‘Labordemic’ to continue for nonprofit hospitals into next year, report finds

Expense management will be key for nonprofit hospitals as high labor costs are likely contribute to weaker margins in 2023 and 2024, according to a new report from Fitch Ratings.

By Susanna Vogel • Oct. 4, 2023

75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers begin striking as negotiations continue

Kaiser Permanente workers began striking at hundreds of locations this morning in the largest strike in the industry's history after contract negotiations failed to produce a new agreement.

By Susanna Vogel • Oct. 4, 2023

Explore the Trendline➔

Payer/Provider relationships

As M&A intensifies and companies embrace more holistic and value-based care models, partnerships have become more closely intertwined.

By Healthcare Dive staff

Trinity Health expenses surpassed operating revenue in fiscal year 2023

The nonprofit’s contract labor expenses continued to grow following “unprecedented highs” last year.

By Susanna Vogel • Oct. 3, 2023

Anthem, Bon Secours reach contract agreement through 2028

The new contract puts to bed four years of tense network disputes between the Catholic health system and the Elevance subsidiary.

By Rebecca Pifer • Oct. 2, 2023

AHA urges lawmakers to roll back online tracking tech restrictions

The hospital lobby argued recent guidance limiting third-party tracking technology prevents providers from sharing reliable healthcare information.

By Emily Olsen • Oct. 2, 2023

Inside Kaiser Permanente’s labor relations breakdown

Kaiser Permanente’s novel labor approach allowed for decades of stability, but over a dozen sources familiar with the situation said fractured relationships are straining current negotiations.

By Susanna Vogel • Sept. 29, 2023

Judge greenlights LCMC Health’s $150M hospital buy

A district court judge on Wednesday ruled LCMC Health did not need to undergo federal review for its purchase of several HCA facilities.

By Susanna Vogel • Sept. 28, 2023

Ohio lawmakers propose minimum nurse-to-patient ratios

The state is the latest to propose “safe staffing” legislation in a push to address nurse recruitment and retention.

By Susanna Vogel • Sept. 27, 2023

CommonSpirit lays off 2K, reports $1.4B operating loss

The Catholic health system reported another round of layoffs, this time affecting ancillary, support and overhead positions.

By Susanna Vogel • Sept. 25, 2023

Kaiser unions issue unfair labor practice strike notice as bargaining further breaks down

Leaders of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions announced on Friday that over 75,000 members will strike from Oct. 4 to Oct. 6 if labor and management cannot agree to new contract terms.

By Susanna Vogel • Sept. 22, 2023

Federal agencies propose increase to No Surprises Act administrative fees

On Thursday, the HHS and other departments proposed a rule that would raise the independent dispute resolution process fees from $50 to $150. Last month, a federal court vacated a rate of $350.

By Susanna Vogel • Sept. 22, 2023

CommonSpirit launches value-based management platform for physicians

The nonprofit giant is the latest healthcare organization trying to position itself as an attractive partner for independent physicians who want to transition to value-based payment arrangements.

By Rebecca Pifer • Sept. 22, 2023

The one code Congress must support: G2211

Presidents of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of Physicians argue for reforms in the national physician payment system.

By Tochi Iroku-Malize and Omar T. Atiq • Sept. 22, 2023

Staffing firm American Physician Partners files for bankruptcy

The company said the COVID-19 pandemic, rising labor costs and a “problematic” implementation of the No Surprises Act challenged its finances.

By Emily Olsen • Sept. 21, 2023

Nearly 80,000 Kaiser workers authorize potential strike as final bargaining session begins

Union and Kaiser Permanente representatives have one final negotiation left to work out contract terms. Otherwise, 80,000 workers will strike in what would be the largest work stoppage in the industry's history.

By Susanna Vogel • Sept. 20, 2023

Ochsner Health launches generative AI pilot for patient messaging

The New Orleans-based health system will use generative artificial intelligence to draft messages to patients, which will be reviewed and edited by clinicians.

By Emily Olsen • Sept. 19, 2023

Hospitals share differing medical prices online versus over the phone, secret shopper survey finds

The study raises new questions about the dependability of hospital pricing, and builds on a mountain of research finding wide variance in pricing between different hospitals — and within the same facility.

By Rebecca Pifer • Sept. 18, 2023

Ascension posts $2.7B net loss in fiscal year 2023, driven by rising expenses

Like other nonprofits, Ascension continued to feel the strain of inflationary pressures as expense growth outpaced modest gains in revenue.

By Susanna Vogel • Sept. 18, 2023

How one NYC hospital transformed the patient experience

Find out how an NYC hospital system improved care, enhanced the patient experience and reduced admin staff workload by modernizing the check-in process.

Sept. 18, 2023

65,000 Kaiser Permanente workers vote to authorize strike

Seventy-five percent of healthcare workers represented by the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions have authorized a strike, which could begin as early as Oct. 1.

By Susanna Vogel • Sept. 15, 2023

GE HealthCare partners with Mayo Clinic to accelerate work on imaging and AI

The organizations will apply artificial intelligence to medical imaging and the automation of diagnostic and interventional ultrasound.

By Nick Paul Taylor • Sept. 15, 2023

BCBSA finds wide variety in medical cost by site

Researchers said their data supports site-neutral proposals to make care cost the same regardless of where it’s provided. Momentum is building in Congress around the policies, but they face fierce opposition from hospitals.

By Rebecca Pifer • Sept. 14, 2023

Inflationary labor pressures for nonprofits show signs of easing

Job openings, employee departures and wage growth have declined as health systems continued to add workers to payroll, according to Fitch Ratings.

By Susanna Vogel • Sept. 14, 2023

Lawmakers introduce bipartisan legislation addressing workplace violence in hospitals — again

Despite widespread support from healthcare workers and hospital associations, federal regulations protecting hospital workers have previously failed to advance in Congress.

By Susanna Vogel • Sept. 13, 2023

Providers are increasing spending on IT and software, survey finds

Nearly 6% of executives say they currently have a generative AI strategy, while about half are actively developing one or plan to do so soon.

By Emily Olsen • Sept. 13, 2023