Today's Healthcare Pulse
FDA greenlights durvalumab combo for high‑risk bladder cancer
The FDA approved durvalumab (Imfinzi) combined with Bacillus Calmette‑Guerin for BCG‑naïve, high‑risk non‑muscle invasive bladder cancer. The POTOMAC trial enrolled 1,018 patients and showed a 32% reduction in disease recurrence risk (hazard ratio 0.68, p=0.015). Durvalumab is given at 1,500 mg IV every four weeks for up to 13 cycles.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Apogee Therapeutics raises $1.3B royalty financing
BCBS of Minnesota CEO Leaves Sutter Board over Allina Deal
Dana Erickson, CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, resigned from Sutter Health's board on March 15, just before Sutter announced its proposed $26 billion acquisition of Allina Health. Erickson had been recused from any discussion of the deal to avoid a conflict of interest, given BCBSMN’s role as Allina’s insurer. The transaction would create a 39‑hospital system spanning California, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Both organizations said the board departure was intended to preserve governance integrity.
As CMS Expands ACOs, Nursing Homes Push for More Aligned Model as 90% Are Left Out
CMS is broadening its accountable care organization (ACO) portfolio, but more than 90% of skilled nursing facilities remain excluded. Administrative hurdles and misaligned design keep fewer than 10% of SNFs in existing ACOs. Industry leaders propose a dedicated long‑term‑care ACO...
Clinician Endorsement Drives Patient Adoption of Digital Health
I found a Digital Health tool in our patient portal early in my wife's pregnancy. Even though I knew what it was, even though I literally build Digital Health tools for a living - we did NOT use it. Why? Because...
900 Nurses Reach Labor Deal with Northern Light Eastern Maine
Approximately 900 nurses at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center have reached a tentative labor agreement, averting a planned March 23 strike. The contract delivers wage increases of 12% to 17% over three years, expands pay differentials, and imposes a...
UCI Health to Lay Off 150 Workers
UCI Health announced it will lay off about 150 workers, roughly 1% of its staff, as part of a strategic restructuring driven by federal funding cuts and shifting insurance reimbursements. The reductions target administrative, support and operational roles across its...
Humana, CommonSpirit Reach 3-Year MA Agreement, Including Colorado and Texas
Humana and CommonSpirit Health have finalized a national three‑year Medicare Advantage agreement that restores CommonSpirit’s Colorado and Texas markets to Humana’s network. The deal, the result of nearly a year of negotiations, encompasses services, facilities and providers across the health...
Trump's MAHA Pick for Surgeon General Flounders Amid GOP Doubts
President Trump’s nominee for surgeon general, Dr. Casey Means, faces a stalled confirmation as at least four Republican senators voice doubts about her medical credentials and anti‑vaccine positions. Means, a Stanford‑trained physician who never completed a residency and holds an...
WellSpan’s CEO-CFO Power Duo: How 2 Female Leaders Guide the Growing System
WellSpan Health, now a 10‑hospital system after opening Newberry Hospital, credits its rapid expansion to a tightly knit CEO‑CFO partnership. President and CEO Roxanna Gapstur leverages deep clinical and operational experience, while CFO Laura Buczkowski brings 35 years of healthcare...
Florida System Names Chief Communications Officer
Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare has appointed Danielle Buchanan as vice president and chief communications officer. Buchanan previously served as senior marketing director for diagnostic services at Quest Diagnostics and spent nearly a decade leading marketing, communications, and media relations at TMH....
MRI-Guided Ablation as Effective as Surgery for Prostate Cancer Treatment
MRI‑guided TULSA ablation matches or exceeds robotic radical prostatectomy for intermediate‑risk prostate cancer. In the CAPTAIN trial of 211 patients, TULSA halved rates of erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence, eliminated blood loss, and shortened hospital stays. Functional recovery was faster,...
NAACOS to CMS: Bring Innovations From Other APMs to MSSP
The National Association of ACOs (NAACOS) sent a letter to CMS urging the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) to adopt innovations from other alternative payment models. Key proposals include introducing capitation payments, expanding voluntary beneficiary alignment, modernizing quality reporting with...
