Ben is blazing a trail with new FDA-approved treatment for his rare disease
(Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU – January 15, 2025)

Ben Bumgarner stared at his phone, sleepily playing a video game. He wasn’t staying up too late as 14-year-olds sometimes do. On this particular day he, his parents and his service dog, Divina, had gotten up before the sun and made their way to the Children’s Pavilion for what they hope to be a game-changing medical treatment. Ben had been waiting years. This familiar distraction was helping him pass the final hours until his big moment.

Breaking barriers in growth disorder treatment for families
(Children’s National Hospital – January 14, 2025)

For many children with short stature and other rare genetic growth disorders, there have been no next steps after usual treatment options prove ineffective. Researchers at Children’s National Hospital are digging deeper to find the root genetic causes of short stature disorders and creating novel, nuanced treatment options that have the opportunity to change how the field approaches these cases. From the creation of the growth specialty clinic to creating a study for one patient, the endocrinology team at Children’s National is focused on treating children with the uniqueness that their growth disorders require.

CIO Spotlight: Matt Kull of Inova Health System
(Healthcare IT News – January 10, 2025)

The chief information and digital strategy officer explains what achieving certification under the Joint Commission’s Responsible Use of Health Data initiative means for Inova’s privacy and security practices, and AI data governance.

Clinch Valley Health CEO Speaks at Rotary Club of Tazewell
(Clinch Valley Health – January 14, 2025)

Clinch Valley Health was proud to participate in the Rotary Club of Tazewell’s first meeting of 2025. CEO Peter Mulkey spoke during the meeting about Clinch Valley Health’s mission, vision and focus for the hospital and practices, as well as the services it proudly offers to Tazewell County and surrounding communities. Clinch Valley Health’s mission is simple – making communities healthier. Mulkey is advancing the organization’s mission is by raising awareness around the importance of getting annual health screenings, taking a proactive role in healthcare and getting established with a primary care provider.

Continuous Glucose Monitor Data Predicts Type 1 Diabetes Complications
(UVA Health – January 15, 2025)

Data from continuous glucose monitors can predict nerve, eye and kidney damage caused by type 1 diabetes, University of Virginia Center for Diabetes Technology researchers have found. That suggests doctors may be able to use data from the devices to help save patients from blindness, diabetic neuropathy and other life-changing diabetes complications. The amount of time patients were in a safe blood-sugar range of between 70 and 180 mg/DL over a 14-day period was as good a predictor of neuropathy, retinopathy and nephropathy as the standard approach using hemoglobin A1c levels, the researchers found.

FREE Resources for New Moms
(Augusta Health – January 14, 2025)

Roxanne Harris, MSN, RN, IBCLC, CCE, CBBBE, and Maternal Health Navigator; and Abby Calvert, BS, CHES, and Health Educator for Augusta Health were featured on WHSV’s Medical Monday to discuss resources for new moms. These classes include Baby Steps, and Mothering Together. Some topics covered in Baby Steps are nutrition, food prep, lactation, successful breastfeeding, and an empowered postpartum period – including contraception after delivery, as well as planning for the fourth trimester.

How a breast cancer diagnosis can impact heart health — and what VCU is doing about it
(VCU Health – January 15, 2025)

Breast cancer is considered a curable disease, with five-year relative survival rates now above 90%, according to the American Cancer Society. However, several conventional cancer therapies are associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Ten years after their first diagnosis, many women are more likely to die from heart disease than breast cancer. “Cancer is a devastating diagnosis on its own, and an oncologist’s goal is to treat and hopefully cure the cancer,” said Greg Hundley, M.D., director of VCU Health Pauley Heart Center and member of the Cancer Prevention and Control research program at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center. “At Pauley, our role is to work in partnership with oncologists to treat, or even prevent, the cardiovascular impacts of both cancer and cancer treatment, which can affect many patients.”

Motivation to exercise
(Inova Newsroom – January 15, 2025)

Sheila Hautbois, PA-C, is a physician assistant with a master’s in public health who is also a certified health education specialist and a certified lifestyle educator. A lifestyle medicine specialist, Hautbois provides personalized health coaching and patient education with the goal of preventing, treating and reversing chronic disease. Hautbois is part of the Inova 360° Concierge Medicine team, offering a high-level, personal service approach to healthcare with a focus on better total health. It’s a new year, which is a good time for a new start or a reassessment of exercise goals. How do we get motivated and then stay motivated to do regular exercise?

