https://nationaldailyhospital.blogspot.com/2025/09/executive-briefing-thursday-september_11.html
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Epic Systems, controlling medical record access for approximately 94% of Americans, must face U.S. antitrust claims alleging monopolistic behavior from rival Particle Health — https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/healthcare-software-giant-epic-must-face-rivals-antitrust-lawsuit-us-judge-rules-2025-09-08 Reuters
Abridge, a Pittsburgh–based AI startup supporting clinical documentation, has secured $250 million in funding to expand across ~100 U.S. health systems — https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/healthcare-startup-abridge-raises-250-million-enhance-ai-capabilities-2025-02-17 Reuters
Cleveland Clinic’s 30-year streak as the top U.S. hospital for heart care ends—dropping to No. 3 in U.S. News 2025 rankings, though it remains in the Honor Roll and high in other specialties — https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2025/07/29/cleveland-clinic-ranking-us-news-world-report-2025 Axios
Microsoft’s Dragon Copilot—an AI assistant for note-taking and documentation leveraging Nuance’s ambient listening tech—can reduce clinician administrative burden and enhance patient focus — https://www.theverge.com/news/622528/microsoft-dragon-copilot-ai-healthcare-assistant The Verge
ONSCREEN’s “Joy,” a TV-based AI virtual companion for seniors in New York, supports cognitive engagement and caregiving with medication reminders and games — https://nypost.com/2025/04/16/health/ai-companion-for-elderly-has-for-chats-medication-reminders-and-games New York Post
Epic’s control of U.S. medical records market: ~94%
Abridge funding raised: $250 million; deployed in ~100 U.S. health systems
Cleveland Clinic cardiology rank: dropped from No. 1 to No. 3
Dragon Copilot: automates clinical documentation (note-taking, referrals, summaries)
Joy TV device deployment: 100 free units offered to seniors in New York pilot (scope implied)
Monitor Epic’s legal case closely—prepare for potential shifts in EHR interoperability and market power dynamics.
Evaluate AI documentation tools like Abridge and Dragon Copilot for adoption; quantify ROI and clinician impact.
Study the Cleveland Clinic ranking shift to reassess how specialty performance and public perception may influence hospital strategy and accreditation priorities.
Explore virtual companion initiatives like Joy for elder care—evaluate feasibility in your markets to enhance patient engagement and caregiver support.
📍 Published at National Daily Hospital News
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Here is the link to our new white paper toolbox of strategies for handling Medicare Cuts with minimal disruption.
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Forward
The pace of change in healthcare can feel overwhelming, but clarity comes from stepping back and distilling what matters most. This daily update highlights a handful of new findings and practical innovations that directly affect hospital operations, patient care, and workforce planning. Each section includes original sources so you can dig deeper as needed. My aim is to provide you with a clear, concise resource you can rely on — one that saves you time and sparks ideas for action.
Daily Hospital Ops Update — Thu, Aug 28, 2025 (08:30 PT)
Fast, exec-ready brief across today’s CMS rules, price transparency, CA SB 525, workforce, ED flow, referral leakage, and hiring regs—each with primary sources linked for quick action.
FY 2026 IPPS Final Rule (acute + LTCH) — final published Aug 4; CMS hub live with rule text, tables, and impact files. Priorities: payment updates, measure changes (IQR modifications/removals), and LTCH updates.
Link: CMS IPPS Final hub → https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/acute-inpatient-pps/fy-2026-ipps-final-rule-home-page. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Federal Register (display PDF): https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2025-14681.pdf. Federal Register Public Inspection
CY 2026 OPPS/ASC Proposed Rule — comment window open (CMS says comments due Sept 15). Review outpatient rate updates, PHP/IOP policies, and transparency items.
Link: CMS Fact Sheet → https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/calendar-year-2026-hospital-outpatient-prospective-payment-system-opps-and-ambulatory-surgical. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
CMS OPPS page (deadline call‑out) → https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/hospital-outpatient. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
CY 2026 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Proposed Rule (+ QPP/MSSP changes) — comments due Sept 12. Key items: conversion factor updates, QPP policy proposals, and MSSP adjustments (e.g., BASIC track one‑sided risk max 5 years starting with 2027 agreements; quality/assignment tweaks).
