Searching for your content... In-Language News Contact Us 888-776-0942 from 8 AM - 10 PM ET Mar 20, 2025, 11:48 ET Share this article Data privacy and security are leading concerns in highly regulated industries CARY, N.C., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Generative AI is at the forefront of global innovation in both health care and life sciences. To better understand how technology is being used, data and AI leader SAS and Coleman Parkes Research conducted a global, cross-industry survey of 237 life sciences and pharma leaders and 240 health care leaders who are decision makers on their organization's GenAI, data and analytics strategy. New study reports how the health care and life sciences industries are implementing GenAI to improve business outcomes. The study offers a deep dive into how these sectors are implementing GenAI, what their biggest challenges are and how health care and life sciences compares to industries like insurance, the public sector, banking, manufacturing and more. The study offers a deep dive into how these sectors are implementing GenAI, what their biggest challenges are and how health care and life sciences compares to industries like insurance, the public sector, banking, manufacturing and more. Health care leans into GenAI innovation The GenAI research for the health care sector revealed that leaders can envision the technology's transformative ability and are optimistic about the potential for GenAI to support and complement the work of doctors, researchers and other health care professionals. More specifically: "The unique challenges and diverse functions of the health care sector demand special consideration to regulatory and compliance issues, data sensitivity, interoperability and bias in AI algorithms," said Alyssa Farrell, Global Health and Life Sciences Industry Marketing Director at SAS. "The adoption of GenAI in health care is projected to rapidly catch up as the industry addresses these concerns." Access the full study and report findings for health care: Your journey to a GenAI future: A strategic path to success in health care. Life sciences on the brink of GenAI-driven transformation The GenAI research for life sciences and pharma found the industry is steadily embracing the technology. Leaders use the technology more regularly, are better prepared when it comes to GenAI usage policies, and an overwhelming majority plan to invest in it the next financial year. Specific findings include: "The life sciences sector is looking toward a GenAI future with strong rates of organizational use – and the budgets to back it up," said Farrell. "The technology's strengths in prediction and modeling suggest incredible potential to accelerate initiatives across the entire value chain, from R&D through clinical trials and commercialization. Leaders are feeling positive about what GenAI can do, particularly when it comes to innovating and maintaining a competitive advantage." Access the full study and report findings for life sciences: Your journey to a GenAI future: A strategic path to success in life sciences and pharma. Data privacy and security ranked as top concerns As GenAI technology expands, issues of data privacy and security uniquely affect leaders in health care and life sciences. These industries deal with sensitive and high-stakes outcomes and face particularly significant ethical and regulatory considerations. The research revealed: Synthetic data embraced for data challenges Synthetic data is increasingly being used in the health care and life sciences industries to train and test AI systems in place of or in addition to real-world data. It also can augment data used to simulate patient workflows or supply chains. Synthetic data addresses data scarcity challenges by generating synthetic tabular data that statistically represents original training data without compromising sensitive patient health information. The GenAI study revealed heightened openness to addressing data challenges – like data quality, scarcity and privacy scenarios – through synthetic data in both health care and pharma. Currently, 56% of life sciences organizations and 46% of health care entities are already using synthetic data or actively considering doing so. "Data is the lifeblood of the digital health ecosystem. Continued investment in interoperability and data governance is key to provide the fuel for a GenAI future," said Farrell. "Incorporating synthetic data and technology, such as digital twins, is yet another way to derive more value from data for the benefit of patients and population health outcomes." Explore SAS data and AI innovation Register for SAS Innovate, May 6 – 9 in Orlando, to learn more about SAS data and AI innovations for the health care and life sciences industries. Check out the full agenda with industry and tech specific session information here: https://www.sas.com/en/events/sas-innovate/agenda.html. Learn more about SAS' analytics and AI solutions for health care (sas.com/healthcare) and life sciences (sas.com/lifesciences). About SAS SAS is a global leader in data and AI. With SAS software and industry-specific solutions, organizations transform data into trusted decisions. SAS gives you THE POWER TO KNOW®. SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. ® indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies. Copyright © 2025 SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved. Editorial Contact: Jennifer James[email protected]919-531-0858sas.com/news SOURCE SAS To help organizations responsibly unlock the full value of GenAI, data and AI leader SAS has created a benchmarking tool to assist leaders in... Having navigated the coronavirus pandemic's disruption, the banking industry faces a new era of volatility and uncertainty. Soaring interest rate and ... Computer & Electronics Data Analytics Data Analytics Health Care & Hospitals Do not sell or share my personal information:

Menu KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Share your story idea with Ryan. Farmers just want to farm. "We very much believe in that we feed the soil, to feed the plants, to feed the animal, to feed people," Sean Cornelius, a Caldwell County, Missouri, dairy farmer, said. He's a third-generation dairy farmer, running a barn and parlor located at the site where his grandfather was born. "We have a good family history here of being dairy farmers," Cornelius said. Farming operations across the country are threatened each day by fluctuating markets, high input costs, and diminishing farm income. The USDA's September farm income forecast, a key projection of farm profitability, projects $140 billion for 2024, which is a $6.5 billion decline from 2023. "Feed costs are about 60% of our cost of production for making milk," Cornelius said. "Anything that it goes to changing the cost to grow that crop, be it land prices, be it fertilizer prices, fuel costs, labor costs, same problems all other small businesses have, we see right here on the dairy farm as well.” Those factors play into the operation's profitability. Cornelius Farms sells its cows' milk directly to Hiland Dairy in Kansas City. Another lesser thought of cost is health insurance. "if you're self-employed or work a part-time job, or you're doing something that you don't have work available health insurance, then you gotta go to the marketplace," he added. Each year, Cornelius searches for medical insurance plans for him and his wife. The two navigate limited options that are available to their needs in Caldwell County, Missouri. "When I sat down to look at my options, I found plans ranging from $1,700 a month, up to $3,400 a month. That's entirely my contribution," Cornelius told KSHB 41. "...that's almost $20,000 a year... That plan had almost a $10,000 per person deductible. Maximum out-of-pocket of $18,000.” According to Cornelius, the options available to him must coordinate with St. Luke's Health System or not at all. He said his plans are not always competitive on the market because his options are limited. Each year, Cornelius submits his taxable income to his accountant to project the next year's profit. If his operation's projected profit hits below a certain mark he can qualify for a subsidized plan that helps lower his healthcare costs. "As I put my taxes in for 2024, I've got a higher level of income than I had for 2023," he said. "Milk prices were really good in 2024, so that kind of helped the income out. It was a pleasant surprise until the tax person looked at those numbers and was like, ouch." Cornelius is advocating for Missouri House Bill 366, a piece of legislation that would allow the Missouri Farm Bureau to offer health care plans to its members. “7.5% of Missourians are without health coverage. That is the issue that affects many of Missouri's farm and ranch families who are self-employed," Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins said. "Those who don't qualify for subsidized plans in the Affordable Care Act marketplace, that go to the marketplace that find the coverage to be unaffordable.” In 2019, KSHB 41 reported on the Kansas Legislature passing similar legislation to permit organizations like the Missouri Farm Bureau to offer health care. "Kansas has seen great success," Hawkins told KSHB 41. "Our Farm Bureau members are asking their organization to be able to offer this product, that they not only want but are demanding from us... it won't cost the state government a dime. Because we will use our own money as a Farm Bureau to stand up and be able to offer these plans to our members, which our own members will use their own money to cover the premiums on a monthly basis." Cornelius told KSHB 41 that a persistent medical emergency with his current plans and their price could put their farm in peril. “Early in my career I had no idea that I needed to be an expert on health care," he added. “We're limited, we're stuck with what we have. All we're asking for is another option.” Missouri HB 366 is awaiting referral to the House floor for debate. — KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Share your story idea with Ryan. Report a typo