Sentara Health encourages blood donation during Blood Donor Month
(Sentara Health – January 14, 2025)

As Sentara encourages blood donation for Blood Donor Month, Sentara Norfolk General Hospital is piloting a new technology that provides clinicians with safe, fast access to blood products, including whole blood, red blood cells, and plasma. Starting last month, the hospital began using four BloodTrack blood storage systems to dispense blood products closer to the patient bedside. The new systems and proximity to patients allows staff to obtain these products quickly, accurately, and safely. Someone in the United States needs blood every two seconds. Sentara Norfolk General Hospital alone conducts an average of 2,250 transfusions each month. Sentara laboratory services partners with the American Red Cross to provide red blood cells, platelets, and plasma to all 12 Sentara hospitals and all five of Sentara’s freestanding emergency departments.

Understanding the BRCA Gene and Your Risk for Prostate Cancer
(Riverside Health – January 13, 2025)

BRCA gene mutations aren’t just connected to breast cancer, although it’s a common assumption — BRCA literally stands for BReast CAncer. The truth is that BRCA mutations increase the risk of several cancer types in both men and women. The BRCA gene increases the risk of prostate cancer, which is the second most common type of cancer in men. “Knowing this connection can help you understand genetics’s role in cancer and the steps you can take to protect yourself” says Aaron Chevinsky, M.D., Surgical Oncologist and Oncology Service Line Chief & Medical Director for Riverside Cancer Care Network.

Virginia effort seeks to ease the stress of a mental health crisis
(Richmond Times-Dispatch – January 15, 2025)

A video of a dozen Chesterfield County police cars in the Chippenham Hospital parking lot, along with the dozen officers watching individuals brought to the emergency room because of a mental health crisis, has a lot to do with the biggest chunk of Gov. Glenn Youngkin‘s budget amendments for behavioral health. So does Commissioner of Behavioral Health Nelson Smith’s recollection from his days as an administrator at Chippenham. He recalled what happened when staff “called a code whatever color when there was an episode, and you have a dozen people running up and a patient getting more and more upset.”

Why health system C-suites are nervous about 2030
(Becker’s Hospital Review – January 15, 2025)

Hospitals and health systems are in the midst of financial recovery after the pandemic, but potentially bigger challenges loom in the next five years. Margin growth has slowed and rising expenses continue to pressure health systems, especially those without strong cash reserves to invest in digital transformation and capital projects to stay afloat. Health systems in high growth margins are seeing patient volumes grow alongside the shift from inpatient to outpatient care, according to Fitch’s 2025 outlook published in December.

How Oregon health officials are preparing for change under Trump
(Oregon Capital Chronicle – January 15, 2025)

Oregon health care officials continue to brace themselves for policy and funding changes as incoming president Donald Trump gets ready to take office Jan. 20. And though nothing has been proposed formally, the Oregon Health Authority has already started to prepare for a slew of potential changes, according to its director, Dr. Sejal Hathi. “We conducted a tabletop exercise even before the election to identify the range of potential risks that a change in federal administration could pose,” she told The Lund Report recently. The agency oversees free care to 1.4 million low-income Oregonians under the Oregon Health Plan, while also providing administration and support for care received by many other people in the state.

Iowa governor seeks $150 million to train 460 physicians
(Becker’s Hospital Review – January 15, 2025)

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds used her condition-of-the-state address to direct the state’s Department of Health and Human Services to seek more than $150 million in federal funds to train around 460 physicians in the state. The funding would be part of a health and human services program to be launched in partnership with Iowa City-based University of Iowa and Des Moines, Iowa-based Broadlawns Medical Center. The federal funds would be used to create around 115 new residency slots annually at 14 teaching hospitals, training around 460 physicians over a three-to-four-year residency rotation, according to a Jan. 14 news release.

Maternal death reviews get political as state officials intrude
(Stateline – January 15, 2025)

Every state has a committee of medical and public health experts tasked with investigating deaths that occur during and after pregnancy. But as data paints a clearer picture of the impact that state policies such as abortion bans and Medicaid expansion can have on maternal health, leaders in some states are rushing to limit their review committee’s work — or halt it altogether.

Medicaid changes floated on Ohio and federal level could impact hundreds of thousands
(Ohio Capital Journal – January 15, 2025)

Hundreds of thousands of Ohio children are enrolled in public health insurance such as Medicaid, which could be in for major changes and cuts as the new presidential administration takes hold with authors and proponents of Project 2025 nominated for key roles. Meanwhile, the state of Ohio faces a new two-year budget cycle in 2025, where lawmakers and the governor will, among many other things, deal with Medicaid, any potential federal-level cuts, and financing for new child well-being laws passed just before the new year.

