Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Physician Burnout Rate Dips Below 1 In 2 For First Time Since Covid Hit
Fierce Healthcare: Physician Burnout Drops Below 50% For First Time Since 2020, AMA Poll Finds
The portion of physicians surveyed by the American Medical Association (AMA) who report at least one symptom of burnout has dropped below 50%, a first since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The group’s annual survey shows consistent declines in doctor burnout in the wake of an all-time high of 62.8% in 2021. Reported burnout dropped to 53% in 2022 and, as of the most recent 2023 survey, now sits at 48.2%. (Muoio, 7/9)
Los Angeles Times: ‘We’ve Created Medical Refugees.’ LGBTQ+ Healthcare Workers Fight For Gender-Affirming Care Amid Rise In Anti-Trans Laws
Nico Olalia had just finished her initial nurse training in the Philippines when she realized her aspirations were growing bigger than her home archipelago. “There are a lot of trans Filipinos, but they’re always known in the beauty industry, and they’re very seldom found in the professional side,” Olalia said. So she moved back to the United States, where she was born, for better career prospects. Today, she is a clinical nurse at Cedars-Sinai, one of the largest hospitals in Southern California, where she assists new hires and cares for patients in the neurology division. (Deng, 7/10)
Stat: Free Medical School Tuition: Will Bloomberg Gift Spur Others?
Most of Johns Hopkins University’s medical school students will have free tuition starting this fall, thanks to a $1 billion gift from Bloomberg Philanthropies, a longtime donor of the university, whose school of public health is named after Michael Bloomberg. The largesse is striking, but, even combined with other recent moves to relieve future doctors of crushing medical debt, the move may not reverberate to bring improvements to the broader health care system, experts say. According to the announcement, part of the gift will go toward increased tuition aid for health care students other than future doctors, such as public health and nursing. For future doctors attending the school, the impact will be more significant. (Merelli, 7/10)
The Boston Globe: Tufts Medicine Seeks To Define Its Future Amid Financial Woes
Michael Dandorph wants to make something particularly clear: Tufts Medicine, the Massachusetts hospital chain he leads as CEO, is not Steward Health Care. Yes, the two hospital chains both serve mostly poorer patients and have struggled with big financial losses in recent years. And given the severe shortage of hospital beds in Massachusetts, a problem heightened by concerns that Steward could close hospitals amid Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, public and industry officials alike have been anxiously watching the health of other troubled hospital systems throughout the state. (Lee, 7/9)
Modern Healthcare: Ardent Health’s Second IPO Attempt Aims For $315M
Ardent Health Partners seeks to raise up to $314.6 million through an initial public offering, which the for-profit health system said would give it a valuation of $3.15 billion. In documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission Monday, Ardent said it planned to sell 14.3 million shares priced at $20 to $22 each. (Hudson, 7/9)
