Editor's Note CMS has rescinded a 2022 guidance that protected clinicians providing emergency abortion care under the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act (EMTALA), removing a key federal safeguard for providers in states with abortion restrictions, according to a June 2 article in Becker’s Hospital Review. The guidance, originally issued…

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The wave of new legal requirements for surgical smoke evacuation across the country has given OR leaders a crash course in how to act on any new legislation. Based on this experience, complying with other new and pending laws will put these skills to the test. Major hurdles are likely…

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Editor's Note America’s Blood Centers (ABC) and the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Stop the Bleed program have launched a national collaboration to strengthen trauma response and emergency preparedness, according to a May 30 announcement. The initiative connects public education in bleeding control with efforts to maintain a stable national…

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Editor's Note The American Hospital Association (AHA) has called on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to eliminate or ease a variety of federal regulations, arguing that excessive administrative rules drive up costs, reduce patient access, and hinder innovation, Modern Healthcare reported May 13. According to the article,…

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Takeaways • US surgeons have no mandated retirement age. According to the Aging Surgeon Program, “a patient death or serious negative event are currently the only things that prompt action to prevent a surgeon from practicing.” • Research on aging-related decline is clear, but nuanced, showing rates and scope vary…

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Editor's Note State attorneys general from 20 states filed suit to block major restructuring and layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), alleging the actions bypass Congress, violate federal law, and endanger public health. As detailed in a May 5 report from Fierce Healthcare, the lawsuit seeks…

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Editor's Note Medtech companies are scrambling to contain the financial damage from rising tariffs without passing costs onto hospitals, according to a May 2 report in Modern Healthcare. Executives from industry leaders including Johnson & Johnson, GE HealthCare, and Intuitive Surgical outlined mitigation efforts during recent earnings calls, with most…

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Editor's Note At the 2025 Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) conference, discussion of legislative priorities extended beyond educational sessions. Thanks to a visit from the ranking lawmaker of the congressional subcommittee responsible for most healthcare policymaking, attendees also got first-hand insight into the latest negotiations on Capitol Hill. US Representative…

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Editor's Note Oregon lawmakers are advancing legislation that would ban artificial intelligence (AI) systems from using the title “nurse,” drawing strong support from professional nursing organizations. Chief Healthcare Executive reported the news April 16. As detailed in the article, the bill seeks to preserve the integrity of the nursing profession…

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Editor's Note Tariff-fueled market volatility is jeopardizing the investment returns that nonprofit hospitals rely on to bolster liquidity, manage debt, and weather ongoing operational headwinds, according to an April 16 report in Fierce Healthcare. As detailed in the article, hospitals face a dual threat: higher direct costs on supplies and…

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