A Shirtless Man Appeared in Her Elderly Mother's Room. What the Camera Showed Next Was Disturbing
Volunteer piano player Jonathan Michael Alvarado was arrested after a Ring camera captured him inside an elderly resident’s room at La Mirada Heights senior living facility, where he allegedly raped a woman with dementia. The victim’s daughter filed a civil...
Employees Increasingly Prioritize Lower Health Care Premiums
A new Securian Financial study finds that nearly two‑thirds of U.S. employees now rank cost above all other factors when selecting health benefits, driving a surge toward lower‑premium, high‑deductible plans. While these choices shrink monthly payroll deductions, 22% of respondents...
The CFO Behind 2025’s Biggest IPO
Medline, the nation’s largest private medical‑supplies maker, went public in December 2025, raising $6.26 billion at a valuation north of $50 billion, making it the year’s biggest IPO. The offering followed a 2021 leveraged buyout that valued the family‑owned firm at roughly...
CDC Hits Record Number of Volunteers Helping Monitor Global Virus Travel
The CDC’s Traveler‑Based Genomic Surveillance (TGS) program has surpassed one million voluntary participants since its 2021 launch, using anonymous nasal swabs and aircraft wastewater sampling at eight U.S. airports. The effort screens for COVID‑19, influenza, RSV, norovirus, adenovirus and mpox, delivering...
‘These Communities Deserve Better’: Geisinger CEO on Rural Healthcare Challenges
Geisinger CEO Terry Gilliland warned that rural Pennsylvania health systems face mounting pressure as federal HR 1 funding cuts loom. The state received $193 million from the Rural Health Transformation Program, below the $200 million national average, despite housing the third‑largest rural population....
FDA Drug Safety Communication: Avandia (Rosiglitazone) Labels Now Contain Updated Information About Cardiovascular Risks and Use in Certain Patients
The FDA has added explicit cardiovascular risk information, including heart‑attack warnings, to the labeling and Medication Guide for rosiglitazone (Avandia) and its combination products. The revised label restricts use to patients already on the drug or those whose blood sugar...
The Affordable Care Act Turns 16: What's at Stake in 2026 #CareTalk
Sixteen years after its enactment, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) remains a cornerstone of American health policy. In a new CareTalk episode, the host and guests Diane Archer of Social Security Works and Louise Norris of HealthInsurance.org dissect the law’s...
AHA Podcast: Rethinking Primary Care to Support Medically Complex Patients
The American Hospital Association released a new podcast series titled “Rethinking Primary Care to Support Medically Complex Patients,” featuring leaders from John Muir Health, Essentia Health, CommonSpirit Mercy Hospital, Hospital Sisters Health System, Beacon Health System, and the FBI. Episodes...
Advisory Group Conducting Survey on No Surprises Act Good Faith Estimates
The Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI) announced a survey to assess how health‑care providers are delivering good‑faith cost estimates to uninsured and self‑pay patients under the No Surprises Act. The questionnaire, which will remain anonymous, seeks insight into implementation...
More than 41,000 Medical School Seniors, Graduates Matched to Residency Slots
More than 41,000 medical‑school seniors and recent graduates secured residency positions in the latest match, marking the seventh straight year of growth in the resident workforce. The Association of American Medical Colleges reported a modest rise in active residents for...
AI Governance, Veteran Care Among Panel Subjects at HIMSS26
At HIMSS26, a dedicated panel examined AI governance alongside the Department of Veterans Affairs’ initiatives to embed artificial intelligence in veteran care. Speakers highlighted how AI tools can streamline clinician workflows, personalize patient interactions, and accelerate decision‑making. The discussion also...
HHS Finalizes HIPAA Transaction Standard for Health Care Attachments
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a final rule on March 20 establishing a uniform electronic format for health‑care claim attachments under HIPAA, along with mandatory electronic signature requirements. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services projects the...
Four Hatzola Ambulances Torched in Golders Green, Police Probe Antisemitic Hate Crime
Four Hatzola volunteer ambulances were set on fire outside the Machzike Hadath synagogue in Golders Green, London. Metropolitan Police have opened a hate‑crime investigation and are examining a claim of responsibility by the extremist group Harakat Ashab al‑Yamin al‑Islamiyya, amid a...