Considering the lack of high quality data, companies that excel in compiling and managing data effectively are attracting interest from industry partners and distinguishing themselves from their rivals. Here are some of the ways emerging AI applications are fueling and redefining the need for RWD across HCLS. Share Options Share a link too this article The last half decade has brought about change, innovation and overall disruption across healthcare and life sciences (HCLS) that normally transpires over the course of decades. At the forefront of this rapid change has been the ascendency of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI). If one takes a step back it is remarkable to reflect on how the discourse surrounding emerging technologies has evolved in just the past two to three years. Conversations that once focused on the ‘what' now center exclusively on the ‘how'. How can we harness this technology effectively and responsibly? How do we go about upskilling and training medical professionals to use the technology responsibly? How can we ensure we're maximizing the full capabilities of these tools? Against this backdrop, the rise of these technologies has concurrently shed light to another central need in HCLS: the need for high quality, comprehensive real world data (RWD). Considering the lack of high quality data, companies that excel in compiling and managing data effectively are attracting interest from industry partners and distinguishing themselves from their rivals. While there a myriad of factors at play, here are just some of the ways emerging AI applications are fueling and redefining the need for RWD across HCLS, A new report from Relatient, A Data-Driven Guide to Patient Access Succes, highlights how focusing on data accuracy and relevance can enhance the performance of healthcare practices. Elevating healthcare delivery In many ways, the growth of AI applications and the need for high quality RWD is similar to a relay race. The chain of information clinicians use to diagnose, treat and monitor patients is dependent on the baton of historical data. That data not only needs to be passed effectively but also in a manner that doesn't overlook critical details. AI presents that critical link in the chain but ultimately the quality of the RWD and the value it can provide is foundational to the success of AI applications. Reshaping life sciences Similar to healthcare, AI in life sciences continues to emerge and with it pharmaceutical manufacturers and biotech companies have their own independent initiatives to discover, develop and commercialize therapeutic assets leveraging the technology. Whether seeking out and identifying new therapeutic targets or stratifying patients that are more or less likely to respond to a drug, RWD serves as an anchoring factor. Simply put, biopharma and biotech companies require high quality RWD to power their AI driven innovations. Choosing the right software translates directly into better client management, operational efficiency and growth for your spa franchise. Discover which tool is best for your business. It begins with data We've heard the old adage that knowledge is power and when it comes to AI applications for healthcare, biopharma and medical device applications, data is that power. In particular authentic, well curated patient data. Yet such data often presents challenges. For example, data might be in silos or exist in different systems. But in order to arrive at clinical grade conclusions, the foundation of such models needs to be patient data. For this reason, the rise of GenAI applications in HCLS makes the need for RWD even greater than existed previously. Gen AI models often produce hallucinations or outcomes that do not exist in the actual data. Such inaccuracies render AI applications unusable, further emphasizing the indispensable role of quality RWD in developing functional and reliable healthcare AI applications. The path ahead As applications across HCLS accelerate and in turn the need for RWD to continue to fuel that advancement, the focus will increasingly shift to maximizing value of the data for HCLS organizations. We are already beginning to see healthcare organizations for example that manage patient interactions, ranging from hospitals to home health providers, implementing steps to better organize and prepare their data for downstream uses. This is the case both within their care centers and externally. Investing in data infrastructure, governance processes and strategies to effectively handle RWD is going to be critical for HCLS organizations as they continue on their AI journeys. Those that do so well will be best positioned to derive value from their data while enhancing patient outcomes. Photo: Ace2020, Getty Images Kristin Pothier is the U.S. Sector Life Sciences Leader at KPMG U.S. Kristin has nearly 30 years of experience in strategy consulting and research in the healthcare and life sciences industries. Her areas of focus are commercial strategy, growth strategy, and M&A for pharmaceutical, diagnostics, device, and consumer health companies, investors, and medical institutions worldwide. Ash Shehata is the U.S. Sector Healthcare Leader at KPMG U.S. Ash is a U.S.-based Advisory executive with over 25 years experience specializing in healthcare IT, including meaningful use achievement, health information exchanges, longitudinal clinical records, cloudbased healthcare IT, and clinical and other healthcare business intelligence. This post appears through the MedCity Influencers program. Anyone can publish their perspective on business and innovation in healthcare on MedCity News through MedCity Influencers. Click here to find out how. We will never sell or share your information without your consent. See our privacy policy. Transitioning to PDPM models significantly shifted the healthcare industry. By replacing the RUG system, healthcare providers cut waste and more accurately reflect the care each patient received. Patient expectations continue to evolve, and healthcare practices that fail to adapt risk more than just revenue—they risk losing trust. Every wellness clinic is only as successful as the capabilities of its software. Here's where you can find the top-rated practice management solutions for med spas. We will never sell or share your information without your consent. See our privacy policy. © 2025 Breaking Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Registration or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Let MedTech Dive's free newsletter keep you informed, straight from your inbox. GE Healthcare, Synchron and robotics companies were among the medtech firms that used Nvidia's GTC 2025 conference to share updates on their work with the AI computing leader. Medtech companies used GTC 2025 this week to share updates on their work with AI computing leader Nvidia. The event is Nvidia's annual artificial intelligence developer conference. Here, we look at AI projects device and diagnostic developers have started with Nvidia and one of the computing company's partners, Google Cloud. Quest Diagnostics is working with Google Cloud to streamline its data systems and personalize customer experiences using generative AI, the companies said Tuesday. The partnership positions Quest to deploy platforms such as Google Agentspace, which uses generative AI to help employees and customers find information and create agents to automate tasks. Quest said AI could help patients “glean personalized health insights from their laboratory data” and give physicians insights to inform their care of individuals. Quest, which competes with Labcorp, said the collaboration is “one of the first by a national laboratory provider to use these technologies across a range of operations and administrative areas like R&D, customer experience and operations.” Other goals include streamlining Quest's systems to improve data quality, management and security. The company fulfilled more than 200 million orders for tests and managed over 80 billion data points in 2024. GE Healthcare has expanded its relationship with Nvidia to cover autonomous X-ray and ultrasound systems, the companies said Tuesday. The partners plan to use AI-enabled software to capture and analyze medical images. GE Healthcare framed the autonomous systems as a way to alleviate the radiology staff shortages that have emerged as demand for imaging has increased in aging societies. AI-enabled systems “could minimize the burden on technicians and radiologists,” GE Healthcare said. GE Healthcare plans to use the Nvidia Cosmos platform to train, test and tune autonomous ultrasound and X-ray devices in a virtual environment. By using synthetic data generation to simulate various scenarios, the company plans to automate repetitive tasks performed by X-ray technologists. The partners will also look at machine-to-patient interactions to more fully automate the scanning process. The ultrasound part of the project is focused on streamlining workflows and reducing the physical strains sonographers experience as they perform repetitive motions. GE Healthcare also sees opportunities to use AI in image understanding and robotic navigation. Synchron has shown how its AI-enabled brain-computer interface could be displayed on the Apple Vision Pro to allow people to control digital and physical environments with their thoughts. The company, which shared the news Wednesday, used Nvidia's Holoscan AI sensor processing platform to power the technology. Synchron said Holoscan enables faster, more precise motor inference in its BCI technology to empower users to control digital environments using their thoughts. Synchron's use of Holoscan for real-time neural decoding is the first step on its roadmap. The company plans to use other Nvidia technologies to create simulations of domestic environments. By interpreting neural signals in real-world simulations, the company aims to make interactions more intuitive. Cognitive AI is the final part of Synchron's three-step roadmap. The company called cognitive AI the next step beyond generative and agentic AI. Synchron aims to create a “self-learning model of cognition.” The project will train the AI “directly on human neural activity” that the company has collected through the development and use of its BCI device. Moon Surgical and Virtual Incision also shared details of their work with Nvidia this week. Moon Surgical is using the Nvidia Isaac for Healthcare platform to try to develop a robot that can “actively interpret, adapt and enhance surgical workflows in real time.” The company's Maestro System already uses the Nvidia Holoscan platform for real-time sensor processing. Virtual Incision is exploring the use of the Nvidia Isaac for Healthcare platform in its next-generation robots, leveraging its ability to create virtual environments to simulate surgical details and physiologic processes. Correction: The story was updated to reflect which company announcements were made as part of Nvidia's conference. Quest Diagnostics' announcement was not part of the conference. Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts From the start, the DNA sequencing leader faced pressure to unwind its $8 billion acquisition of the cancer screening developer. As 2023 drew to a close, it has finally agreed. Medtronic and Johnson & Johnson are pursuing a market that leader Boston Scientific predicts could hit $6 billion by 2030. Keep up with the story. Subscribe to the MedTech Dive free daily newsletter Subscribe to MedTech Dive for top news, trends & analysis Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts From the start, the DNA sequencing leader faced pressure to unwind its $8 billion acquisition of the cancer screening developer. As 2023 drew to a close, it has finally agreed. Medtronic and Johnson & Johnson are pursuing a market that leader Boston Scientific predicts could hit $6 billion by 2030. The free newsletter covering the top industry headlines

