A new report says Hampton Roads needs thousands of healthcare workers
(WHRO – September 15, 2026)

Hampton Roads and Eastern Virginia need more than 3,500 additional registered nurses, according to a new report that shows healthcare employers continue to face shortages across a wide range of occupations. The analysis from Claude Moore Opportunities estimates the region needs 3,536 registered nurses, 1,725 social and human service assistants, 987 physical therapists and 905 licensed practical and vocational nurses. The findings are based on an analysis of active job ads performed by the George Mason University Center for Health Workforce.

Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU consistently ranked among Best Children’s Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report
(Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU – September 15, 2026)

Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU has once again been named a Best Children’s Hospital by U.S. News & World Report. Since 2007, U.S. News & World Report has published its Best Children’s Hospitals rankings to help parents, caregivers and medical professionals identify hospitals that provide the best possible specialized care for children with serious illnesses or complex medical needs. In the 2026-2027 rankings released today, CHoR made the list in nephrology (#24), urology (#35), pulmonology and lung surgery (#36), orthopaedics (#37) and cancer (#40). The hospital also landed among the top 50 in pediatric and adolescent behavioral health (rankings are not numbered in this specialty).

Children’s National ranked among top children’s hospitals nationwide and highest in the DMV by U.S. News & World Report
(Children’s National Hospital – September 15, 2026)

Children’s National in Washington, D.C., was once again ranked as a top hospital in the nation by the U.S. News & World Report 2026-27 Best Children’s Hospitals annual rankings. This marks the 10th straight year Children’s National has made the Honor Roll, a distinction awarded to only 10 children’s hospitals nationwide. Children’s National also ranked in all 11 specialty services and is the highest U.S. News ranked children’s hospital in Washington, D.C, Maryland and Virginia. Recently, U.S. News introduced pediatric & adolescent behavioral health as a service line in its rankings. While there are no ordinal rankings for behavioral health, the Children’s National program was named one of the top 50 programs in the country for the third year in a row.

Faculty Spotlight: This professor helps students practice patient care before seeing patients
(UVA Today – September 14, 2026)

Dr. Vaia Abatzis has spent more than a decade at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, preparing the next generation of physicians to meet their first patients. As director of  UVA’s Medical Simulation Center, Abatzis oversees simulation-based experiences for medical students, residents and faculty. She formerly directed UVA’s anesthesiology clerkship, a requirement for third-year medical students. “I hope, as an educator, to instill lifelong learning in our medical students and residents, as the field of medicine is constantly changing,” she said. “I want learners to continue to be curious throughout their careers.”

Farmville neurology clinic set to close Sept. 29, Centra cites staffing strains
(WSET – September 15, 2026)

Farmville patients who once drove just minutes for neurology appointments are now preparing for much longer trips as Centra plans to close its outpatient neurology unit in the rural community. Patients say they learned of the closure through a letter in the mail. And for some like Ashley Miller, the announcement didn’t come as a a shock. “I expected it,” said Miller. “There’s a lot of people around here that have a lot of medical needs, and nobody’s really getting them met.”

Paramedics are helping patients manage illnesses, connect with services and avoid calling 911. But these programs can be tough to sustain in rural areas.
(Cardinal News – September 16, 2026)

The heat rolled out of the house as soon as the door opened. A developing storm had cooled the air outside, but inside Elizabeth Fitzgerald’s small brick home, the temperature was stifling. “Why is it so hot in here?” Keith Carroll asked as he stepped through the front door. Carroll leads the community paramedicine program at the Danville Life Saving Crew. He has already worked with the city of Danville and the Southern Area Agency on Aging to make several repairs to Fitzgerald’s house. This time, the air conditioning had stopped working. Carroll jotted a note on his hand and said he would check around town for someone who could help Fitzgerald fix the problem.

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is difficult to recognize in patients
(WDBJ7 – September 14, 2026)

September is Peripheral Artery Disease or PAD awareness month. PAD happens when arteries in the legs become blocked, reducing blood flow to the legs and feet, and it can be difficult to recognize because many people have few or no symptoms. Screenings can help prevent this. Dr. Eric Ambroz, a vascular surgeon at Carilion Clinic joins us on Here @ Home to discuss a new free community screening for this condition.

