Health systems monitor air quality as wildfire smoke covers Northeastern US

Most health systems contacted by Healthcare Dive did not report significant spikes in patient volumes, but they urged residents to stay indoors as much as possible, especially those in vulnerable groups.

By Emily Olsen • June 8, 2023

Google, Mayo partner to explore generative AI in hospitals

Mayo Clinic, a longstanding collaborator with Google, will be an early adopter of a Google Cloud tool that allows organizations to create chatbots and other search applications using generative AI.

By Rebecca Pifer • June 7, 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

Patients of color disproportionately suffer adverse health events, regardless of hospital safety ratings

Rather than suggesting problems with individual hospitals, the data points to a “systemic issue impacting the quality of care for Black and Hispanic patients and those with public insurance plans,” according to a new Leapfrog report.

By Susanna Vogel • June 7, 2023

FTC urges North Carolina legislators to drop UNC Health antitrust exemption bill

The bill’s sponsor previously told local media that it could give the nonprofit, state-owned system the chance to save struggling rural hospitals.

By Emily Olsen • June 7, 2023

Nonprofit hospitals have decreased charity care spending even as operating profits, cash pools grow

The new study is the latest in a string of research suggesting nonprofit hospitals’ balance sheets benefit from the latitude they have regarding charity care spending.

By Rebecca Pifer • June 6, 2023

Sutter Health names first chief physician executive

Todd Smith will be responsible for delivering systemized service line standards, deepening relationships between medical groups and community physicians, and reducing clinical variation.

By Sydney Halleman • June 6, 2023

How Allina Health is rethinking supply chain spend

The hospital operator is deploying supply chain staff to the front lines, using group purchasing for diversity and building data transparency.

By Deborah Abrams Kaplan • June 5, 2023

Tenet to pay over $29M to settle kickback allegations at Detroit Medical Center

The Department of Justice alleged two DMC hospitals offered the services of mid-level practitioners to physicians in exchange for Medicare patient referrals.

By Emily Olsen • June 2, 2023

BJC HealthCare, Saint Luke’s Health System merge

The Missouri-based health systems closed their merger on Monday, after announcing plans to create a $10 billion health system in May.

By Emily Olsen • Updated Jan. 2, 2024

Medicaid changes, end of COVID emergency hampered hospital margins in April

Inflation and high expenses are placing a burden on hospitals as they recover from COVID-19 challenges. Hospital labor expenses rose 3% in April from March, according to Kaufman Hall.

By Brian T. Horowitz • June 1, 2023

Advocate Health reports 0.1% operating margin in inaugural Q1 earnings

The nonprofit giant formed in December barely made it into the black, after revenue of $7.54 billion squeaked past expenses of $7.53 billion.

By Rebecca Pifer • May 31, 2023

Kaiser pledges $10M to safety-net hospital to stem ‘unprecedented financial challenges’

Denver Health — the largest provider of care for uninsured people in the city — has struggled with rising costs and a surge in sicker patients.

By Sydney Halleman • May 31, 2023

Persistent expenses drove Ascension to $1.8B operating loss

Improving volumes, especially outpatient surgeries and emergency room visits, failed to outpace growing expenses in the nine-month period.

By Sydney Halleman • May 30, 2023

Cleveland Clinic outpaced expense growth to return to profitability in Q1

The health system noted that growing expenses are still a concern, with labor costs like overtime increasing.

By Emily Olsen • May 25, 2023

Providence narrowed losses as patient volumes increased

The Renton, Washington-based health system said inflation, labor shortages, delayed reimbursement from payers and supply chain problems are still affecting its bottom line, but its financial outlook is improving.

By Emily Olsen • May 23, 2023

Intermountain posts $549M profit after revenue grew in Q1

The health system’s expenses, though, climbed 44% to $3.7 billion, with a large portion coming from employee compensation and benefits.

By Emily Olsen • May 23, 2023

What 3 key congressional hearings last week mean for the industry

Political will seems to be rising to address drivers of growing medical costs and poor access to care, according to lawmaker comments on the Hill.

By Sydney Halleman , Rebecca Pifer • May 19, 2023

Mayo Clinic grew profits in Q1, despite rising expenses

The Rochester, Minnesota-based academic medical system reported increased admissions and revenue in the first quarter. Operating expenses also grew, largely due to salary and benefit costs.

By Emily Olsen • May 19, 2023

Pennsylvania unions file antitrust complaint against UPMC

The unions allege that UPMC, the largest private employer in the state, has used its market dominance to stamp out wage growth, “drastically increase” workload and keep workers from departing for other jobs.

By Rebecca Pifer • May 19, 2023

House committee centers blame on PBMs for rising healthcare costs

Conversation about pharmacy benefit management consolidation dominated the hearing, with lawmakers pointing to the middlemen as drivers of high health costs.

By Sydney Halleman • May 18, 2023

House Republicans target Biden admin over hospital price transparency noncompliance

To improve price transparency, the government could consider extending reporting requirements to more provider sites or making compliance a condition of participating in Medicare, witnesses testified in a Tuesday hearing.

By Rebecca Pifer • May 17, 2023

CommonSpirit’s operating losses swell, sparking job cuts

Better investment returns due to a rebound in the financial markets helped mitigate CommonSpirit’s net loss, which reached $231 million in the quarter.

By Rebecca Pifer • May 16, 2023

CommonSpirit taps TrinityHealth executive as new chief strategy officer

Effective June 5, Sheri Shapiro will be responsible for advancing market strategy for the Chicago-based health system, which operates 138 hospitals across 22 states.

By Sydney Halleman • May 12, 2023

Cano divesting non-core assets to bolster cash flow, CEO says

The primary care provider, which has been embroiled in a boardroom fight, is focused on improving profitability in its core Medicare Advantage business.

By Susan Kelly • May 11, 2023

Here’s what will change when the COVID public health emergency ends

Vaccines, which have been crucial to curbing the threat of the virus, will remain free for the vast majority of people in the U.S., but over-the-counter tests will no longer be covered for most.

By Shannon Muchmore • May 10, 2023