News Briefs
AHA Urges FTC to Pull Back Pre-Merger Notification Requirements
The American Hospital Association is among those pushing back against the Federal Trade Commission's plans to update pre-merger notification requirements, calling the proposal "a substantial burden" that's "largely unnecessary" for effective antitrust review of the hospital industry. The commission had unveiled, in late June, its proposed changes to the Hart-Scott-Rodino Form and accompanying instructions, which outline requirements for merger hopefuls during the initial waiting period.
(Source: FierceHealthcare, 2023-09-06)
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51% of Health Leaders Boosting Budgets for Cybersecurity Defense
A cybersecurity study from Claroty found that 78 percent of surveyed healthcare professionals reported experiencing at least one cybersecurity incident, with 60 percent of those having a moderate or substantial impact on care delivery, and 30 percent having sensitive data impacted in the past year. The response to these threats is that 51 percent of respondents reported an increase in security budgets over the last year and a prioritization on the threats.
(Source: Medical Economics, 2023-09-06)
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CMS Releases Voluntary AHEAD Model for Hospitals, Doctors
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services unveiled a new state-focused demonstration model. One of the model's primary objectives is to shift healthcare spending and utilization more toward primary and community-based care.
(Source: Home Health Care News, 2023-09-06)
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Clinicians Preparing for Generative AI Role in Healthcare
A report from Elsevier Health has found that almost half of all doctors and nurses are eager for physicians to use generative AI products and platforms in the future to support their clinical decision-making, further affirming the need to drive a technological shift in healthcare. This new report champions the experiences and views of 2,607 doctors and nurses worldwide, underscoring the gravity of healthcare workforce challenges highlighted in the original survey, but now putting an additional lens on the future role of generative AI technologies across global healthcare.
(Source: digitalhealth, 2023-09-08)
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ATA Recommends Special Registration Process for Telehealth Drugs
ATA Action, the advocacy arm of the American Telemedicine Association, has submitted recommendations to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration on creating a special registration process for the virtual prescribing of controlled substances. The group asked the DEA to consider the following principles: "Clinical practice should not be limited by non-clinical decision-makers, and telehealth is not a type of care, but a modality of care."
(Source: mHealthIntelligence, 2023-09-08)
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Lawmakers Unveil Providers and Payers COMPETE Act of 2023
Congressional lawmakers have introduced a bill that could bring more scrutiny to hospital and healthcare mergers. The measure has bipartisan support with U.S. Reps. Michael Burgess (R-Texas), Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.), and Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) acting as its main sponsors, and they have dubbed the bill the "Providers and Payers COMPETE Act of 2023."
(Source: Medical Economics, 2023-09-07)
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Biden Advised to Adopt Initiatives to Boost Patient Safety
The White House should create a national patient safety team to help reduce high levels of dangerous care in the medical system, presidential advisers recommended. The president should appoint a safety coordinator to work across government agencies, as well as a multidisciplinary patient safety team, the report said.
(Source: Axios, 2023-09-08)
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Nursing Homes in High-Risk Areas Unprepared for Natural Disasters
More than three-quarters of U.S. nursing homes in areas at high risk for natural disasters face significant challenges in preparing for them, estimates a new federal report. Among the biggest concerns for providers in areas likely to be affected by weather-related hazards are finding enough staff to enact a plan, securing transportation for residents, and accessing resources needed to make their planning efforts robust and realistic.
(Source: McKnight's Long-Term Care News, 2023-09-06)
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Newsweek to Publish First CCRC Rankings Soon
Newsweek has announced plans to publish its first-ever ranking of U.S. continuing care retirement communities, with results based on surveys that are underway. The "America's Best Continuing Care Retirement Communities 2024" rankings will be published Nov. 29, Josh Smith, Newsweek's director of rankings, told McKnight’s Senior Living.
(Source: McKnight's Senior Living, 2023-09-11)
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One-Third of Healthcare Workers Plan to Leave Job in Next Year
A third of surveyed healthcare workers plan to leave their job in the next year, according to new data from Tebra. While one in three workers planned to leave their position, 14 percent of respondents said they planned to leave the industry entirely within the next year.
(Source: RevCycle Intelligence, 2023-09-05)
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Violence Against Healthcare Workers Continues to Grow
Violence against healthcare workers has almost become a routine, if frightening, aspect of their jobs. The rate of injuries suffered by industry professionals grew 63 percent between 2011 and 2018, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
(Source: Urology Times, 2023-09-11)
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