A new fast-spreading COVID-19 variant, NB.1.8.1, tied to a surge in China, has been identified in the U.S. as access to routine vaccinations is poised to narrow, CBS News reported May 27.  Here are five things to know: 

The CDC’s decision to remove COVID-19 vaccines from its recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women has sparked significant concern from healthcare industry groups. While some groups, like the American Hospital Association, took a more neutral stance, others…

Newton (Mass.)-Wellesley Hospital has concluded its investigation into a possible cluster of tumor cases among longtime nurses who work in the maternal care ward, finding no environmental contributors, The Boston Globe reported May 27. Investigations by the Massachusetts Department of…

The CDC ended its healthcare infection control practices advisory committee on May 8, and healthcare associations and groups are decrying the decision. Each year, hospitals incur $28.4 billion to $45 billion in direct medical costs due to hospital-associated infections. HAIs…

A new AMN Healthcare survey published May 27 found it now takes an average of 31 days to schedule a physician appointment in 15 of the largest U.S. metropolitan areas — up 19% from 2022 and 48% from 2004. AMN…

The CDC no longer recommends that healthy children and pregnant women receive routine COVID-19 vaccinations, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said May 27. The CDC removed COVID-19 vaccines from its recommended immunization schedule for these populations, effective immediately. The…

Des Moines, Iowa-based MercyOne is ending its longtime partnership with Medical Center Anesthesiologists and will transition to a new anesthesia services provider, Vituity, effective May 31.  In a statement to local news outlets, MercyOne attributed the change to unresolved financial…

In 2024, 54.4% of physicians reported feeling valued by their employer, up from 50.4% in 2023, according to a May 27 American Medical Association report. The AMA’s “Organizational Biopsy” report surveyed nearly 18,000 physicians across 43 states and more than…

On May 22, an FDA advisory committee unanimously recommended COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers target the JN.1 variant in their formulations.  The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee made the same recommendation in summer 2024, suggesting COVID-19 vaccine makers focus on…

Reducing care variation is central to health systems’ broader efforts to improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency. But aligning physicians around evidence-based practice — especially when it means doing something differently than how they were trained — can be a…