FTC loses bid to stop Philadelphia hospital merger

The agency has reached an agreement with Jefferson Health to bar its acquisition of Albert Einstein Healthcare Network until 11:59 p.m. on Monday.

By Samantha Liss • Updated Dec. 15, 2020

As healthcare job growth slows, some look to restructure long-term operations

Providence and Baylor Scott & White are among the big hospitals that issued furloughs or layoffs early in the pandemic and are now further trimming their workforce.

By Hailey Mensik • Dec. 9, 2020

Explore the Trendline➔

Provider burnout

Hospitals are still struggling with provider burnout, after the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated underlying staffing issues and prompted workers to quit their jobs.

By Healthcare Dive staff

People of the Year: Front-line healthcare workers

"There's not an area in this hospital that was not touched, that their service structure wasn't touched by COVID," said Joan Hoch Kinniry, a nurse who also manages advanced practice providers at HUP's medical intensive care unit.

By Hailey Mensik • Dec. 9, 2020

The Healthcare Dive Awards for 2020

This year was unprecedented as healthcare workers around the globe battled the novel coronavirus. From those on the front lines to virtual care standout Teladoc, here are the people and companies that rose to the challenge.

By Healthcare Dive Team • Dec. 9, 2020

Hospitals prepare to reveal prices online come Jan. 1

"Hospitals are generally very compliant. They are rule-following organizations," said Delphine O'Rourke, a partner at the firm Goodwin. But it may be hard for some rural facilities to meet the deadline as they're pressed by the pandemic.

By Samantha Liss • Dec. 8, 2020

Hospitals look to surge protocols as public health officials again issue stark COVID-19 warnings

Despite encouraging vaccine news, top pandemic response official Anthony Fauci warned "we're getting those staggering numbers of new cases and hospitalizations before we even feel the full brunt of the Thanksgiving holiday."

By Shannon Muchmore • Dec. 8, 2020

Sanford calls off Intermountain merger after CEO mask uproar

The proposed union of regional giants fell apart after Sanford's longtime chief left the company following an email to staff alleging he did not need personal protective equipment because he had immunity to COVID-19.

By Hailey Mensik • Dec. 7, 2020

MedPAC mulls cautious approach to bumping hospital pay amid pandemic

Commissioners of the influential advisory group seemed largely supportive of the draft recommendation that calls for a base payment increase of 2% for acute care hospitals.

By Samantha Liss • Dec. 7, 2020

FTC moves to block New Jersey hospital acquisition

It's the third hospital acquisition the agency has attempted to block this year. In each case, it has argued the deal would eliminate close competitors and lead to higher costs and lower quality of care.

By Samantha Liss • Dec. 4, 2020

CMMI rolls out geographic model it calls among 'largest bets on value-based care to date'

The program will enlist direct contracting entities, which can include ACOs, health systems and provider groups or health plans, to take responsibility for the total cost of care for Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries in their region.

By Shannon Muchmore • Dec. 4, 2020

Trump admin rips up inpatient only surgery list, cuts 340B pay

CMS said the move will allow doctors and consumers more choices of where a procedure can be performed, but hospitals have decried the sweeping changes.

By Samantha Liss • Dec. 3, 2020

Intermountain offers glimpse into COVID-19 vaccine strategy for workers

Two Utah health systems discussed their distribution plans, which will target clinicians on the front lines in the ICU or ER, as well as staff who handle waste.

By Shannon Muchmore • Dec. 3, 2020

Hospitals inundated by COVID-19 cases try unique staffing, urge more federal flexibilities

Banner Health predicts it will reach 100% capacity within a week and is "putting anybody who's willing to go back into the healthcare setting in the hospital to work," Chief Clinical Officer Marjorie Bessel said Wednesday.

By Hailey Mensik • Dec. 3, 2020

CDC panel recommends giving first coronavirus vaccines to healthcare workers, nursing home residents

Advisers on the panel cited risk and disease burden as reasons for setting their priority list as initial vaccine supplies will be extremely limited.

By Jonathan Gardner • Dec. 2, 2020

Google launches interoperability program in advance of data-sharing deadlines

The new program, with industry partners and consultancies like Bain and Deloitte, is meant to help payers and providers come into compliance with upcoming, but delayed, federal regulations.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Dec. 1, 2020

CMS expands ability for hospital-level care at home as Thanksgiving surge expected

Six health systems, including Brigham and Women's and Mount Sinai Health System, were immediately granted waivers for the new program to treat more than 60 acute conditions.

By Shannon Muchmore • Nov. 30, 2020

Sanford Health CEO out after two decades following mask controversy

Sanford’s board of trustees and CEO Kelby Krabbenhoft have "mutually agreed to part ways," the major Midwest health system said, following a controversial email Krabbenhoft sent to staff about masks last week.

By Hailey Mensik • Nov. 25, 2020

COVID-19 weighs on Cleveland Clinic's financial performance year to date

The system's net income plummeted to $49.3 million through the first nine months from $1.3 billion a year prior as the virus continues to drag performance. 

By Samantha Liss • Nov. 25, 2020

Hospitals adopt new round of elective surgery restrictions, brace for Thanksgiving COVID-19 surge

The American College of Surgeons is among those placing new emphasis on factoring healthcare worker and surgeon wellbeing into capacity decisions going forward.

By Maria Rachal • Nov. 25, 2020

Fewer, but sicker, patients visit Ascension hospitals in its latest fiscal quarter

After closing out its last fiscal year with a net loss of $1 billion, the giant nonprofit swung to a quarterly profit with net income of $1.2 billion.

By Samantha Liss • Nov. 24, 2020

Mayo reports healthy Q3 profit, but operations remain under stress

Even amid reports that its Midwest unit saw hundreds of employees test positive for COVID-19, the system touted a patient mortality rate from the virus of 0.71%, compared to 4% nationwide.

By Ron Shinkman • Nov. 22, 2020

Kaiser Permanente's earnings bump suggests it's weathering COVID-19

Buoyed by tens of billions in revenue from its health plans and fresh investment gains, the nonprofit appears to be managing the coronavirus crisis better than many of its counterparts that solely operate hospitals.

By Ron Shinkman • Nov. 20, 2020

Banking on acuity: Tenet, UHS execs optimistic about Q4

"On balance, we're not feeling the type of pressure we were feeling in the early days, where you don't entirely know what you're fighting," Tenet CEO Ron Rittenmeyer said this week at Wolfe Research's virtual healthcare conference.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Nov. 20, 2020

Travel nurse demand outpacing supply, with hospitals paying steep rates

Pay increases being offered to staff are based on a variety of factors, including hours and specialty. Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic both reported hundreds of workers out sick from the virus or exposure to it.

By Hailey Mensik • Nov. 20, 2020

Hospitals scramble to get ready for coronavirus vaccines

From ultra-cold storage capabilities to extra security staff, facilities are bracing now for their pivotal role in vaccine distribution.

By Shannon Muchmore • Nov. 19, 2020