Editor's Note The state agency overseeing Oregon’s hospitals has received a “flood of complaints” due to a “first-of-its-kind” law mandating progressively stricter nurse and certified nursing assistant (CNA) staffing ratios, according to a June 7 report in KMTR.   Passed after extensive negotiations among hospital executives, staff, and nurse unions…

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Editor's Note Microsoft and Google announced they will offer free or discounted cybersecurity services to rural hospitals in the U.S. to help protect against cyberattacks, CNN reported on June 10. According to the article, Microsoft will provide free security updates, assessments, and staff training, while Google will offer free cybersecurity…

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Editor's Note Healthcare employment in the US rose by 68,000 from May to June, according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, released on June 7. That is compared to an overall monthly gain of 272,000 in May. In May, healthcare employment also trended up in: ambulatory…

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Editor's Note Ascension, a 140-hospital, St. Louis-based health system disrupted by a May 8 cyberattack, has announced that its electronic medical record (EHR) will be restored by June 14. Becker’s Health IT reported the news June 5. According to that article, the restoration of systems comes after medical records have…

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Editor's Note Doctors are urging the American Medical Association (AMA) to take legal action or otherwise help recoup their losses from the February 21 Cyberattack on Change Healthcare, a division of United HealthGroup. Forbes reported the news June 3. The article cites a a resolution before the AMA’s reference committee on amendments…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission is set to revise the Infection Prevention and Control (IC) chapter requirements for both office-based surgery (OBS) practices and ambulatory healthcare (AHC) organizations, effective July 1, 2025. These revisions aim to streamline the IC chapter, focusing on essential structures and processes that support quality and…

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Editor's Note Pending legislation in Louisiana could enable judges to order surgical castration for sex offenses involving young children, the Associated Press reported June 3. If Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signs the bill, Louisiana would become the first state to do so, although it and other states allow chemical castration.…

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Editor's Note Change Healthcare is responsible for notifying affected parties about privacy breaches resulting from the February cyberattack on the company, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced May 31. The announcement took the form of an update to an FAQ webpage from HHS’ Office for Civil…

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Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated OptumHealth Care Solutions’ recall of the Nimbus II ambulatory infusion pumps a class 1, the most severe category indicating risk of serious injury or death. According to the agency’s May 30 announcement, the company recalled the pumps in direct…

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Editor's Note Florida became the first US state to permit doctors to perform cesarean sections (C-sections) outside hospitals, siding with a private equity-owned physicians group advocating for cost reduction and a homier birthing environment, KFF Health News and HealthLeaders May 28 reports. However, the hospital industry and the American College…

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