Consumers Increasingly Turn to AI Chatbots for Health Information: Report
A recent Rock Health survey of 8,000 U.S. adults shows that one in three consumers have turned to AI chatbots for health information, a usage rate that has doubled over the past year. ChatGPT dominates the market with a 23% share, while other models such as Gemini and Perplexity trail behind. Only about 5% of respondents use chatbots provided directly by healthcare providers or payers. Experts argue that AI tools are essential to make care more accessible, affordable, and less biased.
Rural New Mexico Hospital Deploys AI Scribe
Artesia General Hospital in rural New Mexico has integrated Microsoft’s Dragon Copilot AI scribe into its TruBridge electronic health record. Physicians report noticeably faster clinical documentation compared with legacy dictation tools, freeing up time for patient interaction. The hospital cites...
136 Hospitals with 5+ Magnet Designations
Approximately 2% of the nation’s 6,093 hospitals have earned Magnet designation five times or more, placing 136 facilities in an elite group. The American Nurses Credentialing Center has recognized 657 hospitals worldwide, with 136 achieving five or more designations and...
UF Health Taps New Vice President of RCM Business Support
Peter Thompson has been appointed vice president of revenue cycle management business support at UF Health in Gainesville, Florida. He previously served as vice president of client services at BuoyFi, a medical‑debt‑management firm, and as executive vice president of business...
57% of Health Systems Rank AI as Top Tech Priority: Report
Health system executives are placing artificial intelligence at the forefront of their technology roadmaps, with 57% naming AI‑based clinical solutions as their top priority for 2026‑27. This surge follows a steep rise from 19% last year, even as 41% of...
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...
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...
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....
‘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....
The Explosion of the Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plan
Special needs plans (SNPs) are emerging as the primary growth engine for Medicare Advantage, with KFF estimating they will account for roughly half of enrollment gains between 2024 and 2025. By 2025, SNPs will cover about 21% of all MA...
We’re Great Thinkers…But Not Rethinkers
Adam Grant warned that healthcare excels at thinking but lags at rethinking, causing organizations to fall behind disruptive forces. He urged leaders to foster psychological safety so frontline staff can surface problems without immediate solutions. The talk highlighted the need...
North Star to Cut Additional Jobs
North Star Health Alliance announced additional job cuts as part of its Chapter 11 restructuring, following a January reduction of more than 100 positions. The health system did not disclose the exact number of employees affected in this latest round....
Oregon Governor Asks PeaceHealth to Delay Contract Switch: 11 Things to Know
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek sent a letter to PeaceHealth demanding a 180‑day delay in the system’s plan to shift emergency‑room staffing from its long‑standing local physicians to Atlanta‑based ApolloMD. The request follows concerns that the deal may breach Oregon’s strict...
Viewpoint: US Nursing Workforce Faces Several Risks
A recent JAMA Health Forum viewpoint warns that upcoming federal budget changes could cripple the U.S. nursing faculty pipeline. Proposed cuts to the Nurse Faculty Loan Program and a new $200,000 cap on federal loans for professional degrees threaten to...
‘The 1980s Called’: CMS to Phase Out Fax, Mail
CMS finalized a rule that phases out fax machines and snail‑mail for healthcare claims documentation, establishing national standards for electronic exchange of clinical records. The Administrative Simplification Final Rule is projected to save the industry about $781 million each year, though...
Aligning IT & Clinical Teams: How to Reduce Friction and Improve Communication
Healthcare IT teams are increasingly pivotal in software assessment, purchase, and implementation, yet friction often arises when clinical and IT priorities clash. Early involvement of IT can surface technical constraints—such as data transfer protocols—before contracts are signed, avoiding costly redesigns....
AI in Pharmacy: Why Pilots Stall at Hospitals
Artificial intelligence is gaining traction in hospital pharmacy operations, yet many health systems remain stuck in small pilots. Dr. Bickkie Solomon argues that treating AI as a narrow IT project overlooks broader operational and governance needs, causing initiatives to stall....
ECU Health Gets Green Light for $138M Expansion
ECU Health in Greenville, North Carolina, received conditional state approval for a $138 million expansion of its medical center. The project will add five new operating rooms—four dedicated to C‑sections and one trauma suite—and renovate existing surgical spaces. The expansion is...
