12 Sentara hospitals earn national recognition for excellence in heart attack care
(Sentara Health – August 4, 2026)

All 12 Sentara hospitals have earned the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Performance Achievement Award for 2026. This recognition is reserved for hospitals that meet aggressive national benchmarks in heart attack care and demonstrate a sustained commitment to treating patients at the highest standard.

Carilion Clinic names new COO
(Virginia Business – August 6, 2026)

Christopher Cullom will join Carilion Clinic as chief operating officer Monday, the Roanoke-based health system confirmed Thursday. Cullom will be the first person to serve as COO at Carilion Clinic since Steve Arner became president and CEO in 2024. Arner first stepped into the COO role in 2012. Since 2023, Cullom has served as COO at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, part of Jefferson Health, a Philadelphia-based network of 33 hospitals and physician practices, according to his LinkedIn profile. In that role, he oversaw Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Jefferson Methodist Hospital and Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience.

Halle Cassada Testimonial
(Sovah Health – August 7, 2026)

Halle never expected a trip to the emergency room for stomach pain would lead to surgery, but she’s grateful she trusted the team at Sovah Health when the pain wouldn’t go away. After arriving in the emergency room, Halle underwent several tests to determine the cause of her discomfort. A CT scan revealed inflammation, and her care team recommended surgery. It turned out her appendix was severely swollen, and acting quickly made all the difference. “From the moment I got to the hospital, everyone made me feel comfortable and cared for,” Halle said. “Dr. McClung took the time to explain everything and helped put me at ease. She even cracked jokes and talked with me about softball, which helped calm my nerves.”

Leading Nervous System Researcher to Chair UVA Department of Cell Biology
(UVA Health – August 6, 2026)

The University of Virginia School of Medicine has named Bettina Winckler, PhD, a scientific leader in cellular neuroscience research, to lead its Department of Cell Biology. Winckler began her new role this week. “Dr. Winckler is not only a national leader in better understanding the nervous system, but also a leader at the School of Medicine and the Department of Cell Biology,” said Colin P. Derdeyn, MD, interim dean of the UVA School of Medicine. “I am excited she has agreed to step into this new leadership role.”

Local Walmart, Sam’s Club stores raise almost $200,000 to support Niswonger Children’s Hospital
(Ballad Health – August 7, 2026)

In just four weeks, local Walmart and Sam’s Club shoppers raised almost $200,000 to support the Ballad Health Niswonger Children’s Hospital through Children’s Miracle Network, helping improve pediatric care across the Appalachian Highlands. Eighteen local Walmart locations, two Sam’s Clubs and one distribution center participated in the campaign, which benefits Niswonger Children’s Hospital as the region’s Children’s Miracle Network Hospital affiliate. Each year, the campaign raises funds by inviting shoppers to round up their purchase at checkout in support of the region’s only children’s hospital. The money raised helps provide high-quality pediatric care to thousands of children throughout the Appalachian Highlands.

U.Va. Health’s Earn While You Learn program graduates its first nursing class
(Cavalier Daily – August 9, 2026)

U.Va. Health launched its Earn While You Learn program four years ago and since then, the initiative has grown to span a broad range of healthcare training programs. Sixteen employees graduated this spring as the inaugural cohort for the program’s nursing track. EWYL offers current and new University Medical Center employees the opportunity to work part-time and receive full salary and benefits, while also attending school full time, according to the U.Va. Health media briefing July 31. Participants commit to work at U.Va. Health once they graduate from the program, and EWYL has opportunities for both entry-level and advanced candidates.

VCU Health studies drones to deliver AEDs faster: ‘The enemy is time’
(WTVR – August 8, 2026)

Every minute matters when the heart stops beating — and a new study launched by VCU Health could cut the time it takes to get a defibrillator to a cardiac emergency in half. VCU Health physician and cardiologist Dr. Joe Ornato said time is the enemy when it comes to cardiac arrest. “When the heart stops beating, every minute that goes by until we can restart the heart, we lose 10% of the chance to restart that heart and have an intact brain afterwards,” Ornato said.