Riverside Health to Host Free Flu Vaccine Clinics Across Hampton Roads
(Riverside Health – September 15, 2026)

Today, Riverside Health announced it will host several free vaccination clinics throughout the region to further promote standard and High Dose flu vaccination. These drive-thru clinics will allow patients 9 years of age and older to receive the flu vaccine. “No one plans to get the flu, but every year we see firsthand the impact it can have on families, workplaces and schools,” says Tom Taghon, D.O., President of Riverside Medical Group. “A flu shot is a simple step people can take to stay healthy and avoid disruptions during a busy fall and winter season. The earlier you get vaccinated, the sooner you’re protected.”

Sentara community health ambassadors share blood pressure message in Suffolk
(Sentara Health – September 14, 2026)

For six months, churches across Suffolk, Va. participated in Sentara’s faith-based blood pressure program to learn about hypertension, nutrition, medication management, and everyday factors that influence heart health. As part of the program, Sentara installed blood pressure kiosks in 10 local churches, providing free and convenient access to screenings in trusted community settings. Recently, participating congregants attended a celebration at the East End Baptist Church in Suffolk, marking the completion of the program, and reflected on what they learned and how they plan to put that knowledge into action.

U.S. News & World Report Names Inova L.J. Murphy Children’s Hospital Among Best Children’s Hospitals for 2026-2027
(Inova – September 15, 2026)

Inova L.J. Murphy Children’s Hospital has been recognized as a 2026-2027 Best Children’s Hospital by U.S. News & World Report, ranking #32 for Neonatology in the nation. The rankings assist parents, in consultation with their children’s doctors, in finding exceptional pediatric care – whether for serious illness, a high-stakes surgery or complex medical needs. Inova Children’s ranked #3 in Virginia and is tied for #16 in the Mid-Atlantic Region. For the 2026-2027 rankings, U.S. News, together with RTI International, a North Carolina-based research firm, collected and analyzed data from 114 children’s hospitals and surveyed thousands of pediatric specialists. Children’s hospitals awarded a “Best” designation excelled at factors such as clinical outcomes, compliance with established best practices, and level and quality of hospital resources directly related to patient care.

When Do You Need a Colonoscopy?
(Augusta Health – September 15, 2026)

For many adults at average risk, colorectal cancer screening begins at age 45. Your screening needs may be different based on your personal and family health history. Talking with your healthcare provider can help you understand your risk and decide when and how you should be screened. A colonoscopy can help find colorectal cancer before symptoms appear. It can also find and remove certain polyps that may become cancerous over time. What Is a Colonoscopy? A colonoscopy examines the inside of your colon and rectum. A healthcare professional uses a thin, flexible tube with a small camera to look for changes or concerns. During the procedure, the doctor can also remove certain polyps or collect small tissue samples for testing.

As Federal Law Kicks In, Oregon Health Plan Will Soon Be Harder for Thousands to Get
(WWeek – September 14, 2026)

When the One Big Beautiful Bill Act began to go into effect in summer 2025, its broad tax cuts, benefiting wealthier Americans in particular, dented the nation’s revenue forecasts for years to come. The law’s backers sought to balance the ledger by making some of the largest cuts to the social safety net in a generation, slashing federal funding to states, restricting noncitizens from many benefits, and erecting additional barriers to public assistance for tens of millions of citizens too. Some changes, such as cuts to SNAP food benefits eligibility, have already begun kicking in. But the biggest alterations were deferred in large part until 2027, after the midterm election.

Florida gets $8 million federal grant to strengthen 988 suicide and crisis services
(Health News Florida – September 15, 2026)

Florida is among the states receiving new federal funding to strengthen behavioral health services, including more than $8 million for the state’s 988 suicide and crisis helplines. The awards also include $500,000 for the University of South Florida under a federal program aimed at helping emergency departments use alternatives to opioids when treating pain. The USF project will adapt and implement protocols across Tampa General Hospital ERs. The funds are part of $383.4 million in grants announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last week for behavioral health treatment, prevention and crisis response.

