Benjamin (BJ) Predum was selected as the incoming hospital president and CEO of Mercy Hospital Downtown and Mercy Hospital Southwest in Bakersfield, Calif.

Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Broward Health named Deborah Hall the organization's chief internal auditor.  

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill into law May 18 that requires hospitals to establish a nurse staffing committee by Sept. 1.

Boston-based Mass General Brigham released a plan May 16 to cut spending by $70 million a year, and it received the green light this month for $2 billion in capital improvements after scrapping a plan for three outpatient surgery centers.

Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston is partnering with the American Medical Association and The Joint Commission to create a learning network to help health systems conduct more equitable quality and patient safety work, the organizations said May 19. 

Burley, Idaho-based Intermountain Cassia Regional Hospital is expanding access to pediatric specialist care through the launch of a new telehealth program.

Athens, Ga.-based St. Mary's Health Care System named Candice Frix, BSN, RN, vice president and chief nursing officer, Lake Oconee Breeze reported May 18.

About one-third of Americans live in areas where the level of COVID-19 transmission warrants wearing a mask in indoor public settings, health officials said during a May 18 briefing at the White House. 

Thirty-six hospital and health system CEOs exited their roles in the first four months of this year, and several others have announced plans to step down. 

Several healthcare organizations have decided to outsource finance jobs or other revenue cycle functions since Jan. 1:

Massachusetts Department of Public Health officials have confirmed a case of monkeypox in a traveler who returned to the U.S. from Canada, the agency said May 18. 

Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic could face a slew of lawsuits from employees alleging they were wrongly fired for refusing COVID-19 vaccines, the Post Bulletin reported May 18.

Detroit Medical Center's Detroit Receiving Hospital could lose its Medicare contract after it was found noncompliant with CMS rules for nursing services during a surprise inspection this month by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, The Detroit News reported May 18.

Heart Hospital of Austin in Texas has named Brett Matens as CEO, effective May 11. 

Michael McKenna, MD, executive vice president and chief medical officer of Grand Blanc, Mich.-based McLaren Health Care, died May 9 at age 69, according to Mlive.

Kaiser Permanente mental health professionals in Hawaii began a three-day strike May 18.

The working environment at hospitals and health systems has always been crucial when it comes to recruiting and retaining employees. This environment is even more important amid healthcare workforce shortages. 

Researchers have been testing an artificial intelligence model to diagnose diseases in situations where time and cost are of the essence.

A telehealth company at the center of a federal probe over its prescribing practices has ousted its CEO.

Citing skyrocketing expenses and flat revenue, St. Charles Health System in Bend, Ore., will cut 181 positions, according to a May 18 announcement.