Hospital Ads Increase ED Visits, Medicare Spending: Penn Study
A University of Pennsylvania study links higher hospital advertising spend to increased emergency‑department visits and Medicare costs. A 10 percent rise in ad impressions—about 150 extra spots—adds nine admissions per 100,000 beneficiaries, indicating a 6 percent advertising elasticity. The research combines traditional...
University of Missouri System Names Marketing Chief
University of Missouri System has appointed Jody Mitori as its chief marketing and communications officer. Mitori, who most recently served as executive director of strategic communications at Washington University School of Medicine and previously held five years of marketing leadership...
Providence Explores Sale of Health Plan
Providence, the 51‑hospital system, announced it is evaluating strategic options for its insurance subsidiary, Providence Health Plan, including a possible sale. The move comes as the plan reported a $102 million loss on $2.5 billion revenue last year and a dip to...
Critical Access Hospital Builds Epic Hub for Rural Providers
Aspen Valley Health, a Colorado critical access hospital, has become an Epic host for other rural providers through Epic’s Community Connect program. After abandoning a large‑system partnership in 2017, the hospital implemented Epic independently and now ranks near the top...
Fitch Upgrades Tenet’s Credit Rating
Fitch Ratings upgraded Tenet Healthcare’s credit rating to BB from BB‑, citing a stronger competitive position and improved liquidity. The for‑profit system posted double‑digit revenue growth in its high‑margin ambulatory surgery segment and sold 14 hospitals, funding a $2.1 billion debt...
How Concierge Programs Can Strengthen Revenue, Retention and Patient Satisfaction
Health systems face a "perfect storm" of falling reimbursements, rising costs and physician burnout, prompting leaders to seek new revenue streams. Keith Elgart of Concierge Choice Physicians explained that flexible, hybrid concierge programs can generate additional income while fitting into...
Details Emerge on Mission Hospital’s Immediate Jeopardy Response: 8 Things to Know
Mission Hospital in Asheville received its third immediate jeopardy designation from CMS within two years, prompting the submission of an enhanced plan of correction. The plan, accepted by CMS on February 2, 2026, calls for a root‑cause analysis, a review...
CDC Panel Advises Tracking COVID-19 Vaccine Injuries
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ COVID‑19 Immunization Workgroup has recommended three federal actions to address post‑acute COVID‑19 vaccination syndrome (PACVS), a condition marked by multisystem symptoms persisting beyond 12 weeks after vaccination. The proposals include creating new ICD‑10...
Cleveland Clinic Chief Investment Officer to Exit After 10 Years
Stefan Strein, who served as Cleveland Clinic’s inaugural chief investment officer for more than a decade, will leave the health system on April 10. He is moving to UNC Management Co., where he will assume the roles of president, CEO...
Telehealth Helps Breast Cancer Patients Adhere to Treatment: Study
A recent study in the Journal of Cancer Survivorship found that breast cancer patients who used telehealth were 58% more likely to stay adherent to endocrine therapy than those who did not. Researchers examined claims data for over 1,100 commercially...
Top 20 Hospitals Ranked by Community Benefit Spending: Lown Institute
The Lown Institute released its 2025‑26 ranking of the top 20 U.S. hospitals for community benefit spending, highlighting eight New York and four Texas facilities among the leaders. The methodology blends CMS cost‑report data on financial assistance and Medicaid revenue with...
The Healthcare Roles Least, Most Vulnerable to AI: Washington Post
Researchers at GovAI and the Brookings Institution released an AI‑exposure tool that ranks more than 350 healthcare occupations by vulnerability to automation. The analysis shows healthcare support workers and physician assistants face the lowest risk, while medical secretaries and administrative...
Northwestern Adds 5 Startups to Health Innovation Program
Northwestern Medicine and Techstars have announced the five startups joining the 2026 class of their health‑care accelerator. The 13‑week, mentorship‑driven program will run at Northwestern’s Mansueto Innovation Institute in Chicago, focusing on clinical care, digital health, therapeutics and AI. Selected...
BCBS Study: Hospital AI Billing Tools May Be Driving up Healthcare Costs by Billions
Blue Cross Blue Shield’s new study links hospital AI billing tools to a sharp rise in maternity‑related costs. Analyzing tens of thousands of inpatient claims, the research found acute post‑hemorrhagic anemia diagnoses tripled at the top 10% of hospitals without...
CMS Moves Forward with 3rd Round of Medicare Drug Negotiations
CMS announced that the third round of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program will proceed with full manufacturer participation, covering 15 high‑cost, single‑source drugs and one drug slated for renegotiation. The agency will issue initial price offers by June 1, 2026,...
