By Medical Design & Outsourcing
News•Feb 10, 2026
Getting Smart With Virtual Assistants in Healthcare
Mayo Clinic launched an in‑house Nurse Virtual Assistant, a generative AI tool that instantly curates patient records and policy information for nurses. The initiative demonstrates a problem‑first approach, targeting clinician workflow inefficiencies rather than shoehorning technology. The article expands the...
By HealthTech Magazine
News•Feb 10, 2026
Florida Law Models What Genetic Disease Testing Could Be
Florida enacted the Sunshine Genetics Act, creating the nation’s first state‑backed newborn whole‑genome sequencing program. The five‑year pilot will offer free opt‑in testing to 100,000 infants, funded by a mix of private and state resources, and establishes a new Institute...
By CNBC – Health & Science
News•Feb 10, 2026
Respiratory Care, Stroke Care, and Women’s Health: Philips CMO on the Exciting Possibilities in Digital Health
Philips Chief Medical Officer Dr. Carla Goulart Peron outlined the company’s push into digital health, emphasizing expanded CPAP and respiratory solutions integrated with consumer wearables. She highlighted AI’s role in early detection, especially for stroke and women’s heart disease, while...
By Medical Design & Outsourcing
Blog•Feb 10, 2026
Hawley and Warren Introduce “Break Up Big Medicine Act” To Force Separation of Insurers, PBMs and Providers
Senators Josh Hawley and Elizabeth Warren introduced the Break Up Big Medicine Act, a "Glass‑Steagall"‑style bill that would prohibit common ownership of health‑care providers with insurers, PBMs, or drug/medical device wholesalers, forcing divestiture within a year. The legislation targets vertically...
By HEALTH CARE un-covered
Blog•Feb 10, 2026
Iterative Mindset versus AI and GLP-1s: Why Shortcuts Weaken the Brain
The article warns that reliance on AI tools and GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs creates shortcut mentalities that weaken the brain’s motivation circuits. Behavior‑change expert Kyra Bobinet argues that these “easy buttons” prevent the iterative learning process that builds lasting competence. She...
By KevinMD Tech
News•Feb 10, 2026
Baxter Cuts Roughly 90 Jobs at IV Solutions Plant that Recovered From Hurricane Helene
Baxter International announced it is cutting roughly 90 positions at its Marion, North Carolina IV solutions plant, representing about 3% of the site’s workforce. The facility, which supplies roughly 60% of U.S. IV fluids, recovered from Hurricane Helene damage but...
By MedTech Dive
News•Feb 10, 2026
Oracle Expands Cloud SCM Capabilities to Address Complex Needs of Process Manufacturers
Oracle announced new capabilities in its Fusion Cloud SCM suite tailored for process manufacturers. The updates introduce AI‑assisted recipe synchronization, dynamic batch sizing, and granular yield modeling to handle blending, mixing, and batch‑based production. Enhanced traceability features include lot‑specific unit‑of‑measure...
By ERP News
News•Feb 10, 2026
Listen to the Latest ‘KFF Health News Minute’
The KFF Health News Minute, a weekly health‑policy briefing, highlighted a range of pressing issues in February. It noted that the expiration of extra Affordable Care Act subsidies is leaving American farmers vulnerable, while hospitals are launching their own Medicare...
By KFF Health News (formerly Kaiser Health News)
News•Feb 10, 2026
CommonSpirit Health at Home’s ‘Aggressive’ Hospice Growth Strategy for 2026 and Beyond
CommonSpirit Health at Home announced an aggressive hospice growth plan through 2026 and beyond, prioritizing de novo site launches and selective acquisitions. Leveraging its extensive health system network, the organization will shift upstream by using EHR‑based eligibility triggers to identify...
By Hospice News
Podcast•Feb 10, 2026•39 min
Health First’s Carr Weaves Tapestry for Integrated Payer-Provider Platform
In this episode, Michael Carr, VP and CIO of Health First, discusses the organization’s integrated payer‑provider platform built on Epic’s suite, including the provider rollout and the Epic Tapestry health‑plan implementation. He highlights how consolidating nine disparate systems into a...
