Though More Health Staff Were Recruited In 2023, Shortages Remain

Modern Healthcare: Healthcare Staffing Not Meeting Demand Despite 2023 Hiring Gains
The healthcare industry has significantly increased its staffing over the past few years, returning overall employment levels to pre-pandemic trend lines and leading other sectors in job growth. It’s a monumental accomplishment, but experts say these gains aren’t nearly enough to offset healthcare’s understaffing woes. With employee turnover, clinician retirement and health systems building more facilities to meet the service demands of an aging patient population, industry job openings still vastly outnumber the staff available to fill them. (Devereaux, 2/21)

KFF Health News: Health Care Workers Push For Their Own Confidential Mental Health Treatment
States are redefining when medical professionals can get mental health treatment without risking notifying the boards that regulate their licenses. Too often, health care workers wait to seek counseling or addiction treatment, causing their work and patient care to suffer, said Jean Branscum, CEO of the Montana Medical Association, an industry group representing doctors. “They’ve invested so much time in their career,” Branscum said. “To have anything jeopardize that is a big worry on their mind.” (Houghton, 2/22)

In other industry news —

Modern Healthcare: ACOs, Nursing Homes Collaborate On Proposal For CMS
Better integrating nursing homes into accountable care organizations could lead to significant Medicare savings, but would also require tweaks to ACOs or new value-based care tests, according to a trade organization report released Wednesday. Only about 2,000 nursing homes are participating in ACOs. But a white paper, published by the American Health Care Association and the National Association of ACOs, said nursing homes could play a critical role in value-based care. (Eastabrook, 2/21)

Reuters: Change Healthcare Network Hit By Cybersecurity Attack
UnitedHealth Group-owned (UNH.N), opens new tab Change Healthcare said on its status page that it was hit by a cybsecurity attack on its systems on Wednesday, saying the disruption will last at least through the day. The Tennessee-based company, which is a national provider of healthcare cost transparency and consumer engagement solutions, said it was facing enterprise-wide connectivity issues that started at 05:05 ET (10:05 GMT). (2/22)

The New York Times: Duke Shuts Down Huge Plant Collection, Causing Scientific Uproar
Duke University has decided to close its herbarium, a collection of 825,000 specimens of plants, fungi and algae that was established more than a century ago. The collection, one of the largest and most diverse in the country, has helped scientists map the diversity of plant life and chronicle the impact of humans on the environment. The university’s decision has left researchers reeling. (Zimmer, 2/21)

Stat: Dario To Buy Mental Health App Maker Twill In Cash And Stock Deal
DarioHealth, which makes apps for managing chronic diseases, today announced it will acquire digital mental health company Twill for $10 million in cash plus stock valued at over $20 million at the end of Tuesday trading. The move is a bet that a consolidated offering can attract a critical mass of large customers in a market where profits have been elusive. (Aguilar, 2/21)

Modern Healthcare: HCSC Bets On Medicare Advantage With Cigna Deal
Financial and regulatory challenges in Medicare Advantage aren't stopping Health Care Service Corp. from diving deeper into its suddenly murky waters. Industry leaders UnitedHealth Group and Humana, along with other carriers such as Centene, Molina Healthcare and CVS Health subsidiary Aetna, recently disclosed that their Medicare Advantage operations are under financial strain amid higher-than-expected medical expenses, federal policies to constrain spending and promote quality, and a looming payment cut. (Berryman, 2/21)

Reuters: Teladoc Slides On 'Anemic' 2024 Sales Forecast
Shares of Teladoc Health (TDOC.N), opens new tab slumped 20% after the biggest publicly listed telehealth firm forecast 2024 sales below expectations on sluggish demand for its online mental health platform. At least two analysts said while the company managed to improve its margin in the fourth quarter, the weaker sales forecast for this year highlighted continued challenges in demand for its online mental health platform, BetterHelp. (2/21)