Mississippi: Reeves announces $104M in rural health funding for facility and technology improvements
(News from the States – September 14, 2026)

Gov. Tate Reeves on Monday announced 167 awards together worth over $104 million to providers across Mississippi for projects aimed at improving rural health care. The projects are a part of the state’s first three grant opportunities for healthcare providers funded by the federal Rural Health Transformation Program. The awards, which represent over half of the state’s funding through the program for this year, will be used to help rural hospitals, health clinics, mental health practitioners and other providers make facility improvements, expand service offerings, upgrade technology systems, bolster cybersecurity defenses and increase telehealth capacity. Reeves posted a full list of the awardees to his website Monday. “When you step back and look at these projects together, you really see something bigger than a list of grants,” Reeves said at a Monday press conference at his office. “You see a strategy built around Mississippi.”

NJ bill would give nursing home residents small boost in monthly Medicaid allowance
(News from the States – September 15, 2026)

It took a year for Gail Smith, a nursing home resident in Somerset County, to save enough from her monthly Medicaid allowance to afford new clothing when she lost significant weight, and she still had to buy second-hand. “It hurts to have our personalities squashed and to lose our independence,” Smith told New Jersey lawmakers Monday. “We’re not just waiting to die. We want to thrive.” Smith is among a growing group of advocates who want the state to increase the $50 monthly “personal needs allowance” provided to nursing home residents who have Medicaid. Residents use the money to pay for their cellphone, cable TV, haircuts, clothing, toiletries, books, and gifts, among other things.

2.3M young adults could lose Medicaid due to Big Beautiful Bill: study
(Healthcare Dive – September 15, 2026)

Up to 2.3 million young adults could lose Medicaid coverage by 2028 as a result of work requirements and more frequent eligibility checks in Republicans’ “Big Beautiful Bill,” according to a new analysis. Nearly 9 in 10 adults aged 19 to 24 with Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act expansion already meet the work requirements or qualify for an exemption, like school attendance, the Urban Institute report said. But states have limited data to verify this information, which creates barriers to retaining coverage. As a result, young adults’ ability to stay on Medicaid will depend heavily on how states choose to implement the law’s policies, according to the Washington, D.C.-based think tank.

About Half Of Health Insurance Denials Get Reversed, Analysis Finds
(Bloomberg – September 14, 2026) SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED

Few patients appeal when insurers decline to pay for their care. Many don’t even know they can. But new data show that when they do, they frequently win — in some plans, nine out of 10 times. That dynamic means many Americans can’t get the care their doctors have prescribed without first wading through a bureaucratic process known as prior authorization. Insurers use the practice to decide whether they’ll cover a procedure or drug, and to help avert what they deem unnecessary care. But the high rate at which some companies overturn their own decisions raises questions about why they’re denying so many doctors’ orders in the first place.

Inside CMS’ medical frailty, Medicaid work requirements guidance
(Modern Healthcare – September 15, 2026) SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED

The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services has provided the greatest detail to date about how states can determine who is exempt from Medicaid work requirements for “medical frailty.” The guidance, issued in the form of a slide presentation last Tuesday, offers a blueprint for states as they hustle to figure out how to implement the “medical frailty” exemption, which has been a sticking point. Yet it leaves many questions for states, providers and insurers to sort out.

Medicare’s AI prior authorization pilot was rushed and full of problems, new documents reveal
(STAT News – September 15, 2026)

The rollout of a Medicare program that uses artificial intelligence to approve or deny care was hasty and error-ridden, according to more than a thousand pages of recently released documents and data. The pilot program, called the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction model, or WISeR, launched in January and requires health care providers to seek approvals before they can provide certain procedures and products, like skin substitutes and epidural injections for pain management. The experiment operates in New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, and Washington and will run until 2031.

