January 5, 2026

Whitepaper: A Guide for Evaluating the Impact of Ambient AI on Clinicians

A first of its kind, peer-reviewed study published in JAMA Network Open provides compelling evidence for what anecdotal reports previously suggested: ambient AI not only reduces documentation burden – it improves clinician well-being.

Led by Yale School of Medicine and conducted across six health systems, the study used a validated survey tool to measure cognitive load, burnout and patient-centered care. Results showed:

• 25% drop in burnout,
• 37% reduction in cognitive load, and
• 31% rise in attention given directly to patients.

This guide explains the study’s design, the Abridge Clinician Survey methodology and how hospitals can apply similar research to evaluate AI’s real-world impact.

What’s Inside:

• Summary of findings from Yale’s ambient AI study,
• Explanation of key clinical metrics used to assess effectiveness, and
• A blueprint for running additional studies.

Click Here to Download Whitepaper

January 5, 2026

Article: Notable Healthcare Policies Taking Effect in 2026

A wave of federal and state healthcare policies is set to take effect in 2026, bringing major changes to hospital operations, reimbursement, insurance markets and patient access.

From the expiration of enhanced ACA subsidies to CMS’ expansion of site-neutral payments, tightened prior authorization rules and the first round of Medicare Drug negotiations, 2026 will test how well the healthcare sector adapts to a fast-shifting regulatory landscape under the Trump administration.

Simultaneously, state governments are rolling out new mandates – from insulin copay caps and AI guardrails to expanded coverage requirements and immigrant protections – that will have a notable effect on hospitals, payers and patients in certain markets.

Click Here to Read Full Article

January 5, 2026

Whitepaper: How 75 Hospital Leaders are Rethinking the Patient Room

Patient rooms are being reimagined – not just in layout, but in how technology supports communication, safety and connection.

In a recent Becker’s Zoom, and HP survey of 75 hospital and health system leaders including C-suite executives, medical directors, and nursing and technology leaders, one theme stood out: outdated, fragmented tech is undermining care delivery and clinician satisfaction.

But some organizations are moving fast to fix it.

This report reveals what leaders are prioritizing (think: virtual nursing, discharge workflows supported by in-room video) and where critical infrastructure gaps remain.

Inside, you’ll learn:

• Why just 1 in 3 rooms is fully equipped for modern communication and what’s driving change,
• How Blessing Health System outfitted 150 room to support virtual visits, discharge planning and patient education, and
• What investments are top of mind as health systems build the patient room of the future.

Click Here to Download the Whitepaper

January 2, 2026

Research Alert: Changes in Bed-Based Measures of Surge Capacity from 2018 to 2022 Among Rural and Urban Hospitals

Hospital surge capacity refers to the ability to handle sudden and possible dramatic increases in health care demand, such as the increase in demand experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, a natural disaster, or a mass casualty event. One method of assessing surge capacity is to examine a hospital’s typical number of unoccupied beds.

On an average day in 2022, the average rural hospital had 24 unoccupied acute care beds, accounting for approximately 66% of the hospital’s total acute care beds. Although these numbers have decreased slightly from 2018 (26 unoccupied beds accounting for approximately 67% of total beds), the findings suggest that surge capacity, as measured by unoccupied beds, has not dramatically changed in recent years.

Click Here to Read Full Report

January 2, 2026

Recapping 2025 Rural Health Advocacy Wins

Through advocacy efforts, NRHA educates Congress and the Administration on health care issues important to rural America. NRHA connects thousands of rural health stakeholders with local, state, and federal lawmakers, ensuring that policy requests are heard by those with the power to enact change at every level.

The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) is excited to share their 2025 Advocacy Report, summarizing NRHA’s key wins including legislative, administrative, regulatory, and state-level victories, as well as grassroots engagement.

Click Here to Read the Report

January 2, 2026

eBook: Where Progress Meets Purpose: How 3 Systems Turned Data into Outcomes

Rising costs, fragmented systems and performance pressures are pushing hospitals to their limits. But some health systems are turning that pressure into progress – using trusted data and cross-functional collaboration to drive measurable improvement. For nearly twenty years, Health Catalyst has worked alongside healthcare organizations to tackle the toughest challenges they face. We’ve seen what works, what doesn’t, and what it takes to turn your vision into massive, measurable, data-informed healthcare improvement.

The eBook distills strategies from leading health systems into a clear playbook for driving clinical, operational and financial results. From cutting sepsis mortality to automating population health outreach, these organizations show what’s possible when data drives action, not just insight.

