POLITICAL:

A report published in Health Affairs found that federal relief funds allocated to hospitals during the pandemic were not distributed evenly. Hospitals serving a high percentage of Hispanic residents and those in medically underserved areas were associated with unchanged or decreased funding.

ECONOMIC:

The AHA warns that the Biden administration’s requirement for hospital and other facility staff to get COVID-19 vaccinations or risk losing participation in Medicaid or Medicare may exacerbate current worker shortages in medical fields.

SOCIAL:

Hospitals and health systems adapted to meet patient need for access to digital health tools earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, however, digital health capabilities are not being sustained, in spite of ongoing patient needs and preferences.

TECHNOLOGY:

The University of Minnesota announced its new Center for Medical Device Cybersecurity. The goal is to encourage university-government-industry collaborations to address rising cybersecurity threats and to increase medical device safety and security.

LEGAL:

A new lawsuit claims Aetna is in violation of Section 1557 of ACA because they do not provide equal access to fertility treatments to LGBTQ+ members. Aetna’s policy only provides coverage for same-sex couples after 12 months of members paying for them upfront.

ENVIRONMENTAL:

Climate change leads to greater demands on healthcare systems, through natural disasters and infectious diseases. Investing in human health via healthcare is one way we can start preparing for climate change’s side effects.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:

Employees are leaving or planning on leaving in swarms, with reasons ranging from burnout to return-to-work conflicts. Inc. has more.