Emergency department physicians vary widely in their decisions about whether to admit a patient, and individuals hospitalized by physicians with higher readmission rates are more likely to be discharged within 24 hours, according to a new study led by researchers at Los Angeles-based UCLA Health. 

In response to declining childhood vaccinations and rising infection rates across the U.S., HHS has launched a vaccine education campaign, encouraging parents to make informed healthcare decisions for their children based on more balanced information.

Federal officials have maintained that the nation's bird flu outbreak does not pose an immediate threat to public health, but infectious disease experts say recent developments indicate the H5N1 virus' spread is widening — and with it, the risks it poses to humans. 

A team at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center set an institutional record by transplanting 10 kidneys in two days using a 20-person chain. 

Nearing the end of 2024, several insurance companies proposed reducing reimbursements for anesthesia services, particularly claims from certified registered nurse anesthetists. 

Fourteen states and Washington, D.C., are experiencing high or very high levels of respiratory illness, with influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytical virus all contributing to increased healthcare visits across the U.S. 

The FDA shared new guidelines for when manufacturers can label food as "healthy" in a final rule published Dec. 19.

In states with total abortion bans, federal law requires physicians to provide an abortion if it stabilizes an emergency condition, but hospitals are leaving physicians to fend for themselves to navigate this "minefield," according to a Senate Finance Committee report. 

Currently, men make up about 10% of nurses, but that number is steadily growing — and it could mean a brighter future for hospitals and health systems.

Here are 72 organizations launching or expanding nursing programs:

In an interactive session at Becker's 12th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, two leaders from Illumina — Mike Kreitzinger, lead of health system strategy, and Damon Hostin, lead of market access for health systems — facilitated a discussion with Tom Mikkelsen, MD, medical director of the precision medicine program and clinical trials at Detroit-based Henry Ford Health.

Mandated reporters at hospitals are more likely to suspect Black pediatric patients of abuse than white patients, according to a study published Dec. 18 in JAMA. 

More than 3 million deaths were reported in the U.S. in 2023, with 10 leading causes accounting for more than 70.9% of all fatalities. 

2024 marked a big year for the field of xenotransplantation, with surgical teams at several health systems completing historic procedures that could pave the way for broader adoption of animal-to-human organ transplants.  

On Jan. 1, two health system leaders will join the Joint Commission's governing board. 

Eight systems and organizations have partnered on research to cure total blindness through whole-eye transplantation.

The CDC on Dec. 18 confirmed a patient in Louisiana has been hospitalized with a severe bird flu infection, marking the first human case of severe illness tied to the H5N1 virus in the country. 

Building trust in healthcare cannot be accomplished with a checklist. 

These days, everything appears doom and gloom. I’m tired of reading negative headlines, and I bet you are too. But in behavioral health, it’s hard to ignore:

Four-and-a-half years after its publishing date, ScienceDirect retracted a study that examined whether hydroxychloroquine could be a potential treatment for COVID-19.