COVID-19

Outside of the loss of human life due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the past two years have greatly affected hospitals, health systems and the way providers deliver care. Healthcare executives are grappling with federal monetary assistance, growing burnout rates, workforce shortages and federal oversight of vaccines and testing. This channel is also designed to update clinicians on new research and guidelines regarding COVID patient treatment strategies and risk assessments.

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Moderna, Merck say new combination treatment boosts skin cancer survival

The new findings come after Moderna accused other pharmaceutical companies of stealing its mRNA technology for COVID-19 vaccines.

Sexually transmitted infections are on the rise, warns CDC

Cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis all rose between 2020 and 2021, totaling more than 2.5 million reported cases, according to CDC surveillance data

Telehealth use plummets after pandemic highs

Use of the telehealth soared in 2020, but utilization has since fallen off a cliff after changing conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Hospital finance

More financial challenges ahead for not-for-profit hospitals

"Margins are not expected to return to pre-pandemic levels for quite some time," according to a new report.

25% of parents lied about their child’s health or vaccine status during pandemic

According to a new study published in JAMA Network Open, these lies directly contributed to COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. 

Atrium Health and Best Buy Health Partner to Improve Experience When Receiving Care at Home

Best Buy makes healthcare play with Atrium Health partnership

The new collaboration aims to enable providers to provide hospital-level care at home, leaning on Atrium Health’s telemedicine services and Best Buy Health’s ongoing care at home platform.

10 fresh takes on the lab-leak theory of COVID’s origin

Last weekend The Wall Street Journal reported on new classified intelligence that has led the U.S. Energy Department to conclude, albeit with “low confidence,” that the COVID-19 pandemic may have started in a Wuhan lab after all.

Medicare money payment physician

Hospitals still facing financial struggles in 2023

Hospital margins were -1% in January 2023, compared to -0.7% in December 2022. 

 

Around the web

Heartflow, known for its AI-based CCTA evaluations, appears to be going public. The news follows years of momentum for the California-based company, including improved Medicare reimbursements for cardiac CT and a new Category I CPT code for its Plaque Analysis software.

Suman Tandon, MD, an American Society of Nuclear Cardiology board member, explains the group's call on Congress to update a number of healthcare policies. 

The 2026 MPFS proposed rule includes higher conversion factors across the board. However, some cardiology groups remain concerned about a series of reimbursement reductions for high-value cardiology services.