Oops, something went wrong It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Many investors also have a go-to methodology that helps guide their buy and sell decisions. One way to find winning stocks based on your preferred way of investing is to use the Zacks Style Scores, which are indicators that rate stocks based on three widely-followed investing types: value, growth, and momentum. Finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, and Price/Cash Flow to highlight the most attractive and discounted stocks. Founded in 1967 and headquartered in Dallas, TX, Tenet Healthcare Corp., is an investor-owned health care services company, which owns and operates general hospitals and related health care facilities for urban and rural communities in numerous states, and has offices in California and Florida. The company has investments in other health care companies and is one of the largest investor-owned health care delivery systems in the United States. THC boasts a Value Style Score of A and VGM Score of B, and holds a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) rating. Shares of Tenet Healthcare are trading at a forward earnings multiple of 10.6X, as well as a PEG Ratio of 1, a Price/Cash Flow ratio of 6.1X, and a Price/Sales ratio of 0.6X. Many value investors pay close attention to a company's earnings as well. For THC, seven analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $1.37 to $12.03 per share for 2025. Per share THC boasts an average earnings surprise of 46.9%. Investors should take the time to consider THC for their portfolios due to its solid Zacks Ranks, notable earnings and valuation metrics, and impressive Value and VGM Style Scores. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Tenet Healthcare Corporation (THC) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Questions raised about whether Jitesh Gadhia's attendance at discussion between Accord Healthcare and government was within Lords rules A peer attended a meeting where a healthcare company of which he is a director lobbied a government minister, raising questions about whether this was within the rules of the House of Lords. Jitesh Gadhia, an investment banker and City financier, is a non-executive director of Accord Healthcare. He attended the online meeting along with two Accord executives, according to official records, in 2021, when he was already on the board of the company. An email shows Accord Healthcare, which sells a substantial amount of medicines to the NHS, wanted to use the meeting to get an update on a change in official policy. It also wanted to discuss potentially securing millions of pounds in taxpayer grants for a manufacturing facility, assisting with the design of services and procurement contracts, and to ask if it could “contribute” to official working groups. While there are grey areas in the rules of the House of Lords, they stated at the time that peers must not seek to profit from being a member of the chamber by accepting money in return for providing parliamentary advice or services. The rules also stated that peers who had paid roles were not permitted to “assist outside organisations or persons in influencing members of either house, ministers or officials”, and that they were banned from “making use of their position to lobby, or to help others to lobby” the government. Those who did have paid roles had a “responsibility to maintain a clear distinction between their outside interests and their parliamentary work”, the code of conduct stated. Later versions of the code reinforce these principles. Tom Brake, the director of the campaign group Unlock Democracy and a former deputy leader of the House of Commons, said an investigation was needed to determine whether Lord Gadhia's attendance at the meeting was within the rules. He added: “If the code is ambiguous as to whether peers with commercial interests can attend these kind of meetings, then that should be resolved.” Lawyers for Gadhia said he was not paid to provide parliamentary advice or services. They said his involvement with the group predated his appointment to parliament and that he “believes that he has acted at all times in accordance with the rules and associated guidance”. They said the suggestion he had engaged in lobbying was “misconceived”. Accord said the meeting was not lobbying and should be seen as a “vital engagement that serves the public interest”. Details of Gadhia's activities are being published as part of a project by the Guardian, the Lords debate, which is examining the role of the House of Lords and the conduct of its members at a time when the government is proposing to overhaul the upper chamber. An investment banker for more than two decades, Gadhia is currently a non-executive director of the Bank of England's governing body, helping to oversee its strategy and budget. He has held a series of directorships in big companies such as Rolls-Royce and Barclays. He received his peerage from David Cameron as part of the former prime minister's resignation honours in 2016. The Cambridge graduate had by that time donated £214,000 to the Conservative party as well as £25,000 to the Liberal Democrats. He has been an unaffiliated peer since 2017 after sitting on the Conservative benches during his first year in parliament. Gadhia has been a non-executive director of Accord Healthcare for seven years. Since 2010, he has been an adviser on strategic matters to Intas Pharmaceuticals, the Indian multinational that owns Accord. Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act show that in January 2021 a senior Accord executive initiated the meeting with James Bethell, then a junior health minister. The executive requested the meeting in an email copied to Gadhia at his House of Lords account. The day before the meeting in February, an Accord executive emailed the government summarising the issues the company wanted to raise. One was to “explore UK government appetite to explore building with us a resilient national supply chain for plasma fractionation on a toll basis”. The process of fractionation separates blood plasma into its different components, which can be used to produce medicines. The company was seeking an update on a change to policy restricting the use of blood plasma from UK donors. Another concerned its request for £15m of taxpayers' money in grants and tax credits to help its manufacturing plant in Newcastle. In its email, Accord said it “would be happy to assist with the government's thoughts on tendering, procurement or designing services. Are there any working groups being set up that we can contribute to?” Bethell later offered to “connect” Accord with two official taskforces. In response to questions from the Guardian, Accord said the meeting “should not be seen as lobbying; rather, it is a vital engagement that serves the public interest”. It said that at the time of the meeting, it “did not receive research and development grants or tax credits”, adding that “Accord does not have any representatives on government taskforces”. Gadhia's lawyers said the meeting “was part of the dialogue between government and industry, the purpose of which was to discuss how to respond to government healthcare objectives and NHS needs. This dialogue followed standard department procedures for engagement with the life sciences industry.” They said it was the only ministerial meeting he had attended as a non-executive director of Accord, adding that his attendance was declared in official transparency registers. Accord said it had sought to engage with the Department of Health and Social Care to discuss the implications of the Covid-19 pandemic and the need for greater resilience in the medical supply chain.