HCA’s Highest-Earning Executives in 2025
HCA Healthcare reported $6.8 billion net income on $75.6 billion revenue in 2025, driving a $0.7 billion rise in total executive compensation to $32.9 billion. CEO Sam Hazen’s pay jumped $2.7 million, reaching $26.46 million, while the five highest‑earning officers collectively earned over $53 million. The company...
Why some Health System CEOs Are Opting Out of Cross-Market Expansion
Health system CEOs are increasingly choosing to deepen services within their existing footprints rather than pursue cross‑market mergers. California’s stringent oversight and seismic safety mandates make out‑of‑state acquisitions financially risky for Scripps Health. Valleywise Health and Saint Francis Health System...
Piedmont, Encompass Tap CEO for Planned Georgia Hospital
Tom Morris has been appointed chief executive officer of Eastside Rehabilitation Hospital, a 40‑bed inpatient rehab facility under construction in Loganville, Georgia, slated to open in June. The hospital is a joint venture between Encompass Health and Piedmont, marking Encompass’s...
600 Workers Reach Labor Deal with Kaiser
The International Union of Operating Engineers reached a tentative contract with Kaiser Permanente covering about 600 maintenance workers across Southern California, the Mid‑Atlantic and Colorado. The agreement, involving IUOE Locals 501, 99 and 1, provides a 21.5% wage increase over...
Vanderbilt Health President, CEO to Retire
Jeff Balser, MD, PhD, will retire on Dec. 31 after 17 years as president and CEO of Vanderbilt Health and dean of Vanderbilt University’s School of Medicine. During his tenure the system grew from a four‑hospital, $2.3 billion revenue network to...
Hospital Margins Take a Dive
U.S. hospitals entered 2026 with operating margins at a 12‑month low, slipping to –0.6% for health systems and a 3.1‑point decline for individual hospitals. Patient demand and revenue growth slowed, especially in inpatient and emergency settings, while expense growth outpaced...
3 Healthcare Roles Bucking Hiring Trends for Younger Workers
A Stanford study using ADP payroll data finds that workers aged 22‑25 in occupations most exposed to generative AI saw a 16% relative employment decline, while older workers in the same roles remained stable. By contrast, younger workers in healthcare...
Data Breach at NYC Health + Hospitals Partner Exposes Info of 5,086 Patients
A data breach at NADAP, a care‑management partner of NYC Health + Hospitals, exposed protected health information for 5,086 patients. The unauthorized access occurred around Nov. 26, 2025 and was discovered on Jan. 10, 2026, with the health system notified...
MSU Health Care’s CMO on the Biggest Barrier to Sustained Quality Improvement
MSU Health Care’s new chief medical officer, Dr. Mark Smith, says clinician burnout and disengagement are the biggest barriers to sustained quality and safety improvements. He emphasizes that addressing workforce wellness, building a culture of trust, and reducing administrative burdens...
Arkansas Hospital Taps Chief Nurse
Heather Hornbuckle, RN, has been appointed chief nursing officer of Southwest Arkansas Regional Medical Center, a 25‑bed critical access hospital in Hope, Arkansas. Hornbuckle brings more than two decades of nursing leadership and bedside experience to the role. She will...
UF Health CNO: Why a 7-Day Hiring Cycle Is Crucial
UF Health appointed Janice Walker as its inaugural chief nursing officer and introduced a seven‑day recruitment cycle to prevent losing qualified nurses. Walker frames slow hiring as a "never event," shifting the process from employer‑centric to candidate‑centric. The model relies...
Georgia System to Add 100 Residency Positions
St. Joseph’s/Candler health system in Savannah will launch a new residency program offering 103 positions across internal medicine, family medicine, cardiovascular disease fellowship, and general surgery. The initiative is backed by nearly $17 million in state funding approved in the 2026...
Hospital Expenses Grew Twice as Fast as Prices in 2025: 4 AHA Findings
American hospitals' operating expenses surged 7.5% in 2025, more than double the growth rate of hospital prices. The AHA report highlights sharp increases in drug costs (13.6%), medical supplies (9.9%), and workforce compensation, which now accounts for roughly 60% of...
Microsoft: AI Tools Now Handle 50M Health Questions Daily
Microsoft reported that its consumer AI tools, including Bing and Copilot, now field more than 50 million health‑related questions each day. An analysis of over 500,000 anonymized health conversations in January 2026 showed health is the top topic on mobile devices,...