VHHA Patients Come First Podcast – Dr. John Alex
(Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association – August 9, 2026)

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast features a conversation with Dr. John Alex, an emergency physician with Riverside Health, who joins us for a conversation about his military service, his work in medicine, and simulation education. Send questions, comments, feedback, or guest suggestions to pcfpodcast@vhha.com or contact us on X (Twitter) or Instagram using the #PatientsComeFirst hashtag.

Why one respiratory therapist returned to Valley Health for variety, growth and less commute stress
(Valley Health – August 6, 2026)

After nearly 40 years in healthcare, Sheila knew what she wanted from her next role: meaningful respiratory therapy work, new clinical experiences and more time closer to home. The long commute to Northern Virginia as a respiratory therapist (RT) no longer felt worth it. With her first grandchild on the way, time with family mattered more. Then Sheila saw a Valley Health Float Respiratory Therapist opening that offered the variety she enjoyed, competitive pay, and the chance to return to an organization that helped shape her career.

A wheelchair ride across Wisconsin calls attention to Medicaid cuts
(News from the States – August 7, 2026)

After a 125-mile trip on his powered wheelchair, Carl Schulze rolled up just before noon Thursday to the Wisconsin Capitol. The resident of Fox Crossing, near Neenah, made the journey to make a point: How Medicaid has helped him and thousands of other Wisconsin residents with disabilities — and how that help is being threatened in Washington, D.C. A fall from a porch 19 years ago broke Schulze’s neck. He survived, but the accident left him unable to use his arms or legs.

Colorado hospitals are seeing more patients without insurance
(Wyoming Public Media – August 6, 2026)

Millions of people in Colorado and across the nation lost their health insurance after the pandemic wind-down ended automatic re-enrollment in Medicaid. An increasing number of Coloradans without coverage have been unable to pay their medical bills, according to a new analysis from the Center for Improving Value in Health Care, which has left hospitals holding the tab. Kristin Paulson, president and CEO of the center, said people without insurance frequently delay care, and many end up in costly emergency rooms when things get worse.

Medicaid cuts could hit your ER wait time and premium, not just Medi-Cal
(Cal Matters – August 7, 2026)

When Martin Luther King Jr.-Harbor Hospital closed in 2007, neighboring Los Angeles hospitals struggled to keep up with the influx of new patients. They reported emergency department wait times longer than 11 hours, more trauma cases and more uninsured patients. The people who felt the strain weren’t just King-Harbor’s former patients; they were also the privately insured patients of those neighboring institutions. Researchers later concluded that King-Harbor’s closure worsened patient care throughout the region, increasing mortality rates and decreasing access.

Nurse shortage persists in Kentucky hospitals, new report finds
(Louisville Courier Journal – August 7, 2026)

The healthcare industry continues to prove itself essential amid ongoing disease outbreaks from cyclospora and salmonella across the U.S.

Insurers want to hike small businesses’ premiums by 14% next year: KFF
(Healthcare Dive – August 7, 2026)

Small businesses could face a double-digit increase in premiums for their health coverage next year, as insurers contend with rising medical prices, expensive specialty drugs and other factors inflating spending. Insurers are requesting a median 14% premium increase for the small group market next year, according to a new analysis of rate filings from health policy research group KFF. Most insurers want to raise rates between 10% and 20%, though six want to hike rates above 30%.

The Return of ‘Medicare for All’
(KFF Health News – August 6, 2026)

Democratic primary voters in Michigan chose former Detroit public health director Abdul El-Sayed as their Senate nominee this week. El-Sayed is one of several high-profile candidates around the country who have been pushing “Medicare for All,” again elevating the issue, at a time when millions of Americans are losing their health coverage because of high costs.

6 competencies, 200 leaders: How a Colorado hospital is rethinking advancement
(Becker’s Hospital Review – August 7, 2026)

Aspen (Colo.) Valley Health has long offered leadership training, but the organization saw an opportunity to develop leaders in a more structured way. The community-owned, independent health system is now building a leadership development program around six competencies, with plans to launch it in 2027 and reach potential leaders earlier in their careers. “We did offer leadership development training, but I don’t think it was as focused as we would want it to be,” Tom McCauley, chief human resources officer of Aspen Valley Health, told Becker’s. “And that leads into succession planning. At least if you have someone who pursues other opportunities or retires (the latter of which we’ve seen a lot of recently), and I think that’s great when you have somebody who’s been there 30 or 35 years and they’re ready to hang it up, that you’ve got somebody who’s waiting in the wings and more prepared for the next step.”