PFS Fact Sheet → https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/calendar-year-cy-2026-medicare-physician-fee-schedule-pfs-proposed-rule-cms-1832-p. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Docket page (CMS‑1832‑P) → https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/fee-schedules/physician/federal-regulation-notices/cms-1832-p. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
MSSP/ACO Fact Sheet (within PFS rule) → https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/calendar-year-cy-2026-medicare-physician-fee-schedule-proposed-rule-cms-1832-p-medicare-shared. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
QPP resources for CY 2026 proposals — compare policy tables and submission details.
Link: QPP Resource Library → https://qpp.cms.gov/resources/resource-library. qpp.cms.gov
CMS HPT RFI on accuracy/completeness (closed July 21) + guidance on encoding dollar amounts in MRFs; ongoing enforcement dataset updated July 23, 2025.
Overview page → https://www.cms.gov/priorities/key-initiatives/hospital-price-transparency. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Guidance (encode dollar amounts) → https://www.cms.gov/files/document/updated-hpt-guidance-encoding-allowed-amounts.pdf. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Enforcement dashboard → https://data.cms.gov/provider-characteristics/hospitals-and-other-facilities/hospital-price-transparency-enforcement-activities-and-outcomes. CMS Data
DIR FAQ + posted schedules — confirm which tier you’re in and the July 1, 2025 step‑ups for covered employers; mind exempt‑salary thresholds tied to health‑care minimum wage.
DIR FAQ → https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/Health-Care-Worker-Minimum-Wage-FAQ.htm. CalDIR
Practical briefing on July 1, 2025 increases → https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/employment-law-compliance/california-health-care-minimum-wage-increase-effective-july. SHRM
Note: SB 828 (trailer bill) adjusted certain effective dates (1‑month delay language). Text tracker → https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB828/id/3000775. LegiScan
BLS: Health care added +55,000 jobs in July 2025 (Hospitals +16k; Ambulatory +34k).
BLS News Release → https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm. Bureau of Labor Statistics
AHA Workforce Scan (2025) — tech‑enabled staffing, upskilling, flexible models.
AHA page → https://www.aha.org/aha-workforce-scan. American Hospital Association
Evidence update: JAMA Network Open analysis of CMS’s proposed Emergency Care Capacity & Quality (ECCQ) framework shows worsening access: prolonged ED LOS (>8h) rose from 7.8% → 13.9% (2017–2024); inpatient boarding (>4h) 2.6% → 6.2%.
Article → https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11992599/. PMC
Emergency preparedness/OIG — July 29 report urges CMS to strengthen AO standards/training (implications for surge/boarding plans).
HHS‑OIG audit → https://oig.hhs.gov/reports/all/2025/cms-should-take-additional-actions-to-help-hospitals-prepare-for-a-future-emerging-infectious-disease-outbreak/. Office of Inspector General
MGMA: referral monitoring boosts volume/revenue; use payer data + EMR to identify leakage.
MGMA briefing → https://www.mgma.com/articles/impact-on-volume-and-revenue-of-referral-management-monitoring. mgma.com
Industry snapshot (context): network navigation failures drive leakage; tactical playbook emerging.
Hospitalogy → https://hospitalogy.com/articles/2025-04-21/the-health-system-navigation-problem-and-why-you-should-fix-your-leaky-referral-pipeline/. Hospitalogy
Status: The FTC’s nationwide noncompete ban remains blocked (N.D. Tex. Aug 2024); appeals placed in abeyance in 2025 while FTC reconsidered; agency has signaled potential pullback. Keep operating under state law patchwork.
FTC page (rule + injunction note) → https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/04/ftc-announces-rule-banning-noncompetes. Federal Trade Commission
Recent analysis (Aug 15, 2025) → https://www.wilmerhale.com/en/insights/publications/20250815-post-mortem-on-the-ftcs-blocked-non-compete-rule. WilmerHale
Fifth Circuit docket update synopsis → https://www.bswllp.com/the-status-of-the-ftcs-noncompete-rule-in-the-fifth-circuit. bswllp.com