N.J. leads multi-state fight to save health care access for DACA recipients
(New Jersey Monitor – January 15, 2025)

New Jersey is among 14 states seeking to defend immigrants who entered the United States illegally as children in a federal case that aims to stop these immigrants from enrolling in health care plans on Affordable Care Act exchanges. New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin on Wednesday filed a motion to intervene in the case, which challenges a Biden administration rule that allows Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients to purchase plans on the exchanges. A group of states led by Kansas are challenging the rule in a federal court in North Dakota.

Americans see AI as key to cutting healthcare costs
(Becker’s Hospital Review – January 15, 2025)

A majority of Americans believe AI has the potential to significantly improve healthcare outcomes and reduce costs, according to a Jan. 15 survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Gwynedd Mercy University. Conducted in November, the survey gathered insights from 2,099 U.S. adults aged 18 and older, exploring public perceptions of AI’s role in healthcare. Here are five key takeaways: Fifty-nine percent of Americans believe AI-assisted diagnosis and treatment will enhance health outcomes within the next decade, and 57% think it will lower costs.

Even kids with most severe MIS-C typically fully recover by 6 months, study reveals
(CIDRAP – January 14, 2025)

A study yesterday in JAMA Pediatrics suggests that even the kids who get most sick from an uncommon but serious condition that affects multiple organ systems after COVID-19 infections recover fully by 6 months after infection. The retrospective cohort study followed outcomes seen among pediatric patients diagnosed as having multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19 infection, one of the most severe outcomes seen during the pandemic. A total of 1,204 participants treated from March 2020 to January 2022 at 32 North American pediatric hospitals, were followed up for 2 years.

How medical device reprocessing can save hospitals millions
(Modern Healthcare – January 14, 2025) SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED

Beth Israel Lahey Health has found a way to save millions of dollars while being a good corporate citizen. The Boston health system reprocesses some devices used in its in-patient settings, operating rooms and labs, sending them off to be reprocessed, made like-new again and then buying back some to use. In 2023, the reprocessing program at its 14 hospitals saved Beth Israel $1.7 million, and supported its goal of keeping 80% of its waste out of landfill or incinerators by 2030.

Norovirus wave now more than double last year’s peak, in CDC’s data
(CBS News – January 14, 2025)

This winter’s wave of norovirus infections has reached levels that are now more than double last season’s peak, in figures published Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracking the notorious stomach bug. Nearly 28% of norovirus tests run over the week of the New Year’s holiday came back positive for the highly contagious virus, which is the leading cause of foodborne illness like vomiting and diarrhea in the U.S.

Report highlights how COVID hindered the fight against antimicrobial resistance
(CIDRAP – January 15, 2025)

A new report from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) suggests that a number of interrelated factors hampered the ability of US hospitals to control antimicrobial resistance (AMR) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Severely ill patients with an increased need for mechanical ventilation. Lengthy hospitals stays and increased caseloads. Fear of undertreatment and lack of clear and timely guidelines. An overburdened healthcare workforce that had to focus much of its energy on COVID patients. Limited supplies of personal protective equipment.

Study uses design features of the ICU to evaluate delirium
(Science Daily – January 13, 2025)

ICU delirium can be associated with a multitude of factors including underlying and acute medical conditions, pharmacologic agents or treatment regimens like surgery. Currently there is no definitive consensus on drug interventions that aid in the prevention of delirium or its treatment. While there has been some evidence that the ICU environment plays a role in delirium, more research is needed to understand this association. Researchers found windowed patient rooms were associated with an increase in the odds of developing delirium, when compared to patient rooms without windows.

Top healthcare technology trends in 2025
(Healthcare Dive – January 15, 2025)

Uncertainty surrounding telehealth flexibilities and artificial intelligence regulation will shape healthcare technology trends this year, while cyberattacks continue to batter the sector, experts say. AI is an alluring technology for the industry, but healthcare organizations have to grapple with safety and accuracy concerns as they roll out the tools — and they face a potentially hazy regulatory environment as President-elect Donald Trump begins his second term in office.