A new vaccine could vanquish a major cause of deadly diarrheal disease
(NPR – August 7, 2026)

Diarrhea has been a headline story in the United States this summer, with thousands of cases of explosive diarrhea traced to Cyclospora from tainted lettuce –- and the first two deaths from the outbreak now confirmed in Michigan. In other parts of the world, diarrhea is a constant — and deadly — threat. Over 1 million people die from diarrheal illness such as dysentery every year. Nearly half of them are children under age 5. Chad has the highest rate of childhood deaths: roughly 1 in 140 children under 5 die each year.

Clinical Research Has a Workforce Problem
(Healthcare Innovation Group – August 7, 2026)

Clinical trials remain the foundation of medical innovation. But without addressing the operational and workforce challenges that underpin them, their full potential will remain out of reach. These challenges become even more acute as additional grant cancellations and funding cutbacks are announced. Technology can help ease the burden by making clinical trial and research processes more efficient and by reducing barriers to participation. However, technology is not a substitute for the human relationships at the heart of clinical care. The path forward requires building systems that bring people and technology together, empowering each to do what they do best.

Fierce Healthcare Data Breach Tracker: Record-breaking data breach at Unlimited Technology Systems
(Fierce Healthcare – August 6, 2026)

Based on the current data from a federal data breach portal, from January 1 to April 30, 2026, 252 large healthcare data breaches have been reported to HHS’ Office for Civil Rights, according to HIPAA Journal. Fierce Healthcare is tracking data breaches across healthcare organizations in 2026. Stay up-to-date with this tracker for the latest updates, and email Cailey Gleeson at cgleeson@questex.com with any news.

Healthcare job growth stays sluggish in July: 4 things to know
(Becker’s Hospital Review – August 7, 2026)

The U.S. economy lost 23,000 jobs in July, but healthcare kept adding positions, according to the Aug. 7 jobs report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Here are four things to know from the July jobs report: 1. Healthcare employment continued its upward trend in July, adding 22,000 jobs, though that marked a slower pace than the average monthly gain of 36,000 over the prior 12 months. 2. Hospitals were essentially flat in July, dipping by about 400 jobs after adding roughly 9,500 in June.

Hospitals must prove they can make AI operational at scale
(Healthcare IT News – August 7, 2026)

Artificial intelligence has produced no shortage of successful healthcare pilot projects. Yet many provider organizations still struggle to expand those early wins into enterprise-wide capabilities. A new survey suggests the question is no longer whether AI can deliver value. Instead, hospitals increasingly are wrestling with the operational realities of integration, governance, ownership and workflow that determine whether AI becomes part of everyday clinical practice or remains trapped in isolated demonstrations.

How hospital monopolies are driving up the cost of your health care
(The Washington Post – August 9, 2026)

More than a million times a year, a U.S. surgeon slices open a knee, strips out worn cartilage, caps the leg bones with metal and drops in a plastic spacer to allow the new joint to glide. But while these knee-replacement procedures have become standard, the prices charged have not. At Catawba Valley Medical Center in Hickory, North Carolina, for example, the cost of the procedure under a Blue Cross Blue Shield health plan this year was about $16,000, according to data from Serif Health, a San Francisco start-up that collects recently released data from hospitals and insurers. Little more than an hour’s drive west, however, at Mission Hospital in Asheville, the cost of the procedure under the same health plan was around $40,000, or more than double, the data showed.

Severe COVID may awaken dormant viruses, leading to autoimmune disease, long COVID
(CIDRAP – August 6, 2026)

Most people carry eight to 12 generally harmless viruses at any given time. But now, researchers at the University of Texas at Austin conclude that severe COVID-19 infections can reactivate these viruses, leading to worse clinical outcomes, autoimmune diseases, and other long-term conditions such as long COVID. Published yesterday in Nature, the observational analysis used longitudinal data from 1,154 hospitalized COVID-19 patients participating in the observational Immunophenotyping Assessment in a COVID-19 Cohort (IMPACC) study.

