Editor's Note Patients fared worse in the wake of private equity acquisitions of US hospitals, according to research published January 9 in JAMA Network.  Over a decade-long analysis of 73 acquired hospitals and 293 matched controls, declines became more pronounced in the years following acquisition, researchers wrote. Key findings include:…

Read More

Editor's Note A study published in JAMA Surgery revealed that hospitals owned by private equity firms had significantly worse outcomes for esophagectomy patients compared to non-acquired hospitals. As detailed in a January 2 report on the findings in MedPage Today, the analysis of over 9,000 cases highlights disparities in 30-day…

Read More

Editor's Note The credit outlook for the nonprofit hospital sector improved from “deteriorating” to “neutral” in Fitch Ratings’ 2025 report, the first revision in more than 2 years. Healthcare Dive reported the news December 11.  According to the outlet, Fitch attributes the shift to “steady improvement” in hospital operating margins,…

Read More

Editor's Note The Leapfrog Group has announced its 2024 Top Hospital and Top Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Award recipients December 17, honoring facilities for standout performance in patient safety and care quality. This year, the national employer watchdog organization named 134 hospitals and 31 ASCs as winners of the national…

Read More

Editor's Note According to this report published by The Leapfrog Group this month, hospitals in the US have significantly improved hand hygiene compliance, with 74% meeting the Leapfrog Hand Hygiene Standard in 2023, up from 11% in 2020. Among other factors, the report attributes this improvement to increased use of…

Read More

Editor's Note The lowest rates in the last decade for the leading financial summit designed for business leaders in perioperative services will end September 6. The 2025 OR Business Management Conference, taking place February 10-12 at the Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa, Florida, offers attendees the opportunity to learn and network…

Read More

Editor's Note Amid growing concerns over healthcare spending and affordability, there is bipartisan interest in aligning Medicare payments for outpatient services across various care settings through "site-neutral" payments, KFF June 14 reports. As a June 2023 Modern Healthcare article explains, last year Congress reviewed legislation to expand site-neutral payment policies,…

Read More

Editor's Note The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in collaboration with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), announced a new initiative to ensure public access to emergency healthcare and assist hospitals in fulfilling obligations under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), a CMS January…

Read More

Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced a new certification program in a December 5 Global Newswire press release. The new certification provides guidance to healthcare organizations on the safe transfer of patient data to third-party organizations.   The voluntary Responsible Use of Health Data (RUHD) Certification program aims to help hospitals…

Read More

Editor's Note A new bill introduced by a bipartisan group in Congress seeks to ban fees on electronic healthcare payments from insurance companies, which cost hospitals millions and are a particular burden on hospitals in rural areas, according to a November 28 press release. The bill is called the No…

Read More