Rolla, Mo.-based Phelps Health and Salem Memorial Hospital District have completed the due diligence process, where leadership teams from both organizations collected and shared regulatory and financial information about SMH, and are working towards a transaction in which the two organizations would combine.

Richmond, Va.-based VCU Health's strong ratings with Moody's and S&P have been strengthened by the system's investments in outpatient care, CFO James Siegel said in a Dec. 16 report posted on the system's website.

The Leapfrog Group has published its annual list of top hospitals for quality and patient safety, recognizing 134 U.S. hospitals for their performance in 2024. 

Advanced nursing students face an uphill battle securing clinical placements, often navigating a fractured educational system that can leave them unprepared to enter the workforce, Bloomberg Businessweek reported Dec. 16. 

A concern voiced by public figures — including President-elect Donald Trump and his nominee for HHS secretary, Robert Kennedy Jr. — is that the number of vaccines administered to children may overwhelm their immune systems and contribute to conditions such as autism. This claim was denounced by medical experts, who emphasized that vaccines are designed to be safe and effective, The New York Times reported Dec. 15. 

In March, MultiCare Health System joined Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Co.'s Marketplace and accessed 125 generics at a discounted price. Between April and October, the partnership saved MultiCare $1 million. 

The CDC used patient-level EHR data to plot hypertension rates across the U.S. with hopes the information will inform county-level public health programs and initiatives, according to a study published Dec. 5 in Preventing Chronic Disease. 

Bernie Albertini stepped down from his role as administrator and chief operating officer of East Ohio Regional Hospital in Martins Ferry, effective Sept. 16. 

Dallas-based Steward Health Care has filed a closure notice for its Sharon (Pa.) Regional Medical Center after Meadville (Pa.) Medical Center withdrew its proposed transaction of the hospital. 

Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers filed a lawsuit against Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, alleging the company violated state consumer protection and data security laws after a February ransomware attack.

Sanofi filed a lawsuit against the Health Resources and Services Administration in federal court Dec. 16, challenging the agency's decision to potentially remove the company from the 340B Drug Pricing Program over the company's proposed credit model. 

Adventist HealthCare's 2025 strategy is focused on improving access to care and addressing health inequities, particularly in inpatient services across its market, CEO John Sackett told Becker's.

An internal AI chatbot developed for Optum employees was inadvertently left publicly accessible online, allowing unrestricted access via a web browser, TechCrunch reported Dec. 13. 

Multiple hospitals and health systems have suffered downgrades to their financial ratings this year amid rising expenses, ongoing operating losses and challenging work environments.

St. Louis-based WashU Medicine has renamed its neurosurgery department the Taylor Family Department of Neurosurgery after receiving a $50 million gift from Barbara and Andrew Taylor. 

Eleven hospitals and health systems recently posted job listings seeking revenue cycle vice presidents. 

Dave Tkachuck has been named president and CEO of UChicago Medicine AdventHealth La Grange (Ill.), effective Jan. 6.

Nearly 23,000 Connecticut residents will have some or all of their medical debt eliminated through efforts made by the governor's office and a nonprofit organization.

CMS has developed a five-year plan for improving care delivery, with a focus on reducing administrative burden. 

Tyler Sherrill has been named CEO of Tenet Healthcare's Florida Coast Medical Center in Port St. Lucie, which is set to open in September 2025.