Hospital pediatric wards in Oklahoma and Louisiana are facing an unseasonal surge in respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, that's putting a strain on capacity, according to Bloomberg.

Aaron Martin, executive vice president and chief digital officer of Renton, Wash.-based Providence and managing general partner of Providence Ventures, joined the Becker's Healthcare Podcast to talk about how the health system thinks about innovation and the strategy for its venture fund.

Stephanie Lahr, MD, CIO and chief medical information officer of Monument Health in Rapid City, S.D., appeared on the Becker's Healthcare Podcast to talk about technology challenges and opportunities for rural healthcare institutions.

A report from medical research company Kalorama Information shows total out-of-pocket healthcare spending by consumers has reached an estimated $491.6 billion in 2021, a 10 percent increase from 2020 with an anticipated increase of 9.9 percent through 2026, a July 29 press release said.

In July, 4,584,411 patients and employees across 39 healthcare organizations were hit by data breaches.

When COVID-19 started making waves in March 2020, researchers around the world raced to develop algorithms that could help physicians make decisions, triage patients and predict surges, according to a July 30 Technology Review report.

Fort Myers, Fla.-based Lee Health slashed the regular $49 visit price for its telehealth visit until "further notice" as the current wave of COVID-19 continues to spread across Southwest Florida, the health system said July 30. 

Both COVID-19 cases and vaccination rates are rising, according to the CDC's COVID Data Tracker Weekly Review published July 30.

The pace of vaccinations in the U.S. is rising as the delta variant continues to spread and the overwhelming majority of virus-related deaths are occuring in the unvaccinated, CNBC reported July 30. 

Nearly 40 hospitals and healthcare research organizations received gifts, pledges and bequests from individuals so far in 2021. 

Chad Melton has resigned as CEO of Warrenton, Va.-based Fauquier Health, after four years at the helm, according to a July 30 news release.

A round-up of U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals for Cardiology & Heart Surgery for 2021-22 was Becker's most-read cardiology story in July. 

Healthcare providers are ramping up digital transformation projects and turning to new technology to stay connected to patients and improve care experiences. 

Braden Health, which operates a network of hospitals across the U.S., plans to buy more struggling or closed rural hospitals in Tennessee, according to News Channel 5.

Medicare pay was higher for COVID-19-related respiratory infections with major complications than non-COVID-19 cases at some major U.S. hospitals, according to a new study from Hospital Pricing Specialists. 

The California Supreme Court will review a lawsuit filed by physicians that accuses Aetna of violating the Unfair Competition Law.

Among 469 COVID-19 infections tied to a number of summer events and large public gatherings in Barnstable County, Mass., about three-quarters of cases occurred in fully vaccinated people, according to the CDC's latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published July 30. 

Some hospitals are facing two patient surges — patients who avoided or couldn't get medical care amid the pandemic, alongside a rising number of COVID-19 patients.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced July 30 that it intervened in six False Claims Act complaints alleging Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and other affiliates of Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente submitted inaccurate diagnosis codes for its Medicare Advantage members to receive higher reimbursements. 

Amy Johnson was appointed by Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare's Gulf Coast division as vice president of physician alignment.