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High-level briefing: Rural healthcare downs & ups | Healthcare affordability in focus | Viruses to watch like a hawk in 2026 | more

Where have the missing rural American hospitals gone? And where is rural healthcare headed? The discussion is on in Washington and elsewhere.

31,000 Kaiser Permanente employees prepare to strike, citing staffing issues and low pay

The health system said it offered a “historic” 21.5% raise as part of a new contract, but it’s been unable to reach an agreement with union officials. Workers are expected to walk off the job starting Jan. 26.

Medicare Advantage Part C clipboard payment

CMS releases ‘improper payment’ data, showing a small rise for Medicare Advantage

Traditional fee-for-service Medicare saw a slight dip in improper payments, which are usually associated with documentation errors and now outright fraud. CMS also released data on Medicaid and the CHIP program.

Software glitch prompts FDA recall of popular PET systems

The recall was issued due to the potential for the systems to produce artifacts during PET exams.

New-look heart failure treatment shows early promise

Reducing the activity of a specific protein could provide significant relief for many heart failure patients.

staffing skills job title promotion recognition leadership

Study details 'major shift' in procedural workload burdens

“Understanding how these national patterns manifest within radiology departments is critical for optimizing staffing, credentialing, and quality improvement initiatives,” authors of a new analysis in Academic Radiology contend.

Most urgent head CTs for older adults provide little value

New findings suggest that the majority of older adults (65+) with lower risk head injuries do not have positive findings on CT imaging.

Vascular surgeon indicted for murder of ex-wife and her husband

Michael McKee is accused of making the journey from Illinois to Ohio and then shooting the two victims in their home on Dec. 30. He was arrested after surveillance footage showed his car at the scene before and after the murders.

Could China's latest restrictions impact the supply of MRI contrast?

The ongoing trade war between the United States and China could jeopardize the availability of contrast agents used for medical imaging.

Underweight TAVR patients face higher mortality risk—obesity makes no significant impact

Reviewing data from more than 6,000 patients, researchers found little evidence of the "obesity paradox" observed elsewhere. Underweight TAVR patients, however, may face some significant long-term risks.

The Radiology Patient Action Network (RPAN) and the Radiology Business Management Association (RBMA) are calling on Congress to take action to protect healthcare from tariffs. RPAN and DF images combined

Tariffs threaten imaging access for patients, RBMA warns

Radiology practices are already operating on razor thin margins, with price increases prompting calls for congressional action to prevent further damage.

Imricor Medical Systems ventricular ablation

Cardiologists make history, perform world’s first ventricular ablation guided by real-time MRI

“MRI images provide a better view of the anatomy of the heart and the instruments used for treatment, but also of the changes made to the treated cardiac tissue,” one cardiologist explained. “Unlike X-ray images, the entire area surrounding the heart can be seen, including the blood vessels and valves."

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Health Exec

High-level briefing: Rural healthcare downs & ups | Healthcare affordability in focus | Viruses to watch like a hawk in 2026 | more

Where have the missing rural American hospitals gone? And where is rural healthcare headed? The discussion is on in Washington and elsewhere.