This year, Becker's has reported on care deserts expanding for five specialties.

Washington state's behavioral health hospitals have reduced admitting time for mental health patients from jail to its facility, The Seattle Times reported Sept. 10.

NYU Langone Health is now offering walk-in primary care services at two new locations in Manhattan, the New York City-based health system announced Sept. 6. 

A water-related issue has affected sterile processing operations at three Colorado hospitals, spurring the postponement of non-emergent surgeries. 

Recently, Florida and Texas passed laws requiring hospitals that receive Medicaid or Children's Health Insurance Program funds to collect information about patient immigration status, KFF reported Aug. 26. 

The COVID-19 pandemic marked a turning point for telemedicine, driving a surge in patient use as Congress relaxed regulations to facilitate virtual consultations. While most discussions focus on patient experience and improving access to care, the advantages for hospitals—especially in critical care settings—are equally significant.

Two California hospitals are moving forward with plans to suspend labor and delivery services this fall, according to local news reports.

Starting this fall, NYC Health + Hospitals plans to cut primary care visit times for new patients from 40 minutes to 20 minutes. The change will address growing demands for care at the nation's largest public health system, according to internal documents obtained by Gothamist and Politico. 

Over the past 2 years, more than 50 rural hospitals across the country have stopped delivering babies, contributing to the 57% of rural U.S. hospitals that lack labor and delivery services.

Health systems nationwide have faced growing capacity challenges. So when Mass General Brigham launched its Patient Transfer and Access Center in October, the goal was to increase access and capacity for patients, particularly the sickest, across its academic medical centers and specialty and community hospitals. Nearly one year later, the health system is seeing progress toward this objective, its senior medical director of clinical integration told Becker's.

With a national rise in mental health needs, health systems are turning to a new type of care facility to take pressure off hospital emergency departments — behavioral health urgent cares.

New York City-based Montefiore Health System's Housing at Risk Program has led to a 45% decrease in emergency department visits for unstably housed people since its inception in 2009.

Boston-based Mass General Brigham's Home Hospital program has expanded to 70 beds,  making it the largest home hospital in the country, according to a news release shared with Becker's.

Children's Hospital Los Angeles researchers found there has been no significant increase in pediatric inpatient hospital beds since 2017.

Hospitals across Chicago are standing by, equipped to handle any medical emergencies that may arise as the city hosts the Democratic National Convention.

A pilot program at Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego (Calif.) is credited with reducing mental health visits to the emergency department by 40%, the American Hospital Association reported.

White Plains (N.Y.) Hospital was forced to relocate dozens of patients Aug. 15 after a sprinkler malfunction caused one wing of the facility to flood, CBS New York reported. 

Healthcare systems do not traditionally see caregivers as part of the care continuum or team, but they're missing out on a key factor that could help prevent readmissions and negative patient outcomes, Mia Yang, MD, told Becker's.

Bystander CPR is associated with higher survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, but its association is weakest among Black individuals and women, according to a recent study.

The American College of Surgeons has removed Flagstaff (Ariz.) Medical Center's Level 2 Trauma Center verification after an onsite review and renewal application.