Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Quest Diagnostics Pauses Access To Lab Test Portal After Cybersecurity Breach
The Washington Post: Major Medical Lab Operator Believes Cyber Breach Exposed Patient Records
One of America’s largest lab diagnostic companies said Thursday morning it had been the subject of a cybersecurity breach that it believed led to unauthorized access of patient records. Quest Diagnostics disclosed in a filing to shareholders that it learned Wednesday of unauthorized access to a system used by doctors and other health care professionals to order tests and view lab results. (Waldvogel, 10/22)
In other healthcare industry updates —
WUSF: Moffitt Opens Pasco Facility With Focus On Cancer Treatment
Moffitt Cancer Center on Thursday opened a 250,000-square-foot research facility on its new Pasco County campus designed to bring cancer scientists from multiple disciplines together to accelerate the development of new treatments. (Mayer, 10/23)
Chicago Tribune: Nurses At 4 Endeavor Health Hospitals Move To Unionize
Nurses at Endeavor Health’s north suburban hospitals filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board on Thursday to hold a union election – a move that could lead to the unionization of more than 2,400 nurses. (Schencker, 10/22)
Modern Healthcare: UPMC, Memorial Hermann Invest In Pediatric Day Centers
Some health systems are investing in pediatric day centers as more states look to them to keep medically complex children out of the hospital and reduce Medicaid spending. Patients under age 18 with complex conditions comprise 6% of pediatric Medicaid patients. However, they account for about 40% of Medicaid spending, according to Children’s Hospital Association. (Eastabrook, 10/22)
MPR News: Minnesotans Face Longer Distances To Care, Wait Times As Hospitals Face Rising Costs
Hospital leaders say Minnesotans are facing a crisis of care — and they expect things to get even worse. That’s the topline of a new report from the Minnesota Hospital Association out this week. Backed by data from 2024, it says Minnesotans are having to travel further and wait longer to get care. It’s the result of hospitals facing rising costs they’re struggling to absorb all while seeing record need. (Gordon and Bui, 10/22)
North Carolina Health News and Charlotte Ledger: Hospital Turf Wars: Why NC Hospitals Are Racing To Build
Maybe you’ve noticed: North Carolina hospitals have been making a lot of headlines lately: Durham-based Duke Health is trying to move into Charlotte through a partnership with Gastonia-based CaroMont Health. Charlotte-based Atrium Health wants to expand into Raleigh by combining with WakeMed. And Winston-Salem-based Novant Health has won approval to build new hospitals in Denver and Asheville, markets long dominated by Atrium and Mission Health, respectively. (Crouch, 10/23)
