Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
National Nurses Survey Finds Rising Violence Against Staff
Modern Healthcare: Workplace Violence Against Nurses On The Rise: NNU Survey
Nearly half of nurses reported an increase in workplace violence last year, leading many to consider leaving their job or healthcare altogether, according to a recent survey from National Nurses United. The survey gathered data from more than 900 nurses nationwide and found that in 2022 and 2023 more than 80% of nurses experienced some form of workplace violence. Attacks ranged from bites, punches, kicks and thrown urinals to “racist and sexually aggressive comments,” the union said. (Devereaux, 2/6)
In other health care industry developments —
Modern Healthcare: Amazon Layoffs Hit One Medical, Pharmacy Divisions
Amazon is cutting "a few hundred roles" across its One Medical and pharmacy divisions, the tech titan said Tuesday. The company declined to share details about the timeline for the layoffs or which positions will be cut. Amazon plans to talk with those affected on Wednesday, Neil Lindsay, senior vice president at Amazon Health Services, said in a company-wide email sent out after an employee leaked information on the job cuts. (Hudson, 2/6)
The Colorado Sun: Troubled Delta Clinic Closes After State Pulls Its License
A troubled multicounty clinic based in Delta that offered physical and mental health services to some of the most vulnerable people on the Western Slope closed its doors Friday. Integrated Insight Community Care’s closure comes after insurer Rocky Mountain Health Plans ended its contract with the clinic Jan. 18, citing concerns about patient safety. (Flowers, 2/7)
The Baltimore Sun: Century-Old Harford Memorial Hospital Closes
Harford Memorial Hospital in Havre de Grace closed its doors Tuesday — a decision that’s been years in the making, but still evoked some mixed feelings from county and University of Maryland Medical System leadership. The last 36 patients at the century-old hospital left the facility in the morning, traveling by ambulance to the newly updated University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air or the new UMUC Medical Center Aberdeen. (Roberts, 2/6)
Modern Healthcare: Premier To Sell All Or Part Of Contigo Health, S2S Global
Premier said it completed a strategic review of alternatives for the company and was seeking buyers for some or all of its Contigo Health and S2S Global subsidiaries. The group purchasing and consulting company on Monday also announced a $1 billion share repurchase program, including a $400 million accelerated stock repurchase agreement with Bank of America. (2/6)
Modern Healthcare: HHS Settles Montefiore Medical Center Lawsuit For $4.75M
The Health and Human Services Department's Office for Civil Rights has reached a $4.75 million settlement with Montefiore Medical Center for alleged violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, HHS announced Tuesday. In 2013, an unnamed former hospital employee sold electronically protected medical records of 12,517 patients to an identity theft group, according to HHS. The New York City hospital did not detect or report the breach to the Office for Civil Rights until 2015. (Desilva, 2/6)
Also —
Modern Healthcare: University Of Rochester Telehealth Kiosks Come To Five Star Banks
University of Rochester Medical Center is testing on-demand telehealth appointments at kiosks inside local bank branches. The pilot program combines the system's telehealth capabilities with physical, internet-connected stations at three Five Star Bank locations in rural areas where the provider does not have physician offices. The goal of the kiosks is to reach patients who face long commutes to in-person care or challenges accessing virtual care in their homes. (Turner, 2/6)
Bloomberg: Alphabet’s Verily Hires Myoung Cha As Chief Product Officer
Verily, Alphabet Inc.’s life sciences unit, hired veteran health technology executive Myoung Cha as chief product officer to help lead strategy as the company ramps up efforts to expand its business. Cha previously served as president and chief strategy officer at startup Carbon Health Technologies Inc. and also worked on health efforts at Apple Inc., Verily said Tuesday in a statement. (Love, 2/6)
Stat: Health VR Firms Are Impressed, Yet Cautious, About Apple Vision Pro
Apple has long touted the potential of the iPhone and Apple Watch to help people live healthier lives, both through its own features as well as with apps from researchers and outside companies. Naturally, with the launch of Vision Pro, it has begun to explore the headset’s potential in health care as well. (Aguilar, 2/7)
Bloomberg: Philips Recalls Medical Imaging System Over Component Failure
Royal Philips NV is recalling one of its older medical scanning devices after a customer complaint brought potential component failures to light. The manufacturer’s SPECT BrightView nuclear imaging system might experience a leadscrew failure in specific circumstances, Philips said Wednesday. The company sent a field safety notice to customers in December after receiving a single complaint. There was no report of injury or serious harm and Philips hasn’t been making or selling the product for a decade. (2/7)