You’ll learn about:

• Proven frameworks that help teams cut through complexity and act decisively.
• How technology and services work together to solve your unique use cases.
• Real-world use cases showing how outcomes deliver lasting impact, including a 20% analytics capacity gain and a 23% relative drop in sepsis mortality.

Click Here to download eBook

December 31, 2025

Whitepaper: The State of the Healthcare Consumer Experience

Eight five percent of healthcare consumers consider perceived safety when choosing a provider – and this assessment starts online, not at the front desk. Outdated listings, unclear communication and disjointed workflows can erode trust before a visit even begins.

Press Ganey’s recent Healthcare Consumer Experience report reveals how safety, digital transparency and social capital drive trust, loyalty and long-term growth. Based on insights from over 6.5 million patient encounters and a national survey, the report offers a strategic roadmap for executives.

Learnings Include:

• Why patient perceptions of safety directly impact likelihood to recommend (LTR),
• How shared purpose among care teams builds loyalty from within, and
• Where digital friction undermines trust and how to fix it.

Click Here to Download Whitepaper

December 31, 2025

Whitepaper: Imaging Data is Moving to the Cloud. Is Your Security Strategy Keeping Up?

Imaging systems handle some of the most sensitive data in healthcare and are frequent targets for attacks. As imaging data moves to the cloud, the need for strong, built-in security has never been greater. But many cloud-based platforms still rely on surface-level safeguards, leaving health systems exposed to access risks, audit gaps and operational downtime.

This whitepaper provides a clear look into how Phillips HealthSuite Imaging – a secure, radiology cloud-based solution delivered as a SaaS – protects patient data at every stage, built with a security-first architecture. It outlines the key safeguards health system leaders should expect from any cloud-based imaging infrastructure.

You will learn:

• What protections help prevent unauthorized access or tampering,
• How hybrid and full-cloud deployment models deliver flexibility, resilience, and performance.
• How real time monitoring detects and contains threats before they escalate.

Click Here to Download this Whitepaper

December 31, 2025

Whitepaper: Unlocking the Value of Locum Integration: A Playbook for Future Ready Physician Staffing

Most health systems don’t lose revenue because they use locum physicians; they lose it because of how they deploy them. When used strategically, locum tenens physicians can help preserve patient access, support clinical teams and protect margins during coverage gaps.

This new strategic report challenges outdated assumptions and shows how top performing hospitals and health systems are building locums into long-term workforce strategies, not just emergency backfills.

Inside, you’ll find real data and proven tactics – including how some systems are generating 4x to 8x ROI on locums spend, and how one hospital sustained 95% neurosurgery program capacity using locums during full-team turnover.

Download to explore:

• How to build a physician locums strategy as a scalable workforce solution,
• Strategic deployment models that extend reach and safeguard revenue, and
• The truth behind the most persistent myths about locum tenens coverage.

Click Here to Download the Whitepaper

December 30, 2025

Article: Hospital Price Transparency Fine Enforcement in 2025: 6 Things to Know

CMS ramped up enforcement of hospital price transparency fines in 2025, issuing fines to 10 hospitals after imposing three in 2024.

Here are six things to know about hospital price transparency fines in 2025:

1. It was the second-busiest year for price transparency fines.
2. Fine amounts ranged from $32,301 to $309,738 in 025. The $32,301 fine imposed on Kentwood, La. Based Southeast Regional Medical Center is the lowest CMS has issued since enforcement actions began in 2022. The $309,738 fine imposed on Paragould-based Arkansas Methodist Medical Center is the sixth highest to date.
3. Four of the 10 hospitals that received fines in 2025 have 30 or fewer beds. Since enforcement actions began in 2022, nine of the 27 hospitals that received fines in 2025 have 30 or fewer beds. Since enforcement actions began in 2022, nine of the 27 hospitals that have received fines had 30 or fewer beds.
4. Two of the hospitals that received fines in 2025 had more than 100 beds. Arkansas Methodist Medical Center had 114 beds, and Mandeville, La-based Northlake Behavioral Health System had 140. Three other hospitals fined this year had between 33 and 60 beds.
5. CMS bases its civil monetary penalties on hospital bed counts. Fines fall into three tiers:

• • Hospitals with more than 550 beds can be fined up to $5,500 per day.
  • Hospitals with 31 to 550 beds face a daily fine of $10 per bed.
  • Hospitals with 30 or fewer beds may receive a daily fine of up to $300.

6. Five of the 10 hospitals fined in 2025 have appeals currently under review. Overall, 11 of the 27 hospitals that have been fined currently have appeals under review.

Click Here to Read More and see the 10 hospitals fined in 2025