This A.I. Just Created Viruses Not Found in Nature
(The New York Times – August 6, 2026)

For the first time, scientists have used artificial intelligence to create new kinds of viruses, raising hopes for medical advances while also raising the disturbing possibility that the technology could someday be used to invent dangerous pathogens. Synthesizing viruses from scratch is hardly new. Researchers long ago learned how to manufacture viral genomes; they are used to investigate antiviral drugs and vaccines, as well as to learn how viruses work.

Where supply chain creates value beyond cost savings, per 9 leaders
(Becker’s Hospital Review – August 7, 2026)

Ask healthcare supply chain leaders where they’re creating the most strategic value today, and many point beyond procurement and contracting. Instead, they describe work that spans clinical operations, technology adoption, inventory management and long-term planning — areas they say have become an increasingly important part of the function. For many leaders, that starts with giving health systems better visibility into the supplies they already have. Michael Brown, vice president of supply chain at Texas Children’s in Houston, said advanced health systems are building systems that provide complete inventory visibility across hospitals, operating rooms, procedural areas, physician offices and distribution centers. While those efforts require years of organizational commitment, he said the payoff is greater resilience during shortages and back orders, lower costs and more efficient product utilization.

Why Are More Young Women Developing Heart Disease?
(The New York Times – August 6, 2026)

The threat of heart disease, and of dying from it, is rising among young women. Recent research has suggested that nearly one-third of all women ages 20 to 44 will have heart disease in 2050, up from one-fourth today. And women under 55 are more likely to die from heart attacks than men under 55. Despite common misconceptions, “heart disease is, in fact, a woman’s disease,” said Dr. Emily Lau, co-director of the Mass General Brigham Women’s Heart Health program. But it is possible to lower the risk.

As FDA Approves First-Ever mRNA Flu Vaccine For Older Adults, Past KFF Polling Showed Most In This Age Group Were Uncertain About the Technology’s Safety
(KFF – August 7, 2026)

On August 5, 2026 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first-ever messenger RNA (mRNA) flu vaccine for adults 50 and older. Manufactured by Moderna, the vaccine is expected to be available for the 2026-2027 season. The new vaccine was found to be safe following a trial of roughly 40,000 people, with results indicating the new shots could offer more protection than prior flu vaccines. The COVID-19 vaccines were the first publicly available vaccines in the U.S. to rely on mRNA, and while studies have demonstrated that vaccines using the technology are safe and effective, mRNA technology has long been the subject of attacks and criticism by anti-vaccine groups. Last year, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the cancellation of $500 million in federal funding for mRNA research.

HHS moves to decertify organ procurement group over patient safety failures
(Healthcare Dive – August 7, 2026)

The HHS has begun the process of decertifying Network for Hope, the federally designated organ procurement organization serving Kentucky and parts of Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia, after federal reviews found persistent patient safety failures. The Health Resources and Services Administration reviewed 351 cases from 2021 through 2024 in which organ donation was authorized but not completed. A separate CMS review in May found continued problems involving donor evaluations, adverse-event reviews and administration.

Hospitals in the Trump 2.0 hot seat
(Axios – August 7, 2026)

For all of President Trump’s talk of Big Pharma and big insurers, hospitals are emerging as the group most rocked by the policy changes of Trump 2.0. Why it matters: Hospitals account for the single biggest category of national health spending, but unfavorable shifts in their finances could lead to care disruptions for patients around the country. Driving the news: Second-quarter earnings calls have begun to paint a picture of how the Republicans’ actions — or lack thereof — are starting to impact for-profit hospitals.

NIH plans to block international researchers on visas from accessing key funding avenue
(STAT News – August 7, 2026)

The National Institutes of Health plans to close the door on one of the few pathways available to international students on visas to forge a career in biomedical research in the United States. The agency intends to limit eligibility for its “Pathways to Independence” award to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and noncitizen nationals, according to an internal presentation viewed by STAT. Historically, it has been one of few programs to offer funding to international scientists on a visa. Without it, experts fear, even the most promising scholars will struggle to find footing to establish themselves in the U.S.