Please enter your login and password Forgot password? Don't have an account? Sign Up! Please enter your email address To create a free account, please fill out the form below. Already have an account? Login D-Wave Introduces Quantum Blockchain Architecture, Featuring Enha... Accenture Reports Second-Quarter Fiscal 2025 Results Plus Therapeutics Introduces REYOBIQ™, FDA-Accepted Proprietary N... Windtree Announces License and Supply Agreement to Become Sourcin... Poet Ships Advanced Optical Engine Samples to Three Global Techno... PDD Holdings Announces Fourth Quarter 2024 and Fiscal Year 2024 U... D-Wave Introduces Quantum Blockchain Architecture, Featuring Enha... Accenture Reports Second-Quarter Fiscal 2025 Results Plus Therapeutics Introduces REYOBIQ™, FDA-Accepted Proprietary N... Windtree Announces License and Supply Agreement to Become Sourcin... Poet Ships Advanced Optical Engine Samples to Three Global Techno... PDD Holdings Announces Fourth Quarter 2024 and Fiscal Year 2024 U... Flex (NASDAQ: FLEX) has announced the opening of a new product introduction (NPI) center near Boston, Massachusetts, dedicated to serving healthcare customers. The facility functions as a manufacturing gateway, offering end-to-end product development support from prototype to production. The center includes an 8,000 sq. ft. NPI lab capable of running multiple lines simultaneously and a 2,000 sq. ft. quality and design validation testing lab. It will support various healthcare products, including surgical robotics, medical devices, medical technology systems, imaging equipment, and lab diagnostic equipment. The facility features Flex's quality management system for healthcare and is expected to achieve ISO13485 certification by Q2 2025. This new center joins Flex's network of approximately 100 global sites, enabling seamless integration between design and manufacturing facilities across regions. Flex (NASDAQ: FLEX) ha annunciato l'apertura di un nuovo centro di introduzione prodotti (NPI) vicino a Boston, Massachusetts, dedicato a servire i clienti del settore sanitario. La struttura funge da gateway per la produzione, offrendo supporto completo allo sviluppo del prodotto, dal prototipo alla produzione. Il centro include un laboratorio NPI di 8.000 piedi quadrati in grado di gestire più linee contemporaneamente e un laboratorio di test per la qualità e la validazione del design di 2.000 piedi quadrati. Supporterà vari prodotti sanitari, tra cui robotica chirurgica, dispositivi medici, sistemi tecnologici medici, attrezzature per imaging e attrezzature diagnostiche da laboratorio. La struttura presenta il sistema di gestione della qualità di Flex per il settore sanitario e si prevede che ottenga la certificazione ISO13485 entro il secondo trimestre del 2025. Questo nuovo centro si unisce alla rete di Flex di circa 100 siti globali, consentendo un'integrazione fluida tra le strutture di design e produzione in diverse regioni. Flex (NASDAQ: FLEX) ha anunciado la apertura de un nuevo centro de introducción de productos (NPI) cerca de Boston, Massachusetts, dedicado a servir a los clientes del sector salud. La instalación funciona como una puerta de entrada a la fabricación, ofreciendo soporte completo al desarrollo de productos, desde el prototipo hasta la producción. El centro incluye un laboratorio NPI de 8,000 pies cuadrados capaz de operar múltiples líneas simultáneamente y un laboratorio de pruebas de calidad y validación de diseño de 2,000 pies cuadrados. Apoyará diversos productos de salud, incluidos robótica quirúrgica, dispositivos médicos, sistemas de tecnología médica, equipos de imagen y equipos de diagnóstico de laboratorio. La instalación cuenta con el sistema de gestión de calidad de Flex para el sector salud y se espera que obtenga la certificación ISO13485 para el segundo trimestre de 2025. Este nuevo centro se une a la red de Flex de aproximadamente 100 sitios globales, permitiendo una integración fluida entre las instalaciones de diseño y fabricación en diferentes regiones. Flex (NASDAQ: FLEX)는 매사추세츠주 보스턴 근처에 의료 고객을 위한 새로운 제품 소개(NPI) 센터를 개설했다고 발표했습니다. 이 시설은 프로토타입에서 생산까지의 제품 개발 지원을 제공하는 제조 관문 역할을 합니다. 센터에는 8,000 평방피트 NPI 실험실이 포함되어 있으며, 여러 라인을 동시에 운영할 수 있고, 2,000 평방피트 품질 및 설계 검증 테스트 실험실도 있습니다. 이는 외과 로봇, 의료 기기, 의료 기술 시스템, 이미징 장비 및 실험실 진단 장비를 포함한 다양한 의료 제품을 지원합니다. 이 시설은 Flex의 의료 품질 관리 시스템을 갖추고 있으며, 2025년 2분기까지 ISO13485 인증을 받을 것으로 예상됩니다. 이 새로운 센터는 Flex의 약 100개 글로벌 사이트 네트워크에 합류하여 지역 간 디자인과 제조 시설 간의 원활한 통합을 가능하게 합니다. Flex (NASDAQ: FLEX) a annoncé l'ouverture d'un nouveau centre d'introduction de produits (NPI) près de Boston, Massachusetts, dédié à servir les clients du secteur de la santé. L'installation fonctionne comme une porte d'entrée de fabrication, offrant un soutien complet au développement de produits, du prototype à la production. Le centre comprend un laboratoire NPI de 8 000 pieds carrés capable de faire fonctionner plusieurs lignes simultanément et un laboratoire de tests de qualité et de validation de conception de 2 000 pieds carrés. Il soutiendra divers produits de santé, y compris la robotique chirurgicale, les dispositifs médicaux, les systèmes de technologie médicale, les équipements d'imagerie et les équipements de diagnostic de laboratoire. L'installation dispose du système de gestion de la qualité de Flex pour le secteur de la santé et devrait obtenir la certification ISO13485 d'ici le deuxième trimestre 2025. Ce nouveau centre rejoint le réseau de Flex d'environ 100 sites dans le monde, permettant une intégration fluide entre les installations de conception et de fabrication à travers les régions. Flex (NASDAQ: FLEX) hat die Eröffnung eines neuen Produkt-Einführungszentrums (NPI) in der Nähe von Boston, Massachusetts, bekannt gegeben, das sich der Bedienung von Kunden im Gesundheitswesen widmet. Die Einrichtung fungiert als Fertigungsgateway und bietet umfassende Unterstützung bei der Produktentwicklung, vom Prototyp bis zur Produktion. Das Zentrum umfasst ein 8.000 Quadratfuß großes NPI-Labor, das mehrere Produktionslinien gleichzeitig betreiben kann, sowie ein 2.000 Quadratfuß großes Labor für Qualitäts- und Designvalidierungstests. Es wird verschiedene Gesundheitsprodukte unterstützen, darunter chirurgische Robotik, medizinische Geräte, Medizintechnologiesysteme, Bildgebungsgeräte und Labor-Diagnosetechnik. Die Einrichtung verfügt über das Qualitätsmanagementsystem von Flex für das Gesundheitswesen und wird voraussichtlich bis zum 2. Quartal 2025 die ISO13485-Zertifizierung erhalten. Dieses neue Zentrum reiht sich in das Netzwerk von Flex mit etwa 100 globalen Standorten ein und ermöglicht eine nahtlose Integration zwischen Design- und Fertigungseinrichtungen in verschiedenen Regionen. Flex's new Boston-area NPI center represents a strategic capability expansion in the high-value healthcare manufacturing sector. The 8,000 sq. ft. NPI lab and 2,000 sq. ft. quality testing facility are specifically designed to support complex medical product development across surgical robotics, medical devices, and diagnostic equipment categories. The facility's location near Boston's medical technology hub is particularly significant, positioning Flex to capture business from innovative healthcare startups and established medical technology companies concentrated in this innovation ecosystem. This proximity advantage could accelerate customer acquisition in a sector known for high margins and long-term relationships. From an operational perspective, this center bridges a critical gap between prototype development and full-scale production - often a pain point for medical device manufacturers. By offering end-to-end services from design through manufacturing transfer, Flex is targeting the higher-margin early development phases while creating a seamless pathway to volume production across its global network. The pending ISO13485 certification (targeted for Q2 2025) is essential for handling regulated medical products and signals Flex's commitment to the stringent quality standards required in this sector. The capability to run several development lines simultaneously indicates meaningful capacity for concurrent customer projects. While the announcement lacks financial projections or investment figures, this expansion should be viewed as a capability enhancement that strengthens Flex's competitive position in medical manufacturing services, potentially yielding benefits over the medium to long term rather than generating immediate material financial impact. News Summary AUSTIN, Texas, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Flex (NASDAQ: FLEX) today announced the opening of its new product introduction (NPI) center near Boston, Mass., serving healthcare customers. The center serves as a gateway to manufacturing, supporting end-to-end product development from prototype to preclinical builds, design verification and production transfer helping customers get their products to market faster, at scale, and with less risk. "Our new NPI center offers healthcare customers in North America a truly integrated, design-led manufacturing solution that ensures a seamless transition from prototype to product launch," said Kate Benedict, President, Health Solutions Business, Flex. "This expansion builds on existing NPI capabilities in Flex's healthcare sites around the world, further strengthening the end-to-end, vertically integrated solutions that customers rely on to deliver products at scale with increased quality, productivity, and speed." The new NPI center supports customers in surgical robotics, medical devices, medical technology systems, imaging equipment, and lab diagnostic equipment, among a wide array of other healthcare products. The center features an 8,000 sq. ft. NPI lab capable of running several lines simultaneously, and a 2,000 sq. ft. quality and design validation testing lab. Featuring Flex's world-class quality management system for healthcare, the center will enable customers to meet the most stringent compliance standards regulated medical products. The center is expected to be ISO13485 certified by Q2 calendar year 2025. The new NPI center joins Flex's global footprint of approximately 100 sites, enabling seamless movement between design and manufacturing facilities across and within regions. With the ability to partner at any point of the product lifecycle, Flex helps healthcare companies navigate increasing complexity across the value chain to design, build, deliver, and service medical products that transform patient care. About FlexFlex (Reg. No. 199002645H) is the manufacturing partner of choice that helps a diverse customer base design and build products that improve the world. Through the collective strength of a global workforce across 30 countries and responsible, sustainable operations, Flex delivers technology innovation, supply chain, and manufacturing solutions to diverse industries and end markets. Media & PressChristie HaberDirector, Commercial Marketing 602-245-1057christie.haber@flex.com Investors & AnalystsDavid A. RubinVice President, Investor Relations(408) 577-4632David.Rubin@flex.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/flex-opens-new-product-introduction-npi-center-serving-healthcare-customers-in-north-america-302406422.html SOURCE Flex © 2020-2025 StockTitan.net

