Second dose of J&J’s coronavirus vaccine increases protection, company says
Long-awaited results from a Phase 3 study run by J&J could support use of a booster dose, although the drugmaker has not officially applied for FDA clearance yet.
Hospitals with top clinical outcomes often don’t score well in equity metrics, rankings find
The Lown Institute scores, now in their second year, are meant to take a broader look at how hospitals serve their communities by analyzing more than just outcome metrics.
Over 2,000 workers at Catholic Health Mercy Hospital in New York plan strike
Staff at the Buffalo facility are ready to strike in less than two weeks if they’re unable to nab a new contract with the measures they say are necessary to attract and retain staff.
HCA to acquire 5 Utah hospitals from Steward Health Care
The move comes less than a week after the state’s largest provider, Intermountain Healthcare, announced a merger with SCL Health to expand its footprint to Colorado, Montana and Kansas.
Pfizer says coronavirus vaccine is safe, spurs immune response in children
The results position Pfizer and BioNTech to seek clearance in children as young as 5 years old. But the companies haven’t yet shared data on a rare heart inflammation associated with their shot that’s a concern for regulators.
Kaiser Permanente union in California nearing strike
The union contends the health system is planning “hefty cuts” to nurse wages and benefits despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and high levels of burnout among staff.
CommonSpirit’s net income jumps to $5.5B in 2021, reversing major COVID-19 loss
However, the nation’s largest nonprofit system said the pandemic will likely keep stressing operational performance in the coming fiscal year.
Mergers cut mortality rates at rural hospitals, study finds
Researchers concluded that the lower rate continued for years after the merger was completed, and that such deals could play a significant role in improving the quality of rural healthcare services.
FDA advisers support booster dose of Pfizer vaccine in older or high-risk adults
In a back-and-forth meeting Friday, the committee opposed clearing a third shot widely for use in people older than 16, but agreed the benefits outweighed the risks for adults over 65 or those at risk of severe COVID-19.
Managing patient access in an ever-changing world
How healthcare organizations can continually adapt their patient experience strategies.