OIG urges crackdown on equipment suppliers in Medicare Advantage
(Healthcare Dive – September 15, 2026)

The federal government is once again targeting fraud in durable medical equipment suppliers, publishing a report Monday through the HHS’ Office of the Inspector General that urges regulators to crack down on suspect billing in Medicare Advantage. The OIG found that, in addition to other issues, MA organizations don’t screen for fraudulent medical equipment suppliers as often when they’re out of network, compared to in-network suppliers. MA organizations should tighten the screening process for suppliers and the CMS should use its fraud prevention tool more regularly, the OIG said.

Only 46% of Gen Z, Millennial health plan members trust payers: Accenture survey
(Fierce Healthcare – September 15, 2026)

Member trust in insurers is on the decline among Gen Z and Millennials, down 10.5% between 2023 and 2026, new research from Accenture found. This trust gap, according to analysts, could cost $3 billion in future member lifetime value for the largest commercial payers over the next decade. “When members don’t trust their health plan, they don’t just disengage; they route around it,” said Bracken Flynn, Accenture’s Health industry principal director, in a statement. “Our data shows that younger consumers aren’t asking for less from their insurer. They want more. They’re looking for a partner that helps them navigate care, understand costs, and make confident decisions. The insurers that earn that trust now will define what health coverage means for the next generation.”

Early Data Show Uptick in Suicide Deaths in 2025 Following a Two-Year Decline
(KFF – September 15, 2026)

Overall, suicide deaths peaked in 2022 and declined through 2024 before increasing slightly by nearly 250 deaths in 2025. However, trends differed by method. Firearm suicides reached their highest level in 2025, according to provisional data, while suicides by other means continued to decline. Firearms accounted for 57% of all suicide deaths in 2025, up from 50% in 2015. Contacts to the federally mandated crisis number, 988, also continue to grow four years after implementation.

Health Care Access and Affordability for Adults with Multiple or Complex Health Conditions: A Snapshot of Patient Experiences
(KFF – September 15, 2026)

KFF polling has long shown that many U.S. families struggle to afford health care and how costs shape decisions about whether and when to seek care. In the past year, worries about costs have intensified, with the cost of health care topping the public’s list of economic anxieties. Even adults with health insurance report difficulty affording health care, and many say they have health care debt. These concerns have implications for people’s access to care, health and well-being, and financial security. While previous KFF polling has examined the public’s experiences with health care costs, sample size limitations have made it difficult to examine the experiences of adults with serious or complex health conditions. The KFF Survey of Health Access and Caregiving helps fill this gap with a large, nationally representative sample of 25,873 adults, including 16,677 who say they have received treatment for at least one health condition in the past year. The survey’s large sample size makes it possible to examine the experiences of adults with specific conditions including cancer, lung disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mental health conditions, while also allowing for analysis by other demographics like age and insurance coverage.

Health systems pivot to AI at scale
(Becker’s Hospital Review – September 15, 2026)

Health systems have spent years running AI pilots. The question now is what comes after scaling them. Four leaders working at organizations with populations ranging from tens of thousands to 5 million patients say the answer requires something most organizations haven’t yet built. The challenge is no longer proving that AI can work in a controlled environment. It’s making AI work reliably at the scale of a real health system across dozens of facilities, thousands of clinicians and patient populations that don’t behave the way pilot cohorts do. At Pittsburgh-based UPMC, Somerville, Mass.-based Mass General Brigham, Oakland, Calif.-based Permanente Federation and California-based Stanford Health Care, leaders are confronting that problem differently but they’re arriving at a shared standard.

HL Shorts: Key to success in population health
(HealthLeaders Media – September 15, 2026)

Promoting population health is among the top responsibilities of CMOs. In this episode of HL Shorts, find out about effective strategies that CMOs can adopt to advance population health from Erica Gregonis, MD, MBA, who is the new CMO of Owensboro Health. To read the accompanying HealthLeaders story, which features Gregonis’ insights on how to expand behavioral health services in a way that generates a positive financial margin, click on this link.