Market Shifts Powering the Growth of Sterile Injectable Manufacturing
The sterile injectable contract manufacturing market is rapidly evolving as demand surges for both large‑scale biologics and niche, small‑batch therapies. Leading CDMOs are responding by expanding production capacity, building global redundancy, and investing heavily in specialized talent. Development and pre‑commercial...
Skin Regeneration Enabled by Embryonic Healing Mechanism in Mice
Harvard researchers published a Cell study showing that mouse skin can fully regenerate by reactivating an embryonic healing program that normally shuts down after birth. They identified excessive nerve growth—hyperinnervation—driven by fibroblast‑derived Cxcl12 as the key barrier to regeneration. Genetic...
Study Makes Promising Advances in Accurately Diagnosing Sepsis
Doctors at Liverpool and Cardiff University, together with 20 NHS hospitals, completed a large randomized trial of a rapid procalcitonin‑guided algorithm for suspected sepsis. The study of 7,667 emergency patients showed a 17% relative drop in mortality—from 16.6% to 13.6%—equating...
Why Long-Term Lung Risks Persist After Tuberculosis Treatment
Scientists at Singapore’s A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs discovered that tuberculous granulomas persist after standard TB therapy and provide a protected niche for secondary pathogens such as Mycobacterium abscessus. The study, published in Nature Communications, shows that these granulomas shield bacteria...
Delivery Bugs Revealed Zipline’s True Product‑market Fit
Keller Rinaudo Cliffton from Zipline thought making the drones would be the hardest part. It was only 15% of the problem. The company spent 9 months figuring out delivery for one hospital. Weeks of all-nighters. Building inventory software in a...
Brief 5‑MeO‑DMT Trip Yields Month‑Long Antidepressant Boost
One of the most remarkable things about 5-meo-DMT as an antidepressant is that the psychoactive experience is so brief. 10 minute peak, perhaps. 20 min total. And people seldom remember it well. Yet it has possibly the largest anti-depressant effect...
Supporting Therapists' Well-Being May Help Clients Stay in Care Longer
A Boston University study linked therapist flourishing to lower early client dropout. Each one‑point rise in a therapist’s self‑reported flourishing reduced the odds of a client leaving before three sessions by roughly 10%. Burnout showed no significant effect, while therapist...
Cyborg Organoids Sense Glucose, Release Hormones for Diabetes
Bioengineers embedded soft, stretchable electronics into the tiny clusters to create “cyborg” organoids. These can mimic the pancreas, sensing glucose levels and releasing hormones. They could help build replacement cells for people with type 1 diabetes. https://spectrum.ieee.org/cyborg-stem-cell-therapy-for-diabetes
Cardiologists Lag in Lifestyle Guideline Knowledge and Adherence
Cardiologists’ Knowledge and Compliance With Lifestyle Recommendations For CVD Prevention - American College of Cardiology https://t.co/bJr4ddGVHD #CardioTwitter #physicians #MedEd #cardiologists #health #lifestylemedicine
Revenue Cycle as Enterprise Infrastructure: Building Financial Resilience in 2026
Healthcare finance leaders are redefining the revenue cycle as a core enterprise capability rather than a back‑office function. In 2026, organizations must align revenue cycle strategy with overall financial goals, adopt AI and predictive analytics under strong governance, and redesign...
Clinicians Need Insight, Not More Dashboards
Clinicians don’t need more dashboards. They need insight. See what meaningful healthcare data sharing actually looks like 👇 https://t.co/62WYx0HnXu @PointClickCare #VBC #HITSM
Multiple Sclerosis Prevalence Doubled in Two Decades
A new UCL‑Imperial study finds multiple sclerosis prevalence in England more than doubled between 2000 and 2020, rising from 107 to 232 cases per 100,000—a 6% annual increase. The surge reflects earlier, more accurate diagnoses and longer patient survival thanks...
Bariatric Surgery in Adolescents 'Reprograms' Kidney Biology to Promote Recovery
A multi‑institutional study in the Journal of Clinical Investigation shows that vertical sleeve gastrectomy in adolescents with type 2 diabetes and obesity triggers profound molecular reprogramming of kidney cells, leading to functional recovery. Over a 12‑month follow‑up, participants lost weight, improved...