By healthsystemCIO
News•Feb 10, 2026
CDC's National Firefighter Registry for Cancer Is Now the Largest in the Nation
The episode announces that CDC’s National Firefighter Registry for Cancer (NFR) has surpassed 40,000 participants, making it the nation’s largest firefighter cohort for studying occupational cancer risk. It explains how the registry gathers detailed work histories and links them to...
By CDC Newsroom – Press Materials
Blog•Feb 10, 2026
The “R” In CRO: How and Why CROs Should Harness Open-Source R Software
Open‑source R is reshaping statistical programming in clinical trials, offering CROs a cost‑effective, flexible alternative to traditional licensed tools. Its extensive package ecosystem, combined with RMarkdown and Shiny, enables rapid automation, interactive reporting, and reproducible workflows. While sponsors are increasingly...
By Journal of mHealth
News•Feb 9, 2026
Enhancing Health Data Sharing: Sequoia Project Publishes Guides for Automated Consent & Privacy Alignment
The Sequoia Project released two practical guides on February 9, 2026 to accelerate automated, computable patient consent across the United States. One guide provides model legislative language to align state‑level sensitive health‑data laws with national technical standards, while the second offers...
By Healthcare Innovation
News•Feb 9, 2026
‘The New Normal’: Nursing Home M&A Is Being Shaped by Regional Operators, REITs, and Private Capital
The skilled‑nursing sector entered 2026 with strong occupancy and higher state reimbursements, restoring profitability for many facilities. Financing remains robust, but activity has shifted toward acquiring and refurbishing existing homes rather than new construction. Regional operators are snapping up underperforming...
By Skilled Nursing News
Blog•Feb 9, 2026
💊 Hims & Hers: When the Growth Story Runs Into the Regulator
In this episode Edward Corona dissects the sudden 16% plunge of Hims & Hers Health (HIMS), linking it to a dual blow from GLP‑1 hype‑driven expectations and mounting legal and FDA scrutiny. He explains how lawsuits and regulatory pressure are...
By The Options Oracle (Closing Bell Recap & Premarket)
News•Feb 9, 2026
Skilled Nursing Dealbook: Arizona Nonprofit Sells for $30M-Plus, Viventium Acquires Apploi
Evans Senior Investments brokered the sale of the nonprofit Glencroft Center for Modern Aging in Glendale, Arizona, fetching $30.15 million—about $134,000 per bed—despite a 47% occupancy rate and a 1‑star CMS rating. The deal doubled the seller’s expected proceeds by creating...
By Skilled Nursing News
News•Feb 9, 2026
FDA’s New Guidance on Consumer Wearables Makes the Medtech Market More Complex
The FDA’s new guidance clarifies, rather than rewrites, the line between general‑wellness wearables and regulated medical devices, emphasizing intended use as the decisive factor. By allowing sensor‑rich products to remain unregulated if they avoid medical claims, the agency reduces regulatory...
By Medical Design & Outsourcing
News•Feb 9, 2026
A Guide to Cloud Cost Optimization in Healthcare
Healthcare providers are grappling with rising, unpredictable cloud costs as AI‑driven workloads expand. Experts from AWS and Trend Micro stress a hybrid approach, placing latency‑critical patient data on‑premises while leveraging cloud elasticity for analytics and AI training. Successful cost control...
By HealthTech Magazine
Blog•Feb 9, 2026
Maine: Preliminary 2026 Open Enrollment Data Shows Rising Affordability Challenges for Mainers' Health Coverage
Maine’s state‑run CoverME.gov marketplace reported its lowest enrollment since launch, with 58,523 consumers signing up in 2026 – a 9.5% drop from the previous year. New customer registrations fell 24%, while the share of enrollees receiving Advance Premium Tax Credits...
By ACA Signups
News•Feb 9, 2026
Updated Documentation Requirements in Medicare Could Add Burden on Healthcare Providers
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a regulatory update effective April 13 that expands documentation, face‑to‑face (F2F) and prior‑authorization requirements for Medicare‑covered DMEPOS items. Eight new oxygen‑related codes join the F2F/WOPD list, while seven additional items—five orthoses and...
By HFMA – Healthcare Financial Management Association
News•Feb 9, 2026
Athenahealth and b.well Introduce Patient-Controlled Digital Health Data Sharing at the Point of Care
athenahealth and b.well Connected Health have launched a point‑of‑care workflow that lets patients share their health records digitally via a QR code, eliminating paper forms, faxes, and multiple portal logins. The solution integrates b.well’s patient‑controlled data aggregation with athenaOne, the...