CenterWell Bringing Convenient, Personalized Health Care to Seniors at Gladstone Walmart CenterWell Senior Primary Care in Gladstone, Mo., will celebrate its grand opening March 26. This is the first event for the 23 locations across four states where Humana's primary care brands, CenterWell Senior Primary Care and Conviva Senior Primary Care, are opening centers conveniently located next to Walmart stores. CenterWell Gladstone has been open and seeing patients since December 2024. Centers in Florida, Georgia and Texas will also host grand opening events later this spring. Photo credit: Katie Couric Media GLADSTONE, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CenterWell Senior Primary Care® is celebrating the grand opening of its new center located next to the Walmart in Gladstone, Missouri, March 26, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is the first grand opening event of the 23 centers at Walmart locations across four states scheduled to open by the middle of this year. CenterWell Gladstone opened and began accepting new patients late last year. The grand opening is a free community event that will include tours of the center, food, live music, bingo and more. CenterWell Senior Primary Care and its sister brand, Conviva Senior Primary Care, make up Humana's Primary Care Organization (PCO), the nation's largest, fastest-growing senior primary care provider. Together they deliver care to approximately 390,000 seniors in more than 340 centers as of Dec. 31, 2024. The organization focuses on bringing quality, affordable, personalized care to seniors primarily in underserved communities. “We're so excited to bring CenterWell to Gladstone seniors,” said Drew Hare, Market President for Missouri and Kansas. “We work to help eliminate barriers to care by making a visit to the doctor's office convenient for the community, and it doesn't get more convenient than next to a Walmart. Like our other centers, this center is specifically designed for seniors, including dedicated entrances and easy parking. We're committed to helping our patients lead happier, healthier lives.” Stephanie Ikeme, M.D., CenterWell's Chief Medical Officer for Missouri and Kansas, emphasized CenterWell's focus on whole-person health in a value-based care model has shown positive health outcomes for seniors. “The newest data show that patients in value-based care models, like ours at CenterWell, see their primary care clinicians 10% more than non-value-based care patients, and this means more preventive care and better health maintenance for our seniors,” Dr. Ikeme said. “Additionally, those Medicare Advantage patients had 278,000 fewer inpatient admissions in 2023 versus those enrolled in Original Medicare. This holistic care is what we want for our seniors, and we're so thrilled to have another center open to expand access to our unique care model.” CenterWell Senior Primary Care centers are staffed by board-certified physicians, nurse practitioners, medical assistants and operational support staff, and patients will have access to nurse care coordinators, behavioral health specialists, social workers, a clinical pharmacist and referral specialists. The entire team has been specially trained to treat the senior population. In addition to its healthcare offerings, CenterWell facilities include activity centers open to the entire community, not just patients. CenterWell locations in Missouri and Kansas accept Original Medicare and a wide range of Medicare Advantage health plans. CenterWell Gladstone joins seven other senior primary care centers in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Other CenterWell and Conviva centers located next to Walmart stores will celebrate grand opening events this year in these metropolitan areas: For more information on CenterWell Senior Primary Care, please visit CenterWellPrimaryCare.com. About CenterWell CenterWell is a leading health care services business focused on creating integrated and differentiated experiences that put our patients at the center of everything we do. The result is high quality health care that is accessible, comprehensive, and, most of all, personalized. As the largest provider of senior-focused primary care, one of the leading providers of home health care, and a leading integrated home delivery, specialty, hospice, and retail pharmacy, CenterWell is focused on whole health and addressing the physical, emotional and social wellness of our patients. CenterWell is part of Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM). Learn more about what we offer at CenterWell.com. Lisa M. Ferguson Humana Corporate Communications LFerguson16@humana.com Lisa M. Ferguson Humana Corporate Communications LFerguson16@humana.com Lisa M. Ferguson Humana Corporate Communications LFerguson16@humana.com © 2025 Business Wire, Inc.

Hallmark Launches Bold New Brand Campaign to Transform Healthcare Staffing Innovative AI-generated ads showcase common nursing executive dilemmas, highlighting how Hallmark's unique internal-first staffing solutions can solve healthcare's toughest challenges Hallmark, a leading healthcare workforce management technology company, today unveiled a groundbreaking brand campaign that creatively addresses one of healthcare's most pressing challenges—clinical staffing shortages and the downstream impacts of clinician engagement, patient safety, and unsustainable costs. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250320628495/en/ “Hair on Fire" is one of Hallmark's AI-generated ads that humorously capture the stress and pressures nursing executives experience when struggling to fill shifts. Leveraging humor and cutting-edge generative AI technology, Hallmark's innovative campaign vividly illustrates the dilemmas nursing executives face and demonstrates how hospitals can build stronger, more sustainable staffing strategies. The centerpiece is a series of AI-generated commercials featuring memorable visual metaphors—such as “In a Pickle,” “Hair on Fire,” and “Between a Rock and a Hard Place.” The ads humorously capture the stress and pressures nursing executives experience when struggling to fill shifts. The campaign's tagline, “Don't just outsource—insource,” highlights Hallmark's unique internal-first staffing methodology, emphasizing the importance of empowering hospitals to build their own flexible internal workforce pools instead of relying on costly external contract labor. “These lighthearted, yet impactful, ads make a powerful statement: hospitals are stuck in a frustrating, unsustainable cycle of clinical staffing, and it's time for a smarter solution that provides the flexibility clinicians want and the internal-first prioritization healthcare leaders desperately need,” said Matt Resteghini, Chief Marketing Officer at Hallmark. Hallmark's Einstein II contingent labor platform seamlessly combines an Internal Resource Pool (IRP) with a Vendor Management Solution (VMS), enabling hospitals to staff internally as a priority, deploying their own flexible clinicians before turning to external agencies. By reducing reliance on expensive contract labor, hospitals achieve better cost optimization while offering their staff greater autonomy and satisfaction. Hallmark's 2025 Workforce Trends Survey underscores the critical need for flexible staffing solutions. The results show of 1,200 senior healthcare executives, flexibility ranked equal to, or higher than, pay in importance for attracting and retaining nurses. Additionally, 98% of executives plan to expand contingent labor options, and 92% intend to invest further in flexible staffing technologies. Hallmark's innovative campaign will be showcased at the AONL Conference in Boston later this month. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage through interactive experiences, such as a “Pickle Booth” photo station and CNO confession booths for nursing executives to share their most challenging staffing dilemmas. The campaign creative was developed in conjunction with Boston-based shops Ideasicle X and Strategy by Sheehan. Explore more at: https://info.hallmarkhcs.com/insource. About Hallmark Hallmark offers a fully integrated SaaS platform for healthcare workforce management. Our Einstein II product streamlines the sourcing and deployment of contingent clinical labor while our Heisenberg II product automates the provider lifecycle from contracting to compensation, all with exceptional effectiveness, transparency, and cost savings. Partnered with our advanced strategies and deep expertise, Hallmark's leading-edge technology solutions empower healthcare organizations to thrive. To learn more, visit: www.hallmarkhcs.com. Andrea LePain andrea@emediajunction.com On Behalf of Hallmark View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250320628495/en/ Transparency is how we protect the integrity of our work and keep empowering investors to achieve their goals and dreams. 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Dr. Ian Weisberg Launches Scholarship Initiative: Advancing Healthcare Futures with the Dr. Ian Weisberg Scholarship for Medical Students. Niceville, FL, March 20, 2025 -- The Dr. Ian Weisberg Scholarship for Medical Students announces a new opportunity for undergraduate students pursuing a career in medicine. This one-time $1,000 award, established by Dr. Ian Weisberg, aims to support students who demonstrate a genuine passion for healthcare. Open to applicants nationwide, the scholarship highlights the importance of fostering talent in the medical field. Dr. Ian Weisberg, a seasoned cardiac electrophysiologist, founded this scholarship to encourage the next generation of healthcare professionals. His career reflects a deep commitment to patient care and education, and this program extends that dedication to students with big aspirations. The scholarship offers a platform for undergraduates to share their vision for improving medicine. To qualify, applicants must be enrolled in a recognized college or university and show strong academic performance. A key requirement is an essay of 800 to 1,200 words responding to this prompt: “Medicine is not just about treating illness—it is about understanding the human condition and making a meaningful impact on people's lives. How do you envision yourself contributing to the future of healthcare? What drives your passion for medicine, and how do you plan to make a difference in the lives of your patients and the world?” Essays will be evaluated based on originality, clarity, and a clear commitment to healthcare. Dr. Ian Weisberg believes that medicine thrives when driven by compassion and purpose. The scholarship reflects his hope to support students who see their future role as more than just a job. It's an invitation for applicants to think about the lives they'll touch and the changes they'll bring to the field. The application process is straightforward and open to undergraduates across the United States. The deadline to apply is October 15, 2025, with the winner announced on November 15, 2025. Full details are available at https://drianweisbergscholarship.com/ and https://drianweisbergscholarship.com/dr-ian-weisberg-scholarship/. The $1,000 award provides practical support to one standout student, recognizing their potential to shape healthcare's future. Dr. Ian Weisberg's initiative comes from a place of experience and a desire to give back. Known for his work in cardiac care and mentorship, he now focuses on helping students take their first steps toward a medical career. The scholarship aligns with his belief that education is a foundation for progress in healthcare. The Dr. Ian Weisberg Scholarship for Medical Students offers more than financial aid—it's a chance for students to articulate their goals and connect with a broader mission. By emphasizing the human side of medicine, it encourages applicants to consider how they'll make a difference. This program stands as a meaningful step in building a stronger, more caring healthcare community. Interested students can learn more and apply through the official scholarship website. The Dr. Ian Weisberg Scholarship for Medical Students looks forward to discovering the ideas and dedication of tomorrow's medical leaders. Contact Info: Name: Dr. Ian WeisbergEmail: Send EmailOrganization: Dr. Ian Weisberg ScholarshipWebsite: https://drianweisbergscholarship.com Release ID: 89155765 If you encounter any issues, discrepancies, or concerns regarding the content provided in this press release that require attention or if there is a need for a press release takedown, we kindly request that you notify us without delay at error@releasecontact.com (it is important to note that this email is the authorized channel for such matters, sending multiple emails to multiple addresses does not necessarily help expedite your request). Our responsive team will be available round-the-clock to address your concerns within 8 hours and take necessary actions to rectify any identified issues or guide you through the removal process. Ensuring accurate and reliable information is fundamental to our mission. Indices Commodities Currencies Stocks

