In the News: Threats to the Healthcare Industry
Advancing technology, including artificial intelligence, has the potential to revolutionize the healthcare industry — but major challenges, including rising costs, cybersecurity concerns, and workforce shortages, threaten to stall those advancements.
This month’s news roundup explores a few of the major challenges hospitals and health systems currently face. With an understanding of these issues, healthcare organizations can better prepare for the future to continue offering quality patient care.
Health Systems Grappling With AI Costs
Despite the promising benefits of artificial intelligence in healthcare, hospitals and health systems find it challenging to manage the costs associated with AI implementation. Leaders at Yale New Haven Health, for example, see AI’s potential to address clinician burnout and wellness, but are actively working to manage compute costs and fees to create secure connections with cloud vendors. Yale is moving forward cautiously by establishing an AI governance structure while exploring various AI pilots.
Red Sea, Panama Canal Issues: 3 Notes for Hospital Supply Execs
Healthcare Ready, a nonprofit monitoring healthcare access during crises, is tracking two critical threats to the medical supply chain: low water levels in the Panama Canal and cargo ship attacks by an Iran-backed rebel group. Because of low water levels, the Panama Canal has limited daily vessel passages. This, combined with increased attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and Suez Canal, has led to price hikes, with shipping costs steadily rising since December.
Industry Voices—Code blue: Rescuing America's Healthcare System by Bolstering the Workforce Pipeline
The United States faces a looming crisis in healthcare workforce shortages, with projections of significant deficits in nursing and allied health professionals by 2025. These shortages are already affecting healthcare facilities nationwide, leading to limited capacity and hindering patient access to timely care. To address these challenges, policymakers and healthcare leaders must prioritize long-term solutions, including strengthening the healthcare workforce pipeline and passing bills such as The Train More Nurses Act and The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN) Act.
UnitedHealth Reportedly Pays $22M Ransomware
Recent cyberattacks on UnitedHealth Group and Change Healthcare have caused significant disruptions to hospitals, physicians, and pharmacies. Following the cyber-takedown of Change Healthcare, some practices went almost 2 weeks without revenue. In response, the American Medical Association (AMA) has called for action from the Biden administration, requesting emergency funds for affected physicians and urging Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to ensure continuity of care.