What’s Next for the Community Health Worker Role?
(Healthcare Innovation – January 15, 2025)

The value of community health workers (CHWs) in connecting people to local resources and clinicians became increasingly apparent to health system and public health leaders during the pandemic. “We saw how they were an antidote to misinformation and mistrust during our COVID-19 vaccination campaign in New York City,” said Dave A. Chokshi, M.D., M.S.c. “It’s one of the investments I’m proudest of from my tenure as the city’s health commissioner, when we launched a program known as the Public Health Corps to advance CHWs.” The number of CHWs has grown to approximately 80,000 across the United States today. But some advocates maintain that a much broader and systemic deployment of CHWs with more adequate funding could have a much greater impact.

A Look at ACA Coverage through the Marketplaces and Medicaid Expansion Ahead of Potential Policy Changes
(KFF – January 15, 2025)

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded health insurance coverage by extending Medicaid coverage to nearly all adults with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL) ($20,783 for a single individual in 2024) and by creating new health insurance Marketplaces through which individuals can purchase private insurance coverage with financial help to afford premiums and cost-sharing. Marketplace subsidies are available for individuals not eligible for Medicaid with incomes above 100% FPL. The Medicaid expansion was originally mandatory for states, but expansion became effectively optional after a Supreme Court decision in 2012. States can opt to provide more affordable coverage to individuals who would otherwise be eligible for Marketplace coverage with incomes between 133% and 200% FPL through a Basic Health Program (BHP). In 2024 Minnesota had a BHP plan, Oregon newly implemented a BHP on July 1, 2024, and New York had a BHP until April 2024 when it transitioned to provide the same coverage to individuals with incomes up to 250% FPL through the state’s Essential Plan (EP).

DEA, HHS finalize rule allowing telehealth drug treatment
(Roll Call – January 15, 2025)

The Biden administration Wednesday finalized a long-awaited rule laying out how some health care providers can prescribe gold-standard opioid use disorder treatments through telehealth. The final rule from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services allows providers who have not had an in-person visit with a patient to prescribe six months’ worth of buprenorphine through telehealth, including through audio-only visits.

HRSA invests $60M in community health centers to expand hours of operation
(Fierce Healthcare – January 15, 2025)

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is investing $60 million in 125 community health centers to expand their hours of operation. The goal is to help improve access to critical healthcare services. The HRSA-funded centers serve nearly 4.2 million people across the country. Each center will add an additional 20 hours of operation per week, on average, including  early morning, night and weekend hours. Community health centers must see patients regardless of their ability to pay. They see many underserved patients, including the uninsured, underinsured and Medicaid beneficiaries. More than 90% of health center patients have incomes below 200% of the federal poverty Level. These patients can struggle to find affordable care outside of traditional business hours for reasons like child care issues, work responsibilities or transportation barriers. They may forgo care altogether or turn to hospitals as a last resort.

Nearly half of Americans skeptical Trump admin will lower health costs: Poll
(The Hill – January 15, 2025)

Nearly half of Americans don’t believe that the incoming Trump administration will lower health costs, according to a new Gallup poll. The research, conducted after the presidential election, found 48 percent of Americans are pessimistic about the new administration’s ability to lower healthcare costs, while 45 percent feel the same about prescription drug costs. But much of the public’s opinion is colored by partisanship. The poll found 84 percent of Democrats said they think any future policy from the Trump administration on health costs is headed in the wrong direction, along with nearly half of independents.

NIH issues a policy to widen access to medical products that emerge from government-funded research
(STAT News – January 14, 2025)

After years of prodding, the National Institutes of Health has adopted a new policy requiring companies seeking licenses to sell medical products invented with government research to submit plans for ensuring greater access to patients. Going forward, a company would not only have to submit an access plan when seeking to license the rights to sell a drug, vaccine or device, but would also have to update that plan as product development progresses. And a version of the plan would have to submitted within three months of regulatory approval that the NIH may publish or otherwise make distribute.

Trump and Biden officials begin talks on bird flu crisis
(NBC News – January 14, 2025)

Amid an escalating bird flu outbreak spreading in the United States, federal health officials have begun to brief members of the incoming Trump administration about how they’ve responded to the crisis so far. “We sent them all of the information on our work,” said a Biden administration health official familiar with transition briefings within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What to expect in the sequel to Medicare’s drug price negotiation program
(Pharma Voice – January 15, 2025)

The next wave of drugs selected for Medicare’s price negotiation plan is expected any day now, with up to 15 treatments poised to make CMS’ list for the 2027 plan year. While the selected drugs are scheduled to be published by Feb. 1, they could come before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, according to Sean Sullivan, professor of pharmacy at the University of Washington School of Pharmacy.