WoodBridge Healthcare, a nonprofit organization led by healthcare veteran Joshua Nemzoff, plans to acquire Commonwealth Health, a three-hospital system part of Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems. 

Mercy Hospital South St. Louis broke ground Sept. 26 on a project to expand and redesign its entire emergency department. 

The following hospital and health system CEO retirements have been shared with or reported by Becker's in the second half of 2024:

A recent study suggests that semaglutide, typically used for Type 2 diabetes, may significantly reduce the risk of opioid overdoses in patients with opioid use disorder, according to research published Sept. 25 by JAMA Network.

Ballad Health and Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center were among the hospitals and health systems that tapped new CFOs in September. 

Stacy Harberson has been appointed CEO of Nashville, Ark.-based Howard Memorial Hospital.

The FDA is set to make a pivotal decision Sept. 26 about KarXT, a novel antipsychotic developed by Karuna Therapeutics. If approved, it would be the first drug with a unique mechanism for treating schizophrenia in decades, Medscape reported Sept. 20. 

Hospitals with higher guideline-directed medical therapy scores showed lower rates of mortality, rehospitalization and costs in heart failure patients, according to a Sept. 25 study released by JAMA Cardiology.

Hospitals across the northeastern Gulf Coast and Southeast are preparing for a "catastrophic and deadly storm surge" as Hurricane Helene approaches landfall, CBS News reported Sept. 26. 

Jarrod Johnson has been appointed CEO of Birmingham, Ala.-based UAB Callahan Eye Hospital, effective Oct. 1.

While hospital finances continue to stabilize, a Kaufman Hall July "National Hospital Flash" report found that financial performance for health systems is trending lower than hospitals.

Pfizer has announced the withdrawal of all lots of Oxbryta, its drug for sickle cell disease, amid concerns about increased complications and fatal events. 

Officials from 21 states, led by Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador, have accused the American Academy of Pediatrics of potentially failing to adhere to consumer protections with respect to gender care policies.

San Francisco is the tech-savviest U.S. city of 2024, according to researcher TRG Datacenters.

Academic health systems are being "threatened" by external pressures, but their leaders say that digital technology such as artificial intelligence can help keep them afloat.

A third of healthcare workers reported symptoms of PTSD related to the pandemic, but nurse aides and other lower-paid healthcare workers said they have been unable to get help for their conditions, KFF Health News reported Sept. 25.

Emory Healthcare has hired LeWanza Harris, MD, to serve as chief quality officer. 

Dixon, Ill.-based Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital is undergoing a rebrand as part of its merger with Peoria, Ill.-based OSF HealthCare, WIFR reported Sept. 25. 

In a reversal, Maryland will contract with Kaiser Permanente as a Medicaid managed care organization in 2025.

CEOs have navigated various challenges and changes in the healthcare industry throughout their careers. Whether related to the workforce, budget, leadership, or technology, these experiences have provided valuable lessons that continue to resonate with them today.