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Linda Burnes Bolton, former president of AHA’s American Organization for Nursing Executives (now known as the American Organization for Nursing Leadership), and chief nursing officer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, died this month at age 76. She was known for inspiring a generation of nurses while shaping health care policy and advocating for greater equity among all medical professionals, with the goal of improving patient care. 

The Food and Drug Administration Jan. 30 announced it approved Journavx (suzetrigine) oral tablets, a first-in-class non-opioid drug, to treat moderate to severe acute pain in adults.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and Food and Drug Administration Jan. 30 released notices warning of vulnerabilities found in the Contec CMS8000, a patient monitoring device used to display patient vital signs. The vulnerabilities also apply to Epsimed MN-120 patient monitors, which are Contec CMS8000 monitors relabeled as MN-120, according to the FDA. 

Each and every day across the country, our nation’s hospitals and health systems are always there, ready to care.

The AHA yesterday released an advisory alerting members that the association and the Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center have identified attempted and ongoing ransomware attacks potentia

The White House Office of Management and Budget Jan.

Baxter Jan. 28 announced that IV solutions production has been restarted on all manufacturing lines at its North Carolina site impacted by Hurricane Helene in October.

An analysis by KFF released Jan. 28 found that Medicare Advantage insurers made nearly 50 million prior authorization determinations in 2023. The finding reflects continued year-over-year increases from 2022 (42 million) and 2021 (37 million) as more people have enrolled in MA. KFF also found that in 2023 there was an average of nearly two prior authorization determinations per MA enrollee. 

The AHA Jan. 28 voiced support for bipartisan legislation to reauthorize for five years the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, which provides grants to help health care organizations offer behavioral health services for front-line health care workers.

The White House Office of Management and Budget late Jan. 27 issued a memo directing federal agencies to temporarily pause federal grants, loans and other financial assistance programs implicated by President Trump’s recent executive orders.

Dementia cases in the U.S. are expected to double by 2060, reaching 1 million new cases per year, according to a study released Jan. 13 by NYU Langone Health.

The ransomware attack last year against UnitedHealth Group subsidiary Change Healthcare exposed data of more than 190 million people — up from previous reports of 100 million — according to multiple outlets Jan. 24.

The AHA Jan. 27 voiced support for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposed rule on policy and technical changes to Medicare Advantage and Part D for contract year 2026.

There is so much for health care leaders to navigate when it comes to public policy and government relations. Thankfully, the AHA has an expert team with extensive experience who are advocating for the field and here to listen and help.

Early-bird registration for the 2025 Annual Membership Meeting remains available until March 3. The event will be held May 4-6 in Washington, D.C., where policymakers, legislators and thought leaders will discuss the most pressing issues facing hospitals and health systems.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and FBI Jan. 22 released an advisory explaining how cyberthreat actors “chained” vulnerabilities — deploying multiple vulnerabilities in rapid succession — during attacks on certain versions of Ivanti Cloud Service Appliances in September.

Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Jan. 23 introduced the Drug-price Transparency for Consumers Act, legislation supported by the AHA that would require price disclosures on advertisements for prescription drugs. The bill would help ensure that consumers are able to make more informed decisions on prescription drugs.

All eyes this week have been on Washington, D.C., as President Trump was inaugurated and the 119th Congress — with Republicans holding majorities in the House and the Senate — beginning its legislative work.

The Common Health Coalition today announced it has extended the deadline to Feb.

Perinatal mental health disorders affect countless mothers during pregnancy and postpartum, yet access to comprehensive care remains a challenge.