Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Experts: 'Excited Delirium,' Often Cited By Police, Shouldn't Be Cause Of Death
AP: Medical Examiners Group Steps Away From 'Excited Delirium'
A leading group of medical experts says the term “excited delirium” should not be listed as a cause of death. Critics have said the term has been used to justify excessive force by police. The National Association of Medical Examiners had been one of the last to take a stand against the commonly used but controversial term. In a statement posted on its site March 23, the association said “excited delirium” or “excited delirium syndrome” should not be used as a cause of death. The statement has no legal weight, but will be influential among medical examiners. (Johnson and Foley, 4/3)
In other health care industry news —
NBC News: Senator Wants Answers About For-Profit Iowa Hospital Where A Nurse Assaulted Unconscious Female Patients
A powerful Senate Republican is demanding answers from a private-equity backed hospital in southeast Iowa amid revelations that a male nurse practitioner at the facility sexually assaulted nine female patients there in 2021 and 2022. (Morgenson, 4/3)
Modern Healthcare: Staffing Agencies For Travel Nurses Under Fire In Texas, Other States
A growing number of state legislators want to prevent staffing agencies from gouging health systems that use temporary workers. Contract labor, particularly in nursing, has been key to overcoming staffing shortages in the last few years, and many health systems have paid premium rates to fill workforce gaps created by employees who left during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, labor costs skyrocketed and pressured balance sheets—and are only just now beginning to normalize. (Hudson, 4/3)
Modern Healthcare: Rural Hospitals Seek Mergers Amid Financial Distress
Unprofitable rural hospitals often merge with health systems, helping them stay open but also increasing the likelihood of price hikes for services. Between 2010 and 2018, 17% of unprofitable rural hospitals merged with another organization while 7% closed, according to an analysis of data from 325 unprofitable hospitals. Of the financially unstable hospitals that didn’t close or consolidate, about half became profitable over that span, according to a study published Monday in Health Affairs. (Kacik, 4/3)
USA Today: ChatGPT For Medical Advice: Can Chatbots Be Trusted? What To Know
ChatGPT's striking ability to answer people's questions in instantly generated, easy-to-understand answers could be a game-changer for people searching for medical advice, but a new medical journal essay says it's not quite that simple. And so does ChatGPT. Peter Lee, a vice president at Microsoft, has spent the last six months experimenting with the latest edition of ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence platform designed to answer user questions in a conversational tone. (Weintraub, 4/1)
In corporate news —
Crain's Detroit Business: Michigan Medicine-Sparrow Health Deal Finalized For $800M
University of Michigan's Michigan Medicine finalized the acquisition of Lansing-based Sparrow Health System on Saturday, following receiving regulatory approvals. The pair are expected to host a news conference at 2 p.m. today. (Walsh, 4/3)
Modern Healthcare: Community Health Systems Exits West Virginia With $92M Hospital Sale
Community Health Systems sold Plateau Medical Center in Oak Hill, West Virginia, to Vandalia Health in a $92 million deal that closed Saturday. The transaction marks Community Health's exit from West Virginia. It sold the 122-bed Greenbrier Medical Center in Ronceverte in January. (Hudson, 4/3)
Modern Healthcare: Sanford Health, Fairview Health Services Delay Merger Again
Sanford Health and Fairview Health Services will delay the closing of their proposed merger for a second time, the nonprofit health systems said Monday. The proposed $14 billion deal, first announced in November 2022, was initially slated to close March 31, pending regulatory approval. Sioux Falls, South Dakota-based Sanford and Minneapolis-based Fairview agreed in February to postpone the closing date until May 31 to give Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) more time to evaluate the merger. (Kacik, 4/3)
