Nearly half of US physicians now work for large systems: GAO links consolidation to higher costs
Editor's Note Physician independence continues to decline as hospitals, insurers, and private equity firms expand their ownership of medical practices, according to a US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report published on September 22. The report found that 47% of physicians were employed by or affiliated with hospital systems in 2024,…
Spine surgeon shortage deepens as consolidation, site shifts reshape ASC markets
Editor's Note Hiring for spinal procedures are tightening and consolidation is accelerating, reshaping where and how ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) secure talent, Becker’s Spine Review October 3 reports. A mounting orthopedic shortage exceeding 5,000 by year-end is making spine one of the hardest specialties to recruit, with timelines stretching and…
Healthcare job gain in August offset by losses in federal government, other industries
Editor's Note Healthcare employment in the US rose by 31,000 from August to September, according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), released on September 5. However, this “job gain…was partially offset by losses in [the] federal government and in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas…
Survey: Staffing problems increase as surgical volume continues to rise
Takeaways • Most respondents reported an increase in the percentage of open positions for RNs and STs compared to 12 months ago. • Most respondents struggle to hire experienced RNs, yet time-to-fill positions has dropped, suggesting rapid but possibly unsustainable staffing shifts. • Leadership is getting younger (average age 38),…
Healthcare employment up in July
Editor's Note Healthcare employment in the US rose by 55,000 from July to August, according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), released on August 1. Higher than the average over the prior 12 months of 42,000, the rise in healthcare employment compares to an overall…
FDA inspections slow as support staff layoffs strain overseas oversight
Editor's Note Logistical staff layoffs at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are hindering the agency’s ability to scrutinize drug manufacturing safety in foreign countries, according to a July 7 report in ProPublica. A spokesperson from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) told ProPublica that FDA…
Health systems slash jobs amid mounting financial pressures
Editor's Note A recent report in Becker’s Hospital Review outlines six recent examples of hospitals and health systems laying off workers in response to deepening financial strain. In a separate report, the outlet listed 11 hospitals and health systems that received credit rating downgrades from Fitch Ratings or Moody’s Investors…
How gender norms shape perioperative nurse career paths
Before Florence Nightingale revolutionized nursing in the mid-19th century, men played the crucial role of nurses on the battlefield. However, as time passed, nursing became a female-dominated profession. Men and women received the same level of training and worked together during World War I, but the men were called orderlies…
Healthcare employment up in May
Editor's Note Healthcare employment in the US rose by 62,000 from May to June, according to a June 6 announcement from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The unemployment rate, meanwhile, is unchanged at 4.2%—a narrow range that has been maintained since May 2024. In May, healthcare employment also trended…
Hospital support staff cuts raise risk of infection, delays in care
Editor's Note Although health system layoffs so far involve mostly non-clinical staff, the cuts nonetheless threaten both hospital operations and patient safety, according to a May 21 article in Modern Healthcare. As detailed in the article, thousands of nonclinical workers—such as those working in nutrition, janitorial, and sterile processing—have been…
Free Daily News
- CDC layoffs cripple national injury and overdose tracking, leaving prevention efforts in doubt
- The Joint Commission makes nurse staffing a national performance goal for 2026
- Telehealth in limbo: Providers split on continuing Medicare services during shutdown
- States take aim at outpatient facility fees driving higher commercial health costs
- Slower acquisitions, mounting debt reshape Surgery Partners growth outlook
- ASCs surge as hospitals and investors chase outpatient growth
- Nearly half of US physicians now work for large systems: GAO links consolidation to higher costs
- Sustainable surgery can cut costs, reduce emissions, improve care, review finds
- Study: Surgical hospital closures hit vulnerable communities hardest
- Federal pushback on CHAI exposes rifts over who should set healthcare AI rules