Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Understand The Risks Before Sharing Your Medical Records With ChatGPT, Experts Warn
CBS News: ChatGPT Now Has A Space For Sharing Medical Records. Should You?
Hundreds of millions of people a week turn to ChatGPT for health advice, and now the platform has a dedicated space for those users. This week, OpenAI rolled out Health in ChatGPT, where users can upload medical records such as lab results and medications, and connect Apple Health to allow the platform access to health and fitness data. (Fichten, 7/25)
KFF Health News: Trump Administration Demands Hospitals Share Emergency Room Records
A tiny federal agency tasked with protecting the public from injuries caused by lawn mowers and coffeemakers is demanding that some of the nation’s biggest health systems turn over detailed, personally identifiable medical records of all patients who seek help at their emergency rooms. (Seitz, Rosenfeld and Tahir, 7/27)
In other healthcare industry news —
Chicago Tribune: Plastic Surgeon’s License Suspended After Tribune Investigation
State officials have suspended a Chicago plastic surgeon’s license, temporarily barring him from practicing medicine in Illinois, following a Tribune investigation finding the state had not disciplined him despite eight patient deaths. (Gutowski and Pratt, 7/24)
Modern Healthcare: Intermountain To Buy Surgery Partners' Stakes In 2 Idaho Hospitals
Surgery Partners plans to sell its ownership interest in two Idaho hospitals to Intermountain Health. The proposed transaction, which values the facilities at an estimated $1.15 billion, would include Surgery Partners’ Idaho Falls Community Hospital and Mountain View Hospital, also in Idaho Falls, along with affiliated clinics. (DeSilva, 7/24)
Modern Healthcare: Robotic Surgery Annual Meeting Spotlights AI, Telesurgery
The biggest names in robotic surgery are showing off their newest devices and technologies this week as they compete to shape the future of procedures. A surgical robot with integrated operating table-mounted arms, telesurgery capabilities and artificial intelligence tools for surgical guidance and scenario prediction are among the innovations on display at the Society of Robotic Surgery’s annual meeting in Hollywood, Florida. (Dubinsky, 7/24)
On rural healthcare —
The Daily Yonder: Questions Remain On Rural Health Transformation Funds Effects On Rural Hospitals
Across the country, states are grappling with how to allocate their portion of funds from the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) created in 2025. But whether those federal dollars will help keep rural hospitals open is still up for debate. (Carey, 7/26)
KFF Health News: Tracking State Rural Health Transformation Plans
KFF Health News is working to collect and post approved plans as more states respond to emails and public records requests for their documents. (7/27)
