Business

UW Medicine and Olympic Medical Center have signed a letter to explore a partnership. Olympic has been facing financial difficulties.

The Federal Trade Commission sent letters to providers and staffing agencies to be sure they are complying with regulations, and says enforcement is a top priority.

The California system has entered a joint venture with Renown Health to operate a health plan and provide outpatient care services.

Amy Mansue, head of Inspira, discusses dealing with poverty, seeing sicker patients, and why Medicaid cuts will make it harder to care for communities.

The South Dakota health system is adding Lewis Drug, a family-owned chain of drug stores. Sanford CEO Bill Gassen says the aim is to improve access for patients in the upper Midwest.

Erik Wexler talks about leading the Catholic health system, the struggle to get on solid financial footing, clashes with insurers, Medicaid cuts, and serving the most vulnerable.

Many organizations don’t have policies to prevent the use of AI without employer approval. Limor Kessem of IBM explains that it’s an area needing more attention.

Baptist Memorial Health Care has reached an agreement to buy OCH Regional Medical Center. The system plans to invest nearly $97 million in improvements.

Higher labor costs and staffing shortages are pushing hospitals to pursue mergers. These are the same pressures that make due diligence more complex.

Most doctors say they are seeing more misinformation from patients, and it’s a bigger problem for rural doctors. Dr. Gary Price of The Physicians Foundation talks about the problem.

Pediatric facilities still haven’t returned to pre-pandemic levels, and Medicaid cuts in the coming years are going to add pressures, analysts say.

Large exercises have value, but still only reach so many people. Health systems should look at ways to reach as many staff as possible, says Michael Wargo of HCA Healthcare.

Large employers are spending more, particularly on prescription drugs, according to the Business Group on Health. Companies are spending more on cancer care and GLP-1 drugs.

Mike Wargo, HCA’s head of emergency operations, discusses the importance of leadership engagement, facing hurricanes and wildfires, and preparing for emergencies that come with no warning.

Dr. Michael Osterholm of the University of Minnesota says canceling research contracts sets back research, and follows other troubling changes in federal vaccine policy.

Oregon Health & Science University says it’s the biggest donation ever to a U.S. college or academic medical center. The Nike co-founder and his wife are longtime supporters of OHSU.

For the first time in years, nonprofit hospitals saw revenues rise at a more rapid clip than the growth in expenses in 2024, according to Moody’s Ratings.

Health systems are eyeing the addition of outpatient facilities, such as ambulatory surgery centers and urgent cares, to enhance patient access.

Nonprofit health systems saw modest gains over the past year, but most systems are barely breaking even, according to Fitch Ratings. Pending Medicaid cuts look to pose more challenges.

The facility, formerly called Children’s Hospital New Orleans, now bears the name of the famed football family. Hospital CEO Lucio Fragoso says the new name has helped with fundraising.

Before becoming chief nurse executive of the Duke University Health System, Theresa McDonnell ran a bakery and cared for loved ones with serious health conditions. She says it’s important to recognize lived experience.

There weren’t many transactions in the first half of the year, but industry analysts expect health systems to pursue more deals in the coming months.

Some health systems are faring better financially so far this year, but performance varies widely. Hospitals are facing higher supply costs, including rising drug prices.

Surgical patients are more likely to survive and they are having fewer complications, according to a new report by the American Hospital Association and Vizient.

Many patients hope that surgery is the fastest way to healing. But the truth is that for most, surgery is not the best solution.