The Gist Healthcare Podcast

The nation’s largest for-profit health systems had their best operating margins during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several physicians groups have filed a legal brief in support of the ACA’s preventive care provision as it’s being challenged in federal court. And, Pfizer has applied for FDA emergency use authorization for its Omicron booster in children under the age of five. That's all coming up on today's episode of Gist Healthcare Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Atrium and Advocate Aurora have finalized their merger, creating the fifth-largest nonprofit health system in the country. A soon-to-be implemented California law aimed at stopping physicians from spreading medical misinformation is already being challenged in court. And, the FDA will ease some donor restrictions amid a national blood shortage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A study finds that the post- ACA drop in hospital readmissions may actually be due to how systems classified patient stays. A proposed House bill aims to reform how Medicare covers certain drugs. And, researchers may be one step closer to developing a universal flu vaccine. That's all coming up on today's episode of Gist Healthcare Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new Alzheimer’s drug has shown promise in slowing cognitive decline in Phase 3 clinical trials but concerns remain about its safety. Former MetroHealth CEO Akram Boutros is suing the hospital system and its board of trustees for violating Ohio’s Open Meetings Act--and its own bylaws--when it fired him. And Twitter has quietly stopped enforcing its COVID-19 misinformation policy. That's coming up on today's episode of Gist Healthcare Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Research finds that so-called “skinny labeling” which allows drug makers to sell generics for off-patent use saved Medicare around $1.5 billion, but a legal fight could upend the practice. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services new Direct Contracting Model saved the agency $70 million during its inaugural year. And CMS is warning hospital systems to do more to protect staff and patients. That's coming up on today's episode of Gist Healthcare Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Greater numbers of Americans are buying health insurance on the ACA exchanges during the current open enrollment period. The WHO has changed the name of the “monkeypox” virus to “mpox”, following criticism that the former name exacerbates stigma. And several large health systems are now charging patients for some communications with their physicians through online patient portals. That's coming up on today's episode of Gist Healthcare Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are significant disparities along racial lines in the orthopedic speciality field. Black patients are 30% less likely to undergo total hip and knee replacements compared to white patients, even though rates of arthritis remain close to the same between the two groups. And those racial disparities extend to the field of orthopedic surgeons with fewer than 2% of Black orthopedic physicians practicing in the United States.  On today's episode, we replay our conversation with Dr. Alonzo Sexton--co-founder and CEO of ATL Orthopedics. He joined Gist Healthcare Daily to talk more about his private practice and how it makes orthopedic care more accessible to an underserved community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The state of Georgia may enforce work requirements for residents to qualify for expanded Medicaid. The longtime CEO of Cleveland-based MetroHealth was fired over nearly $2 million in alleged unauthorized bonuses that he gave to himself. And Bellin Health and Gundersen Health System are on track to finalize their merger at the end of this month. That's coming up on today's Gist Healthcare Daily. As a note to listeners, the podcast will be taking a short break this week for the Thanksgiving holiday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The recently closed merger of UnitedHealth Group and Change Healthcare could be in jeopardy after the Department of Justice submitted an appeal to an earlier judge’s decision to allow it to move forward. A coalition of states is calling on CMS to drop its vaccine mandate for healthcare workers. And former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes was sentenced to prison last week. That's coming up on today's episode of Gist Healthcare Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are significant disparities along racial lines in the orthopedic speciality field. Black patients are 30% less likely to undergo total hip and knee replacements compared to white patients, even though rates of arthritis remain close to the same between the two groups. And those racial disparities extend to the field of orthopedic surgeons with fewer than 2% of Black orthopedic physicians practicing in the United States.  On today's episode, Dr. Alonzo Sexton--co-founder and CEO of ATL Orthopedics--joins Gist Healthcare Daily to talk more about his private practice and how it makes orthopedic care more accessible to an underserved community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.