By Digital Health Global
News•Feb 9, 2026
EHR/PM Integration Biggest Satisfier for Ambulatory Software Suites, KLAS Finds
The episode reviews KLAS Research’s 2026 report on comprehensive ambulatory EHR and practice‑management (PM) suites, revealing that integration of clinical and financial workflows is the top driver of satisfaction for ambulatory organizations. The study of 176 providers shows 71% value...
By healthsystemCIO
News•Feb 9, 2026
Expert Insights: The True Cost of a Bad Telehealth Experience
The article argues that relying on "at‑the‑elbow" support to compensate for clunky telehealth platforms hides deeper usability problems. It highlights how bundled EHR video tools often lack essential workflow integration, forcing organizations to spend on training, staffing, and workarounds. These...
By Telehealth.org News
Blog•Feb 9, 2026
The Misleading Chart That Killed the ACA Subsidies
The episode dissects a misleading chart promoted by the Paragon Health Institute that Senate Majority Leader John Thune used to argue against extending ACA subsidies, claiming Obamacare premiums have skyrocketed. Health policy experts, including Brookings senior fellow Matthew Fiedler, explain that the...
By HEALTH CARE un-covered
News•Feb 9, 2026
Health Is Local, Until It’s Not
The healthcare industry still relies on geofencing, which ties patient records to a specific geographic zone, hindering data continuity when patients relocate. This limitation clashes with the push toward national interoperability championed by TEFCA and CMS frameworks. Experts argue that...
By Healthcare Innovation
News•Feb 9, 2026
How Designing with Disability in Mind Sparks Innovation
The article argues that designing products and services with disability in mind catalyzes broader innovation. It cites early examples like the Safety Tub walk‑in bathtub, showing how solutions for seniors sparked new market categories. The authors, a mix of academic...
By Harvard Business Review
News•Feb 9, 2026
New Diagnostics Define Drug Targets for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Beyond
Amprion Diagnostics has commercialized a seed‑amplification assay, SAAmplify‑αSYN, that detects misfolded alpha‑synuclein in cerebrospinal fluid, earning FDA breakthrough‑device status in 2019. The test can identify Parkinson’s, Lewy‑body dementia and up to half of Alzheimer’s cases years before clinical symptoms appear....
By PharmaVoice
News•Feb 9, 2026
CDC Traveler-Based Genomic Surveillance Program Tops One Million Participants, Giving Clinical Labs Earlier Warning on Emerging Variants
The CDC’s Traveler‑Based Genomic Surveillance (TGS) program has crossed the one‑million‑volunteer threshold, marking a major expansion of upstream pathogen monitoring at U.S. airports. Launched in 2021, TGS combines anonymous nasal swabs from international arrivals with aircraft wastewater sampling, leveraging public‑private...
By Dark Daily
Blog•Feb 9, 2026
Strategic Insight: Carbon Health’s Boom, Bust, and Bankruptcy
Carbon Health surged during the pandemic, scaling from a few clinics to over 125 locations across 13 states by leveraging COVID‑19 testing sites and telehealth, and raising more than $600 million in venture capital, including a $350 million Series D at a $3.3 billion...
By Haverin about…
News•Feb 8, 2026
Innovative AI Solutions Sought in National Caregiver Challenge by HHS
The Administration for Community Living (ACL) has opened Phase 1 of its Caregiver AI Prize Competition, a $2 million federal challenge aimed at bolstering the U.S. caregiving workforce. Up to $2.5 million in prize funding will be awarded to as many as 20...
By Healthcare Innovation
Blog•Feb 8, 2026
🩺 Molina Healthcare Deep Dive: When the Math Breaks, the Stock Pays the Price
In this episode, Edward Corona dissects Molina Healthcare’s disastrous earnings report, highlighting a stark mismatch between projected rates and actual costs that caused the stock to plunge over 25% in a single day. He breaks down the underlying financial math,...
