Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Nurses Are Still Reeling From The Repercussions Of Covid
The 19th: Five Years After The Height Of COVID, Nurses Are Still Fighting For Their Rights
Taylor Crittenden still feels “righteous rage” when she thinks about her experiences at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Crittenden, a nurse at a hospital in Texas, remembers staffing shortages, limitations on personal protective equipment like heavy-duty masks, and long hours as health facilities were being overrun with COVID patients. (Rodriguez, 4/3)
In other health industry news —
Modern Healthcare: Ascension To Sell 4 Michigan Hospitals To Beacon Health
Ascension plans to sell four Michigan hospitals to Beacon Health System as the national hospital operator continues to narrow its acute care footprint. ... Nonprofit Beacon Health System operates six hospitals in Indiana and one in Michigan. The proposed transaction is expected to close this summer, pending customary regulatory approvals, Beacon said in a Thursday news release. (Kacik, 4/3)
Modern Healthcare: Aveanna Healthcare To Acquire Thrive Skilled Pediatric Care
Aveanna Healthcare announced Thursday it has made an agreement to acquire Thrive Skilled Pediatric Care for $75 million. The Atlanta-based home healthcare provider expects the deal to close in the second quarter of fiscal 2025, pending regulatory approval, according to a news release. Aveanna is funding the purchase through a variety of sources, including stock and cash, the release said. (Eastabrook, 4/3)
Modern Healthcare: AdventHealth Names David Banks President And CEO
David Banks has been named the new president and CEO of AdventHealth, the system said in a news release Thursday. Banks succeeds Terry Shaw, who stepped down as CEO in December but will remain a member of the organization's board, the health system said. Banks previously served in multiple leadership roles across the system, including most recently as chief strategy officer, as well as CEO of the Primary Health Division and the Multi-State Division of AdventHealth, overseeing 22 campuses across eight states and three regional partnerships. (DeSilva, 4/3)
KFF Health News: Immigration Crackdowns Disrupt The Caregiving Industry. Families Pay The Price
Alanys Ortiz reads Josephine Senek’s cues before she speaks. Josephine, who lives with a rare and debilitating genetic condition, fidgets her fingers when she’s tired and bites the air when something hurts. Josephine, 16, has been diagnosed with tetrasomy 8p mosaicism, severe autism, severe obsessive-compulsive disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, among other conditions, which will require constant assistance and supervision for the rest of her life. (Sánchez and Chang, 4/4)
