Stamford (Conn.) Health has had its overall rating and that on specific bonds affirmed at "BBB+" as it looks forward to increasing financial strength over the next five years, Fitch Ratings said Feb. 7.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said that he expects a "significant decline in inflation" in 2023, but is warning that it might not be a smooth path to lower prices, Insider reported Feb. 7.

The Fresno County (Calif.) Board of Supervisors on Feb. 7 voted to end a state of emergency that had been in place since early January. Despite the emergency declaration's formal end, Fresno area hospitals continue to operate at or above capacity in wake of Madera (Calif.) Community Hospital's closure — the city's only hospital for 160,000 residents. 

Labor-cost pressures appear to be easing in the sectors of the economy, including healthcare, that the Federal Reserve is most concerned about regarding inflation, The Wall Street Journal reported Feb. 8.

Some states are not waiting for the federal government to ban noncompete clauses in healthcare, and two Midwestern states have legislation on the move that would eliminate noncompete agreements for physicians.

Topeka, Kan.-based Stormont Vail Health has increased a credit line by two-thirds, upping it from $30 million to a maximum of $50 million, the health system said in a Feb. 7 filing.

The Oregon legislature is considering a bill that aims to help hospitals with the cost of boarding patients they can't discharge, The Lund Report reported Feb. 7.

North Carolina is home to some of the most prestigious hospitals, health systems and medical schools in the country. CMS rated 12 of its hospitals with five stars, based on five quality categories.

Lakeland (Fla.) Regional Health, which operates one of the largest hospitals in the country, reported net income of $37.9 million in its latest quarter.

Mark Driscoll, CEO at Boca Grande (Fla.) Health Clinic, joined the "Becker's Healthcare Podcast" to talk about leadership and the realities of practicing medicine in a hurricane-prone area.

Norman (Okla.) Regional Health System will implement VisiQuate's artificial intelligence-powered Denials Management Analytics and Revenue Management Analytics. 

Texas holds the most hospitals of any state, and CMS rated 31 of them with five stars, based on five quality categories.

Six health systems recently posted job listings seeking revenue cycle vice presidents. 

Troubled West Reading, Pa.-based Tower Health, which is currently undergoing a strategic review and selling off several assets, suffered a rating downgrade on its bonds, S&P Global reported Feb. 6, adding that the outlook is negative.

Denver Health and Hospital Authority had its overall and specific bond ratings affirmed at "BBB" as the Colorado safety-net system targets a stable operating environment by 2025, Fitch Ratings said Feb. 7.

Healthcare organizations across the country reported financial results in January.

Segundo, Calif.-based Pipeline Health, now a five-hospital system, exited bankruptcy Feb. 7

Sarasota (Fla.) County Public Hospital reported a net operating income of $10.8 million in its latest quarter, building on an annual total of $34.9 million.

Economic activity, though lower than the previous month as the "tripledemic" of respiratory syncytial virus, flu and COVID-19 slowly declined, grew in January for the 32nd straight month in the hospital subsector, the Institute for Supply Management said Feb. 7.

Aurora, Colo.-based UCHealth has had its overall credit rating and that on certain of its bonds affirmed at "AA" as the 12-hospital system continues to enjoy a "track record of very strong operating margins," Fitch Ratings said Feb. 6.