By The Options Oracle (Closing Bell Recap & Premarket)
Blog•Feb 8, 2026
Beyond the AI Hype in Health Care Services
The episode cuts through the hype surrounding AI in health care, focusing on real‑world evidence from three recent studies of large language models (LLMs). It highlights that LLMs can improve structured tasks like medication safety when used as a co‑pilot...
By Health Tech Happy Hour
Blog•Feb 7, 2026
Will Oracle Offload Cerner to Fund Datacenters?
A TD Cowen note suggests Oracle could sell its health‑tech unit, formerly Cerner, to finance massive AI datacenter spend. The company faces over $500 billion in capital commitments, including a $300 billion OpenAI contract that alone may require $156 billion in capex. To free...
By Digital Health Wire
News•Feb 7, 2026
DispatchHealth, Saint Francis Health System Launch New Hospital-at-Home Program
DispatchHealth and Saint Francis Health System have launched a hospital‑at‑home program in eastern Oklahoma, allowing patients to receive full or partial acute care in their residences. The pilot currently treats five to six patients daily, with a virtual unit capacity...
By Home Health Care News
News•Feb 7, 2026
Homewatch CareGivers CEO On Engaging Clients Beyond Their Caregiver
Homewatch CareGivers, now operating 302 offices in 43 U.S. states and Latin America, plans to add roughly 40 new locations each year through 2028, targeting markets like Hawaii, Alaska and Maine. CEO Todd Houghton is centering the growth strategy on...
By Home Health Care News
News•Feb 6, 2026
Omega Execs Tout Nursing Home Operator Credit Quality, Predict Strong 2026, Offer Genesis Sale Updates
Omega Healthcare Investors reported a stronger‑than‑expected fourth‑quarter 2025, posting EPS of $0.55 versus the $0.49 consensus and adjusted FFO of $0.80 per share, beating estimates. The REIT lifted its 2026 AFFO outlook to $3.15‑$3.25 per share, slightly above analyst expectations....
By Skilled Nursing News
News•Feb 6, 2026
Next Step Properties Placed in Receivership, iCare Tasked With Interim Operations
Eleven of Next Step Healthcare's fourteen Massachusetts nursing homes have been placed in court‑appointed receivership after landlords reported nearly $15 million in unpaid rent and $3 million owed to lenders. Audits show chronic late payments and inspection failures that jeopardized resident safety....
By Skilled Nursing News
Blog•Feb 6, 2026
Ep. 3 - Appropriations Bill, FTC Settlement and TrumpRx Updates: What We Know So Far
In this 17‑minute episode, Mike and Madison break down three hot federal health‑care topics: the upcoming appropriations bill and its potential impact on pharmacy‑benefit funding, the recent FTC settlement affecting pharmacy benefit managers, and the latest developments surrounding TrumpRx. They...
By HR Benecast
News•Feb 6, 2026
You Don’t Need Your EMR: Inside the Next Phase of Home-Based Care
Tallio’s AI operating system has replaced the traditional EMR at Caring Seasons Health, slashing admission processing from three‑plus hours to just 68 minutes. The platform automates documentation, cutting overall paperwork time by roughly 75% and delivering near‑perfect clean claim rates....
By Home Health Care News
News•Feb 6, 2026
CMS’ Roadmap for Switching to FHIR-Based Digital Quality Measures
CMS announced a roadmap to transition its quality measurement programs from eCQMs to FHIR‑based digital quality measures (dQMs). The agency released draft dQM packages covering 17 inpatient, 4 outpatient, and 49 clinician measures and opened a public comment period through...
By Healthcare Innovation
News•Feb 6, 2026
Epic’s Infection Prevention Module Needs More TLC Than Others, KLAS Finds
The February 2026 KLAS report reveals that Epic’s infection prevention module, Buggy, lags behind all other Epic inpatient products with an overall performance score of 80.6, and shows a stark divide between IT (91.4) and infection preventionist (73.9) satisfaction. Key...
By healthsystemCIO
News•Feb 6, 2026
From Photo Film Maker To Biopharma Giant
Fujifilm Biotechnologies, a subsidiary of the historic photo‑film maker, opened a 150‑acre, commercial‑scale biopharma manufacturing campus in Holly Springs, North Carolina, investing over $3.2 billion. The first phase features eight 20,000‑liter mammalian cell‑culture bioreactors, with a second phase slated to double...
By Chief Executive