In most cases, your health insurance must cover a list of certain services such as cancer screenings even if you get it from your employer. The proposed Texas House Bill 139 could remove that requirement and let a company provide an "Employer Choice of Benefits Plan" that does not provide all those state-mandated services. The bill was filed by Rep. Jay Dean, R-Longview, who is the chair of the House Committee on Insurance. Dean's office did not respond to questions from the American-Statesman on the bill. State-mandated services include: The health benefit plan would have to share with employees this disclaimer: "This Employer Choice of Benefits Plan, either wholly or partly, does not provide state-mandated health benefits normally required in health benefit plans in Texas. This employer health benefit plan may provide a more affordable health benefit plan for you, although, at the same time, it may provide you with fewer health benefits than those normally included as state-mandated health benefits in health benefit plans in Texas. Please consult with your insurance agent to discover which state-mandated health benefits are excluded from this health benefit plan." The plan then has to give a list of mandated health benefits it is not providing. If this bill becomes law on Sept. 1, "it would allow insurers to offer plans that fail to meet basic expectations that most Texas patients have," said Katherine McLane, spokesperson of Texas Coalition for Patients. She said the coalition believes this legislation would "throw away" 35 bills of protection from the past five legislative sessions. The employer choice of benefits plan still would have to follow federal rules set by the Affordable Care Act, which does include preventative cancer screenings, newborn screenings and vaccines, for example. The coalition worries that as the ACA continues to be attacked at the federal level, Texans can't rely on federal law to continue to uphold health care insurance protections, said the coalition's Talan Tyminski. "Mental health, children's health care, those would all be gone," she said. Dean has another bill that also has the coalition frustrated. HB 138 would create the Health Impact, Cost and Coverage Analysis Program that would create a report of any added cost that mandated health legislation would have on insurance providers or the state, as well as individuals. That report also would analyze if the legislation would increase or decrease the use of health services. The Center for Health Care Data at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston would create the report, but McLane worries patients and providers would be left out of the decision-making. "This has the stink of big insurance all over it," she said. "We can't exclude patients and Texans from it and (from) taking a wholistic view of health care."

Despite healthcare price transparency regulations being in effect for the last four years, there's been little impact on the overall cost of care in the U.S. But the Trump administration seems determined to give the regulation teeth. President Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring the Departments of Labor, Treasury and Health and Human Services to implement regulations that would further enforce the Hospital Price Transparency Rule and the Transparency in Coverage Rule by late May. The rules first came into effect during Trump's first administration, which mandated hospitals and insurers to share the costs of all services in machine-readable files. President Joe Biden signed another executive order in 2021, placing fines on uncompliant hospitals. Yet, just 21% of hospitals actually meet federal requirements, according to non-profit Patient Rights Advocate. A majority of hospitals are either completely ignoring the mandate or submitting illegible data, making it hard for consumers — including employers — to shop for quality, cost-effective care. Read more: Is Trump's executive order on IVF too good to be true? "The data itself is very much imperfect," says Mairin Mancino, senior adviser of policy at Peterson Center on Healthcare. "It's hard to manipulate, and it takes data scientists months and months to make it into something useful. We're hopeful the administration will get these files cleaned up so that employers have the information they need when purchasing [plans] in the future." Ideally, access to this data would enable employers to pinpoint which hospitals and providers offer the best services for the best prices, explains Mancino. If one hospital is charging four times as much as the hospital down the road for the same procedure, it's worth exploring why there are added costs. More often than not, it's an arbitrary upcharge that has less to do with the provider's performance and more to do with the lack of transparency. Read more: To reduce healthcare costs, address chronic conditions "We know from the data that we do have that there are massive price differentials even within hospitals that don't seem to be supported by anything other than pricing power by incumbents like hospitals," says Mancino. "So that has done a lot to galvanize employers to say, 'Hey, we're not getting a good deal.'" Mancino is confident that more pricing information will push employers to change their health plans, whether or not they're self-insured. Given that Aon predicts health benefit costs will go up 9% this year, most employers won't have a choice. However, instead of cutting down their employees' access to care, employers can opt for stronger, if not smaller, provider networks. Read more: Are employers ready for the lawsuits a Trump-era EEOC will pursue? "Spending has been increasing across all of healthcare, but it's been particularly prominent in the employer market," says Mancino. "Better pricing data can help employers make novel benefit design decisions that are going to hold down costs and increase quality." While no one knows what shape Trump's executive order will take in May, Mancino is optimistic that more hospital and insurer data will come to light. In the meantime, she encourages employers to call their members o Congress and voice their need for clean, readable care data. "Get in touch and get involved," says Mancino. "This is your opportunity to express your desire for more information so you can make better decisions with your healthcare dollars." If the Trump administration successfully ups price transparency compliance, employers will have vital data at their fingertips. Nothing in the court's ruling reduces or eliminates the fiduciary obligations that health plan sponsors must uphold under ERISA. An addiction treatment expert shares how employers can ensure all social events are sensitive to employees who choose to abstain. Forty-two percent of organizations reported a negative impact on both morale and culture after rolling out their RTO plans. Furnishing an office space takes lots of careful consideration. Learn why you'll want to include ergonomic furniture as part of that layout. EY's Americas career experiences exec finds internal opportunities for employees to develop and grow. Workers are feeling the strain. Here's what employers need to know, and what they can do to help.