Hospital Audit Finds Siblings of Children with Serious Conditions Are Overlooked, Lack Support
A recent audit of major children’s hospitals in New Zealand and Australia reveals that sibling‑focused resources are scarce, with only a handful of sites offering material directly aimed at siblings of chronically ill children. In New Zealand, only Starship Children’s Hospital returned...
Acetaminophen
Acetaminophen, known as paracetamol outside the U.S., is a ubiquitous over‑the‑counter and prescription pain‑relief and fever‑reduction drug. The FDA emphasizes safe use, capping daily intake at 4,000 mg for adults and teens and warning that overdoses can cause liver failure. In...
New Tongue-Swab TB Test Could Help Eradicate The Disease, WHO Says
The World Health Organization has endorsed a new near‑point‑of‑care molecular test that uses a simple tongue swab to detect tuberculosis in under an hour. Developed by PlusLife on its MiniDock platform, the device costs up to 90% less than GeneXpert...
Improving Heart Health May Not Be Enough to Protect Against Alzheimer's Disease
A randomized trial involving 480 seniors at risk for Alzheimer’s tested whether exercise, intensive vascular risk reduction, or their combination could improve cognition over two years. While participants achieved significant cardiovascular gains—blood pressure fell 13 mm Hg and LDL dropped 24 points—the...
Top 5 Fastest Growing Pharma & Biotech Companies in Europe in 2026
A Financial Times analysis of Statista data identifies Europe’s five fastest‑growing pharma and biotech firms between 2021 and 2024. Italy’s Itaste Medical surged to €18.4 billion in sales, a 2,035% absolute growth, while the UK‑based Grow Group expanded cannabis‑based medicines to...
Retinal Conditions Present Significant Health Care Burden in US
A new meta‑analysis in JAMA Ophthalmology estimates that 21.9 million Americans live with age‑related macular degeneration (AMD), 10 million with diabetic retinopathy (DR), 1.1 million with diabetic macular edema (DME) and 0.9 million with retinal vein occlusion (RVO) as of 2022. Prevalence varies sharply...
Episode 193: Tommy Wood and His New Book Bust the Belief that the Adult Brain Is Fixed
In Episode 193 of STEM Talk, neuroscientist Dr. Tommy Wood discusses his new book, *The Simulated Mind*, which challenges the long‑standing belief that adult brains are fixed and inevitably decline. He explains how modern research shows the brain remains plastic...
Top 3 Medtech Companies to Work for in Asia in 2026, Per Financial Times
Asia’s medtech sector is gaining momentum as Singapore became the first nation to achieve the WHO’s highest maturity level for medical‑device regulation, signaling stronger oversight across the product lifecycle. The Financial Times’ 2026 ranking spotlights three leading employers—Baxter International, Medtronic,...
17 Spine Surgery Firsts in Q1
During the first quarter, leading spine surgeons performed a series of first‑in‑human procedures, showcasing new devices and techniques ranging from a standalone ALIF system to augmented‑reality‑guided resections. Notable milestones included Curiteva’s Inspire ALIF, Dymicron’s Triadyme‑C cervical disc, icotec’s CMORE CT...
Guidance Issued for Conservative Management of Patients with Kidney Failure
The Journal of the American Society of Nephrology released new evidence‑based guidance on conservative management for kidney failure, authored by Susan P.Y. Wong and colleagues. The document outlines three core components—customized CKD care, symptom management, and coordinated care transitions—across varying...
Neuroscience of Vitality and Aging Conference in Boston
The Neuroscience of Vitality and Aging (NOVA) Conference will convene on April 25, 2026 in Boston, bringing together neuroscientists, biotech entrepreneurs, policymakers, and investors for a single‑day interdisciplinary forum. Hosted by the Aging Initiative, the event aims to bridge fragmented...
Corneal Sensitivity Unaffected by Silicone Hydrogel Lenses
A prospective study of 38 new wearers of Biofinity silicone‑hydrogel contact lenses found no statistically significant change in corneal sensitivity over the first six weeks of daily use. Measurements taken at baseline, one week, and six weeks showed stable sensitivity...