HL Shorts: What is the next evolution of smart rooms in hospitals
(HealthLeaders Media – September 15, 2026)

On this episode of HL Shorts, we hear from Jill Evans, chief nursing informatics officer and executive director of virtual care enterprise at MetroHealth, about the potential next evolution for smart rooms in hospitals and how they fit into nursing workflows. Tune in to hear her insights.

Hospital margins drop to 1.4% as bad debt, charity care soar
(Becker’s Hospital Review – September 15, 2026)

Hospital margins softened in July as bad debt and charity care rose significantly, indicating payer mix erosion, according to Kaufman Hall’s “National Hospital Flash Report.” “As pressure from these trends mounts, hospitals may need to redesign their financial and operational strategies for future sustainability,” noted the report, which was generated based on data from 1,300-plus hospitals gathered by Strata Decision Technology. Five key takeaways: 1. Hospital year-to-date operating margins fell from 2.2% in June to 1.4% in July, marking the lowest rate since February. The monthly operating margin index similarly declined, dropping from 4.7% in June to 1.1% in July.

How health systems decide if AI tools are worth keeping
(Becker’s Hospital Review – September 15, 2026)

For some health system technology leaders, rolling out AI tools was the easy part. Proving they are still worth paying for is the harder, ongoing job. Shahidul Mannan, chief data officer at Boston Medical Center, put the sharpest number on that discipline during a panel discussion Sept. 15 at Becker’s 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference. Each ambient AI license costs the health system between $200 and $600 per provider, and that price tag does not buy a permanent seat. “We always take a look at the utilization, and if the utilization is falling, do we need more training, or maybe we can use it better in some other places?” he said.

New polls highlight tumbling trust in measles vaccine safety, advice from doctors
(CIDRAP – September 15, 2026)

Two new polls reveal cracks in both US and global trust in medicine, with one showing erosion in Americans’ belief that the measles vaccine is safe for children and another finding that just over half of people in 13 countries say that, given conflicting information, they always follow their physician’s recommendations. As measles cases and deaths mount from multiple outbreaks across the United States, a four-day Reuters/Ipsos poll completed yesterday shows declining trust in the safety of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine for children (76%, down from 84% in 2020). The deteriorating trust was most apparent among Republicans.

Survey: Adults With Multiple or Complex Health Conditions Face Significant Challenges with Health Costs and Commonly Struggle to Access Care
(KFF – September 15, 2026)

Adults with multiple or complex health conditions, who already face unique physical and mental challenges, commonly struggle to pay their medical bills and access needed care and medication—challenges that fall hardest on uninsured adults, according to a new KFF survey of more than 25 thousand adults. A companion Beyond the Data column by KFF Founding President and CEO Dr. Drew Altman explores the survey’s findings about uninsured adults with greater health needs and considers why the national discussion of the affordability crisis has largely ignored this group. “If the first obligation of a health care system is to take care of the sick, we are failing that test. Cost and access problems are hitting the chronically ill hard, and the chronically ill and uninsured especially hard,” said Dr. Drew Altman.

HHS adds new IDR entity as surprise billing disputes surge
(Healthcare Dive – September 15, 2026)

The Trump administration has certified a new arbiter to decide out-of-network payment disputes between providers and insurers through the process set up by the No Surprises Act. Physio Solutions, which does business as Medlitix, is an independent review organization that provides medical and peer reviews, as well as dispute resolution services to health plans, pharmacy benefit managers, third-party administrators and over 40 government programs. The new addition brings the total number of certified arbiters to 17, as disputes in the independent dispute resolution, or IDR, process continue to snowball.

Trump administration changes how it counts measles deaths amid Pennsylvania outbreak
(The Guardian – September 14, 2026)

The Trump administration has changed the way it counts measles deaths amid an outbreak in Pennsylvania, which on Sunday saw the third apparent measles-related death in the state reported by a local coroner. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now using data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), which is a way to track mortality trends over time, according to a note published to the agency’s website on 4 September. It’s a “puzzling” move, said Debra Houry, a former CDC chief medical officer. “The change doesn’t make any sense,” she added. This system is “not meant to confirm an individual case”; instead, it’s “usually focused on high-quality, long-term mortality trend analysis”, she said.