Editor's Note Federal officials’ public rebuke of the Coalition for Health AI (CHAI) highlights mounting tensions over who should shape guardrails for artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, Modern Healthcare October 10 reports. As hospitals accelerate AI adoption, industry leaders, regulators, and developers are clashing over how to ensure the technology’s…

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Editor's Note The nursing shortage in California is deepening, with RN vacancies projected to grow from 3.7% in 2024 to 16.7% by 2033, HealthLeaders and KFF Health News October 8 report. The researchers cite inadequate training and retention pipelines, while nurses on the front lines say mismanagement, understaffing, and profit…

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Editor's Note Introducing preassembled surgical trays sharply reduces OR waste and setup time while improving staff workflow satisfaction, Surgeries October 8 reports. The prospective study, conducted in a high-volume German urology center, compared tray-based setups with the “standard approach” for preparation across 64 procedures and found measurable ecological and operational…

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Editor's Note Patients and insurers pay far less for outpatient surgical procedures performed at in-network ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) than at hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs), the American Journal of Managed Care October 6 reports. This study, led by Xiaoxi Zhao, PhD, Christopher Whaley, PhD, and colleagues, analyzed commercial claims data…

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Editor's Note Private equity is driving a quiet but powerful transformation in the $30 billion ambulatory surgery center (ASC) market, heightening risks of higher costs and reduced competition, an October 2025 research brief from the Private Equity Stakeholder Project (PESP) reports. It warns that Wall-Street-backed consolidation and opaque ownership structures…

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Editor's Note The US Department of Commerce has initiated national security investigations that could trigger new tariffs on a wide range of imported medical products, with potentially far-reaching effects for healthcare providers, Reuters September 24 reports. The probes, opened under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, cover…

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Editor's Note Following yesterday’s update on the impact of the federal government shutdown on telehealth and Affordable Care Act disruptions, the shutdown is also straining military health systems, biomedical research, and disease prevention programs, creating ripple effects for patient care and surgical innovation, Politico October 1 reports. While Medicare, Medicaid,…

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Editor's Note A federal shutdown has halted critical healthcare programs, disrupted Medicare telehealth and hospital-at-home coverage, and escalated partisan conflict over the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Medicaid, multiple outlets report, including HealthLeaders October 1 and KFF Health News. The budget impasse reportedly is leaving both patients and providers in…

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Editor's Note According to a Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) analysis, the US healthcare system is in “serious condition,” with affordability collapsing and provider financial risk escalating, HealthLeaders September 19 reports. The group’s new Healthcare Vitals Tracker scored the industry just 35.9 out of 100, compared to a peak of…

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Editor's Note Ascension posted a $917.7 million net income for fiscal 2025 and credits ambulatory growth and tighter spending controls, Healthcare Dive September 19 reports. The nonprofit system reversed a $1.07 billion loss from the prior year and said results reflect “operational discipline,” including improved labor productivity and reduced spend…

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