The Trump administration's crackdown on DEI programs could exacerbate an unexpectedly steep drop in diversity among medical school students, even in states like California, where public universities have been navigating bans on affirmative action for decades. Education and health experts warn that, ultimately, this could harm patient care. Since taking office, President Donald Trump has issued a handful of executive orders aimed at terminating all diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI, initiatives in federally funded programs. And in his March 4 address to Congress, he described the Supreme Court's 2023 decision banning the consideration of race in college and university admissions as "brave and very powerful." Last month, the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights — which lost about 50% of its staff in mid-March — directed schools, including postsecondary institutions, to end race-based programs or risk losing federal funding. The "Dear Colleague" letter cited the Supreme Court's decision. Paulette Granberry Russell, president and CEO of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, said that "every utterance of 'diversity' is now being viewed as a violation or considered unlawful or illegal." Her organization filed a lawsuit challenging Trump's anti-DEI executive orders. While California and eight other states — Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, and Washington — had already implemented bans of varying degrees on race-based admissions policies well before the Supreme Court decision, schools bolstered diversity in their ranks with equity initiatives such as targeted scholarships, trainings, and recruitment programs. But the court's decision and the subsequent state-level backlash — 29 states have since introduced bills to curb diversity initiatives, according to data published by the Chronicle of Higher Education — have tamped down these efforts and led to the recent declines in diversity numbers, education experts said. After the Supreme Court's ruling, the numbers of Black and Hispanic medical school enrollees fell by double-digit percentages in the 2024-25 school year compared with the previous year, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Black enrollees declined 11.6%, while the number of new students of Hispanic origin fell 10.8%. The decline in enrollment of American Indian or Alaska Native students was even more dramatic, at 22.1%. New Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander enrollment declined 4.3%. "We knew this would happen," said Norma Poll-Hunter, AAMC's senior director of workforce diversity. "But it was double digits — much larger than what we anticipated." The fear among educators is the numbers will decline even more under the new administration. At the end of February, the Education Department launched an online portal encouraging people to "report illegal discriminatory practices at institutions of learning," stating that students should have "learning free of divisive ideologies and indoctrination." The agency later issued a "Frequently Asked Questions" document about its new policies, clarifying that it was acceptable to observe events like Black History Month but warning schools that they "must consider whether any school programming discourages members of all races from attending." "It definitely has a chilling effect," Poll-Hunter said. "There is a lot of fear that could cause institutions to limit their efforts." Numerous requests for comment from medical schools about the impact of the anti-DEI actions went unreturned. University presidents are staying mum on the issue to protect their institutions, according to reporting from The New York Times. Utibe Essien, a physician and UCLA assistant professor, said he has heard from some students who fear they won't be considered for admission under the new policies. Essien, who co-authored a study on the effect of affirmative action bans on medical schools, also said students are worried medical schools will not be as supportive toward students of color as in the past. "Both of these fears have the risk of limiting the options of schools folks apply to and potentially those who consider medicine as an option at all," Essien said, adding that the "lawsuits around equity policies and just the climate of anti-diversity have brought institutions to this place where they feel uncomfortable." In early February, the Pacific Legal Foundation filed a lawsuit against the University of California-San Francisco's Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland over an internship program designed to introduce "underrepresented minority high school students to health professions." Attorney Andrew Quinio filed the suit, which argues that its plaintiff, a white teenager, was not accepted to the program after disclosing in an interview that she identified as white. "From a legal standpoint, the issue that comes about from all this is: How do you choose diversity without running afoul of the Constitution?" Quinio said. "For those who want diversity as a goal, it cannot be a goal that is achieved with discrimination." UC Health spokesperson Heather Harper declined to comment on the suit on behalf of the hospital system. Another lawsuit filed in February accuses the University of California of favoring Black and Latino students over Asian American and white applicants in its undergraduate admissions. Specifically, the complaint states that UC officials pushed campuses to use a "holistic" approach to admissions and "move away from objective criteria towards more subjective assessments of the overall appeal of individual candidates." The scrutiny of that approach to admissions could threaten diversity at the UC-Davis School of Medicine, which for years has employed a "race-neutral, holistic admissions model" that reportedly tripled enrollment of Black, Latino, and Native American students. "How do you define diversity? Does it now include the way we consider how someone's lived experience may be influenced by how they grew up? The type of school, the income of their family? All of those are diversity," said Granberry Russell, of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education. "What might they view as an unlawful proxy for diversity equity and inclusion? That's what we're confronted with." California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, recently joined other state attorneys general to issue guidance urging that schools continue their DEI programs despite the federal messaging, saying that legal precedent allows for the activities. California is also among several states suing the administration over its deep cuts to the Education Department. If the recent decline in diversity among newly enrolled students holds or gets worse, it could have long-term consequences for patient care, academic experts said, pointing toward the vast racial disparities in health outcomes in the U.S., particularly for Black people. A higher proportion of Black primary care doctors is associated with longer life expectancy and lower mortality rates among Black people, according to a 2023 study published by the JAMA Network. Physicians of color are also more likely to build their careers in medically underserved communities, studies have shown, which is increasingly important as the AAMC projects a shortage of up to 40,400 primary care doctors by 2036. "The physician shortage persists, and it's dire in rural communities," Poll-Hunter said. "We know that diversity efforts are really about improving access for everyone. More diversity leads to greater access to care — everyone is benefiting from it." This article was produced by KFF Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. This article was reprinted from khn.org, a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF - the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism. KFF Health News Posted in: Healthcare News Cancel reply to comment Olivier Negre In this interview, News Medical speaks with Olivier Negre, Chief Scientific Officer at Smart Immune, about how immunotherapy is being revolutionized. Angeline Lim Molecular Devices' CellXpress AI streamlines cell culture processes, reducing human error and improving efficiency in drug discovery with advanced automation. Professor Inge Herrmann Prof. Dr. Inge Herrmann discusses her innovative work in healthcare, focusing on a reversible hydrogel implant that could transform gynecological treatments. News-Medical.Net provides this medical information service in accordance with these terms and conditions. Please note that medical information found on this website is designed to support, not to replace the relationship between patient and physician/doctor and the medical advice they may provide. 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We use some essential cookies to make this website work. We'd like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time. You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Departments, agencies and public bodies News stories, speeches, letters and notices Detailed guidance, regulations and rules Reports, analysis and official statistics Consultations and strategy Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports Fifteen organisations from Ghana's healthcare sector will be participating in a UK roadshow from 17-21 March 2025. The UK's Department for Business and Trade has today welcomed a delegation of 15 organisations from Ghana's healthcare sector for a four-city roadshow aimed at strengthening trade partnerships and development opportunities. The delegation, visiting the UK from 17-21 March 2025, includes representatives from the Ghanaian government, private health facilities, pharmaceutical and medical equipment distributors, and pharmaceutical manufacturers. The visit will strengthen the existing healthcare collaboration between the UK and Ghana, which already spans research and training, knowledge and expertise transfer, investment, and healthcare systems strengthening. His Majesty's Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for Africa, John Humphrey, who is leading the UK delegation, said: The UK is committed to strengthening its economic ties with Africa, and Ghana is a key partner in this effort as we partner together to unlock growth, jobs, trade, investment, and opportunities in our economies. The UK is committed to strengthening its economic ties with Africa, and Ghana is a key partner in this effort as we partner together to unlock growth, jobs, trade, investment, and opportunities in our economies. The roadshow begins in London before continuing to Birmingham, Leeds, and Cardiff. Throughout the tour, Ghanaian delegates will meet with UK companies offering solutions and expertise that match Ghana's healthcare needs. This initiative aligns with the UK's commitment to strengthening economic ties with African nations and building capacity to address issues around supply chain disruption over the past years. By working together – we can get ahead of global shocks, mitigate their impact, and unlock new opportunities for growth between our two countries. British High Commissioner to Ghana, H.E. Harriet Thompson said: The UK and Ghana have enjoyed a long and consistent partnership on healthcare, enhancing the health services available to citizens as well as supporting opportunities for both British and Ghanaian businesses. This roadshow is an opportunity to deepen that partnership, harnessing our nations' collective expertise, innovation, experience and dynamism. I am confident that the visit will foster productive connections, paving the way for growth and prosperity between Ghana and the UK. This visit presents a valuable opportunity for UK businesses to explore Ghana's growing healthcare market, while enabling Ghana to access the UK's expertise, products, and services in the sector. The Department for Business and Trade looks forward to productive engagement between the delegations, leading to increased trade and collaboration in healthcare. The following links open in a new tab Don't include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details. To help us improve GOV.UK, we'd like to know more about your visit today. Please fill in this survey (opens in a new tab and requires JavaScript).

Complete your personal information for a more tailored experience Home Don't miss out Subscribe to STAT+ today, for the best life sciences journalism in the industry By John Wilkerson March 20, 2025 Washington Correspondent WASHINGTON — A small government agency responsible for putting medical products and services to practical use and making health care safe is feared to be the latest target for mass layoffs by the Trump administration. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, has about 300 employees and a budget of $369 million, which is about 0.02% of what the government spends on health care. But AHRQ hasn't escaped the notice of the U.S. DOGE Service, which has been slashing agency payrolls and budgets across the government. Insiders say that DOGE aims to reduce AHRQ staff by 80% to 90%. That's based on what agency leaders were told by DOGE representatives at an in-person meeting on March 11, one current employee and one former employee said. advertisement AHRQ does the kind of research that fits well with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s plan to fight chronic disease, often by improving Americans' diets. During his confirmation hearing, Kennedy said he would be “working with AHRQ to hear their proposals on how they will make Americans healthy again.” STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account? Log in Already have an account? Log in Monthly $39 Totals $468 per year Totals $468 per year Starter $30 for 3 months, then $399/year Then $399/year Annual $399 Save 15% Save 15% 11+ Users Custom Savings start at 25%! Savings start at 25%! 2-10 Users $300 Annually per user $300 Annually per user To read the rest of this story subscribe to STAT+. John Wilkerson Washington Correspondent John Wilkerson is a Washington correspondent for STAT who writes about the politics of health care. Washington never stops. Cut through the noise with our essential updates on health care politics and policy Your data will be processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. You may opt out of receiving STAT communications at any time. By John Wilkerson By Kimberly Zieselman advertisement By Marc Siegel By Lizzy Lawrence and Sarah Todd By Sarah Owermohle By Jonathan Wosen, Megan Molteni, Jason Mast, Angus Chen, Lev Facher, and Anil Oza By Elaine Chen By Megan Molteni, Anil Oza, Jason Mast, Matthew Herper, and Lizzy Lawrence By Adam Feuerstein By Robert Weisman — Boston Globe Share options X Bluesky LinkedIn Facebook Doximity Copy link Reprints Reporting from the frontiers of health and medicine Company Account More

