Ron Southwick

Baptist Memorial Health Care in Memphis and Arkansas Methodist Medical Center have signed a letter of intent for a merger. Baptist Memorial has acquired other hospitals in recent years.

Prospect Medical Holdings is shutting down Crozer Health and its two hospitals in the Philadelphia suburbs. Staff fear the impact on residents needing care.

While hospitals have focused more on social factors affecting health, less than 1 in 3 emergency departments ask patients about those challenges. Researchers call it a ‘missed opportunity.’

Prospect Medical Holdings announced plans to close Crozer, which operates two hospitals in Delaware County. County officials worry about the loss of services and jobs.

Other providers in the Philadelphia suburbs are planning for an influx of patients seeking emergency care and looking to deliver their babies.

Health systems can make choices to reuse more materials and reduce the amount of waste they generate. Alex Chapman of Stericycle talks about the ways hospitals can improve sustainability and cut costs.

Prospect Medical Holdings, owner of Crozer, said there is no alternative. State and county officials had put in millions to keep Crozer open.

AdventHealth is using more renewable energy and engaging in environmental efforts across the system.

Pediatric hospitals deal with different factors in weather-related events and other emergencies. Terri Wilson of the Children’s Hospital Association talks about the challenges and the need for more planning and support.

The NIH and CDC could see billions in cuts in the draft proposal. The plan could be revised and Congress would still have to approve the spending plan.

Less than half of America’s rural hospitals still have labor and delivery units, raising more concerns of growing maternity care deserts.

More than 50 labor and delivery units have been shuttered in the last decade, for a variety of reasons.

The president’s order to lower prices of prescription drugs could lead to reduced payments to the 340B drug pricing program, hospitals say.

HSHS St. Vincent Children’s Hospital gets in the spirit with its own rookies, the infants in its NICU Unit. Hospital staff aimed to give parents a boost.

After earlier expectations of an uptick in deals this year, health systems appear to be more cautious in an unpredictable economic climate.

A bill in Oregon’s legislature would bar companies from using “nurse” in the title of AI tools. It comes in response to tech solutions billed as handling many of the duties done by nurses.

The Pacific Northwest health system began an initiative to encourage clinicians to choose less costly treatment options. Dr. Arun Mathews talks about the effort and its success.

The new head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says states shouldn’t use Medicaid money for surgeries or hormone treatments in minors.

They have formed a partnership to offer more products and are looking to create a joint MA plan. We talked with leaders from Sutter and SCAN about the collaboration and why they say it can lead to better care for seniors.

Oracle is moving its headquarters to Music City. Stephanie Coleman, CEO of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, sees more healthcare companies coming.

The Medical University of South Carolina board signed off on a plan to build a new cancer hospital in Charleston, along with an outpatient surgery center.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposed a modest bump in payments for inpatient care. Hospitals say the government needs to do more.

Too many women die after giving birth, and more are dying weeks or months after delivery. Dr. Cynthia Chen-Joea of the American Academy of Family Physicians talks about the stubborn problem and what can be done.

The systems have secured their final regulatory approval and expect to close the deal shortly. Northwell will acquire Nuvance, which has struggled financially.

The American Public Health Association’s director calls on Kennedy to step down as the nation’s health secretary. The group cites Kennedy’s staff cuts, reorganization and his refusal to promote vaccination.

With questions about federal spending and economic headwinds, healthcare leaders are grappling with more unknowns, adding complexity to long-term planning.

President Trump has paused tariff hikes on most countries, but they remain in effect on China, which produces key medical supplies hospitals use every day.

Rates of burnout have fallen since the COVID-19 pandemic, but nearly half of all doctors say they’re struggling with burnout.

After years with no measles fatalities, three people have died and hundreds of cases have been reported. Dr. Marschall Runge, CEO of Michigan Medicine, talks about the need to take different approaches.

Only a handful of deals took place in the first three months of 2025, according to a Kaufman Hall analysis. Most involved a provider in financial distress.