Reuters: Icahn Enterprises Warns Of Drop In Asset Value, Names Insider Teno CEO
Icahn Enterprises (IEP.O), opens new tab on Wednesday warned of a sequential decline in its indicative net asset value in the fourth quarter, sending shares of the investment firm, which named insider Andrew Teno as its CEO, down 11%. The drop in a key metric that gauges the value of a fund's assets adds more pressure on IEP's stock, which saw a selloff last year after short seller Hindenburg Research bet against the firm. (2/21)

Modern Healthcare: Community Health Systems Plots $1 Billion In Facility Sales
Community Health Systems may sell more than $1 billion of facilities in the next few years as it tries to improve its bottom line. The possible divestitures are in a handful of markets, and at least one is expected to close by the end of the year, President and Chief Financial Officer Kevin Hammons told analysts on Wednesday's fourth-quarter earnings call. (hudson, 2/21)

Modern Healthcare: Walgreens To Close VillageMD Clinics In Florida, Exit Market
Walgreens is closing its remaining VillageMD primary care clinics in Florida.Clinics in the Tampa and Orlando areas will close on March 15 as the company exits the Florida market, a company spokesperson confirmed Wednesday. VillageMD's website lists about 40 clinic locations in Florida, all co-located with Walgreens stores. VillageMD plans to support patients by providing them with resources on other care sites and how to access their medical records, the spokesperson said. (Hudson, 2/21)

Minnesota Public Radio: Closure Of Fergus Falls Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit Faces Local Opposition
Tensions ran high during a Minnesota Department of Health public hearing Wednesday over Lake Region Healthcare’s decision to close the Bridgeway inpatient behavioral health unit in Fergus Falls. LRH leaders cited staffing shortages, rising costs and a decline in patient numbers for ending the service. The hospital will continue to provide outpatient mental health services but now plans to partner with other inpatient units in the region, including one in Fargo, N.D. (Eagle III, 2/21)

Reuters: Emergent Appoints Former Bausch + Lomb CEO To Head Company
Emergent BioSolutions (EBS.N), opens new tab said on Wednesday it has named former Bausch + Lomb (BLCO.TO), opens new tab CEO Joseph Papa to the top job as the company, which makes the opioid overdose reversal drug Narcan, aims to return to revenue growth. Shares of Emergent rose more than 10% before the bell. Papa has 35 years of experience in the healthcare industry. (Santhosh, 2/21)

Modern Healthcare: McDonough District Hospital CEO Brian Dietz Resigns
Brian Dietz resigned Tuesday as president and CEO of McDonough District Hospital in Macomb, Illinois, the hospital said. Dietz was suspended with pay by the hospital's board Dec. 28 amid an internal investigation into unspecified allegations. The suspension was set to end Feb. 5, but was extended to Tuesday for unspecified reasons. (DeSilva, 2/21)

Obituaries —

The Washington Post: Jonathan Uhr, Immunologist Who Advanced Cancer Treatment, Dies At 96 
Jonathan W. Uhr, a medical researcher who expanded the field of immunology with studies that helped explain how antibodies work, led to a therapy that effectively eradicated a blood disorder that could be fatal for newborns, and opened promising new avenues in the treatment of cancer, died Feb. 15 at a hospice center in Dallas. He was 96. He had prostate cancer, said his wife, Ginger Uhr. (Langer, 2/21)

The New York Times: Hydeia Broadbent, H.I.V. And AIDS Activist, Dies At 39
Hydeia Broadbent, who was born with H.I.V. and as a child became a leading voice in raising awareness about the virus and AIDS, died on Tuesday at her home in Las Vegas. She was 39. Her father, Loren Broadbent, confirmed the death. No cause was given. Ms. Broadbent was 6 years old when she began sharing her struggle with H.I.V. on television programs, aiming to educate the public amid an epidemic that produced panic and stigma around AIDS, according to her website. (Mayorquin, 2/21)