NYU Langone Health Is Eliminating Plastics From Food Service
NYU Langone Health is phasing out more than 5 million pieces of plastic serveware, removing roughly 62,000 lb of conventional plastic from its operations. The hospital has already swapped 68% of its bowls, trays and cutlery for paper and bagasse alternatives that decompose in 60‑90 days. The move targets food‑service waste, a major source of microplastic exposure linked to heart disease, infertility and cancer. It also supports the system’s broader aim to slash carbon emissions by 50% by 2030.
Accurate Information Helps Health Systems Compete for Patient Attention
ChristianaCare’s director of patient education, Greg O'Neill, warns that health systems must adopt health‑literacy best practices or risk patients seeking answers elsewhere. The article highlights how clear communication, plain‑language materials, and proactive education can keep patients within a system’s care...
Executive Coaching Helps Leaders Grow Through Discomfort
UVA Health Chief Technology Officer Zeb Elliott credits executive coaching from the Healthcare Leadership Institute, delivered via HIMSS Executive Connect, for surfacing uncomfortable but honest feedback that highlighted gaps in his leadership style. The coaching program prompted Elliott to confront...
NorthBay Health to Take Ownership of Queen of the Valley Medical Center
Providence St. Joseph Health has signed a definitive agreement to transfer ownership of its Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa to NorthBay Health, a locally governed nonprofit system. The deal, with no disclosed purchase price, moves the 60‑year‑old acute‑care...
HIMSS and NHIT Help Develop Global Talent Pipeline
HIMSS and the National Health Innovation Trust (NHIT) have unveiled NHIT INSPIRED, a global initiative that pits student teams against real‑world healthcare challenges. Participants apply artificial‑intelligence tools to deliver quantifiable community health improvements. The program bridges academia, industry and providers,...
Redefining Healthcare IT Certification
At HIMSS26, HIMSS senior vice president Tom Leary outlined a streamlined health‑IT certification framework unveiled by ONC’s Dr. Thomas Keane. The new approach consolidates multiple certification pathways into a single, risk‑based model, aiming to cut approval timelines and reduce costs for...
Active HIMSS Communities Drive Healthcare Industry Progress
HIMSS’s global community of committees, workgroups and task forces, led by senior thought leaders, is translating strategic plans into measurable change across the health‑care sector. By pooling expertise in business intelligence, operations and workforce development, the organization accelerates digital transformation,...
AHA Names Its Preferred Cybersecurity Provider
The American Hospital Association (AHA) has appointed Rubrik as its Preferred Cybersecurity Provider, giving roughly 5,000 member hospitals access to Rubrik’s cyber‑resilience tools and a breach‑recovery playbook. The designation is part of the AHA’s Preferred Cybersecurity & Risk Provider Program...
States' Lawsuit Against HHS Cuts Moves Forward After Court Win
A federal judge in Rhode Island rejected Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s bid to dismiss a lawsuit filed by 19 states and the District of Columbia. The states challenge a March 2025 directive to drastically cut HHS staff and dissolve...
Exploring TEFCA's Potential to Empower Rural Providers
University of Iowa Health Care’s AVP for information systems, Josh Wilda, highlighted that connecting to the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) can enable rural Iowa clinics with limited IT resources to share patient data seamlessly. TEFCA’s standardized network...
AI Can Provide a Concierge for Every Patient
Google’s AI team unveiled an “always‑on” virtual concierge designed to guide patients through care coordination and insurance coverage questions. Powered by large language models, the assistant can schedule appointments, explain benefits, and provide real‑time answers, delivering a personalized experience akin...
CMS Updates Psychiatric and Rehab Payments
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released proposed FY 2027 payment updates for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs) and inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs). CMS suggests a 2.3% increase for IPFs and a 2.4% increase for IRFs, both lower than...
AI Is Speeding up Time to Insight in Value-Based Care
AI is accelerating the time to insight for value‑based care contracts, according to Brian Overstreet, CEO of Arbital Health. Risk‑based agreements generate massive, complex data sets that traditionally require weeks of manual analysis. Arbital’s AI platform rapidly sifts through this...
Skilled Nursing Facilities Get a Proposed 2.4% Increase
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a 2.4% increase to the Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System for fiscal year 2027, derived from a 3.2% market basket adjustment offset by a 0.8% productivity factor. Facilities that...
Payer Denials and Prior Authorization Delays Are Top RCM Concerns
A recent HFMA/Guidehouse survey finds payer denials and prior‑authorization delays are the top revenue‑cycle concerns for hospitals. While 78% of respondents already use AI automation for manual RCM tasks, 59% have not applied AI to the revenue cycle itself. Denials...