SAULT STE. MARIE — MyMichigan Medical Center Sault was among five Michigan hospitals named to the 2025 Top 100 Rural and Community Hospitals by The Chartis Center for Rural Health. According to a press release from MyMichigan Health, the annual award program honors hospitals based on the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX. The INDEX is considered the most comprehensive assessment of rural hospital performance, and is utilized by rural hospitals, health systems and state offices to monitor and improve performance. According to the release, the INDEX uses publicly available data to evaluate various aspects of hospital operations and finance. MyMichigan Medical Center Sault is one of only five hospitals in Michigan to receive this recognition. Other awardees include MyMichigan Medical Centers in Alpena and Tawas, and Munson Healthcare's Cadillac and Manistee hospitals. — This story was created by reporter Karly Graham, kgraham@petoskeynews.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.

Identiv and Novanta to market new RFID-based solutions that fill much needed gap for medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Posted by Elizabeth Engler Modic, Editorial Director - Manufacturing Group Identiv Inc., a global leader in RFID-enabled Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, announced a strategic business development and marketing partnership with Novanta Inc., a trusted technology provider in the medical device and life sciences markets. The partnership aims to streamline the adoption of intelligent, RFID-enabled solutions for medical device OEMs by combining Identiv's advanced RFID inlays, tags, and labels with Novanta's industry-leading ThingMagic reader modules and APIs, filling a key market gap by providing end-to-end vertical solutions for access, identification and traceability with better price and performance. The initial focus of this collaboration will be to market RFID solutions for medical device and life science OEMs that can be incorporated into smart medical devices, advanced diagnostics, and wearable devices to improve product performance, ensure proper assembly and improve patient safety. By combining Identiv's expertise in RFID inlays with Novanta's advanced reader technology and APIs, the two companies plan to deliver a comprehensive suite of RFID-enabled solutions tailored to streamline and simplify the development process and product integration for medical device manufacturers. “This collaboration with Novanta will facilitate the adoption of RFID technology in critical medical device applications,” says Kirsten Newquist, CEO at Identiv. “By collaborating with Novanta to integrate our leading-edge RFID devices with their trusted reader technology, we are enabling innovative manufacturers to incorporate intelligence and performance, ensuring patient safety.” Healthcare manufacturers and their suppliers face increasing demands to improve efficiency and reduce costs, with stringent requirements for safety and compliance. The Identiv-Novanta partnership expects to yield an optimized ecosystem where manufacturers can easily evaluate and implement RFID solutions, reducing complexity and expediting time to market. “Partnering with Identiv furthers our mission to offer innovative application specific solutions to our customers,” says Lina Li, president of Precision Medicine at Novanta. “The Identiv relationship will support our connected care and medication management customers with real-time monitoring of key patient vitals like temperature, wetness, and patient motion as well as medication compliance and patient linen tracking. This is a game changer for patient safety and hospital compliance.” The collaboration between Identiv and Novanta underscores both companies' commitment to innovation and customer success in the medical technology sector. This partnership aims to ensure that medical device manufacturers have access to the most advanced, integrated solutions available, enhancing efficiency and supporting the next generation of medical technology advancement.

Meteorologist and Reporter HONOLULU (Island News) -- "I'm originally from New Jersey. I've been on island for about six and a half years," said Keri Anacker. Anacker is a school psychologist, who spent years in grad school for her specialist degree. Now she works at a number of public schools assessing students for special education, then comes up with plans to help them. Local lawmakers want to spend millions to attract and keep new healthcare professionals in Hawaii through a bill that forgives loans used when studying for their profession. In her move to the islands, she brought more than just her belongings. "I accumulated I want to say about a little under $30,000 in student loans," stated Anacker. She said she would pay a little each month, but planned on paying for ten years under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Instead, she signed up for a Hawaii program that nearly wiped it all away. "I got awarded the money 2024. I had about $26,000 in student loan debt and they sent a check to my loan servicer for $25,500," said Anacker. She is one of the nearly 900 healthcare workers, who took part in the loan repayment program over the past two years. Now lawmakers want to set more money aside to help hundreds more Hawaii healthcare professionals. "$30 million, that is $15 million in each of the next two years, which pays for the loans that people take out when they study to become doctors, nurses, physician assistants, social workers. This pays back the amount of money they took out in loans up to $50,000," said Rep. Gregg Takayama. The program is a popular one, with more than 1,300 people on the wait list, but it does come with an important requirement. "As part of forgiving of their student loans, they have to agree to serve at least two years in a rural area, which in Hawaii is almost all of Hawaii. So we get back committed healthcare workers to serve in our community. That meets a real shortage we have of healthcare workers all across the board," added Takayama. The House bill survived crossing over to the other side of the State Legislature, but now will be heard by the Senate Ways and Means committee, which reviews all bills with a financial impact. For new healthcare workers like Anacker, the program has made a difference in her Hawaii career. "Although this program didn't help bring me here, it's definitely helped to retain and keep me here," stated Anacker. She is a such a fan of the program. She's also reached out to other current and former students, to let them know about the loan repayment program and encourage them to come to Hawaii. "I'm hoping to bring more people to the island because of it. So I'm hoping to even recruit, more healthcare workers and mental health workers like myself," added Anacker. Do you have a story idea? Email news tips to news@kitv.com Meteorologist and Reporter Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:

Now 61 Fri 55 Sat 50 by Claire O'Neil With the shuttering of some services at East Ohio Regional Hospital, Southeast Healthcare Services has announced it will accept patients that may no longer have a new medical facility to go to. TOPICS: BELMONT COUNTY, Ohio — With the shuttering of some services at East Ohio Regional Hospital, Southeast Healthcare Services has announced it will accept patients that may no longer have a new medical facility to go to. A Southeast representative also said it can provide transportation to and from appointments for these patients. Assistant Medical Director Lance Littell said they've already seen an influx of patients and they are willing to take more. "With the loss of East Ohio Regional Hospital and losing primary care there, we have one of our mobile voaches at our Martins Ferry office that sees patients three times a week,” he said. “We have plenty of openings in our St. Clairsville office, and even in Bellaire we can get anyone in that has lost their primary care position.” If you have additional questions you're urged to contact the main office in St. Clairsville.

At a roundtable on Wednesday at Mott's Children's Hospital executives and medical professionals explained what this would mean for the people they serve and their hospital systems. There's disagreement among Senate Republicans over how far cuts should go. (FOX 2) - A political fight is brewing in Washington over Medicaid and millions of Americans rely on it, but Republicans in Congress say cuts are needed. Democrats warn everyone will feel the pain. Big picture view: Senate Republicans are locked in closed-door discussions about potentially deep cuts to Medicaid, the health insurance lifeline relied on by millions of low-income Americans. At stake: "He's just closed a thousand social security offices, he's firing 7,000 people working social security, making it harder for a senior who has no transportation, to get to a social security office. Now we are talking Medicaid. We're gonna fight like hell in the Congress," said Representative Debbie Dingell. What they're saying: At a roundtable on Wednesday at Mott's Children's Hospital, executives and medical professionals explained what this would mean for the people they serve and their hospital systems. There's disagreement among Senate Republicans over how far cuts should go. The budget passed by House Republicans in February sets ambitious targets more than $800 billion in spending cuts. The Congressional Budget Office warns that protecting Medicare means Medicaid would face severe reductions. By the numbers: Medicare and Medicaid account for over 97% of the spending overseen by Congress's Energy and Commerce Committee. Nonpartisan budget analysis confirms that deep, damaging cuts to Medicaid are inevitable, unless Medicare is put on the chopping block. Governor Gretchen Whitmer says she is fighting hard for Medicaid. "If cuts of this magnitude come out of the Republican controlled Congress, everyone of us will suffer. Everyone of us will pay a price for that," said Whitmer. Breaking news delivered fast By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2025 FOX Television Stations