SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " staffing " 198 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Rep. Kim Schrier raises concerns over Enchantments, wildfire risk and health care costs
U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier, D-Wash., said growing visitor numbers, reduced federal staffing and rising health care costs are among the issues weighing on residents
West Virginia to use $1.8M in federal funding to address health care staffing shortages
Another $1.8 million in federal funding has been allocated to address health care issues in West Virginia, state officials announced.
Westphal Staffing hires director of business development
Nicole Williams has joined Westphal Staffing as its director of business development, Westphal Staffing announced today. Nicole Williams Williams brings a
Central Maine Healthcare employees report safety concerns amid turnover
Hospitals reportedly experiencing staffing issues include Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.
Kern County healthcare workers face layoffs at Dignity Health, Adventist Health
New state filings show significant staffing changes at two of Kern County’s largest hospital providers.
How abolishing the NIH would weaken American science
American science, disability service provider staffing and more, in readers' eyes.
USDA lowers beef export sales by 90% amid growing doubts over data
The U.S. Department of Agriculture dramatically lowered its reported beef export sales for late June on Thursday, sparking fresh concerns about the quality of the agency's data after staffing losses as part of the Trump administration's reshaping of the federal government.
New York area lawmakers rally behind longtime head of WTC Health Program
The program has grappled with staffing shortages over the past year amid the federal layoffs and buyouts.
Chicago mental health response teams see 911 calls plummet
A sharp decline in dispatches, staffing shortages and the loss of police dispatch technology have hampered Chicago's non-police mental health crisis response program
Federal court ruling on Alabama prison mental health care could lower staffing requirements
The 11th Circuit reverses some of the federal court's order, including the staffing levels the federal court originally required.
The US healthcare system is in crisis. A Supreme Court ruling could make things worse
The effects of the high court ruling that could lead to mass deportations will be felt across hospitals and emergency rooms, which already operate under persistent staffing shortfalls. But it's the long-term health care sector that will suffer the greatest disruptions, according to experts.
Sony will cease production of discs for new PlayStation games in 2028
New games sold for PlayStation consoles will only be available digitally and won’t be sold on discs effective January 2028, Sony has announced. The move applies to all PlayStation games released from that point on, including those made by Sony and those released by third parties. The PlayStation group calls the change “a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs,” according to a PlayStation blog post reviewed by Game File in advance of its publication. As movies, TV and music have shifted from physical media to an age of downloads and streaming, Sony’s move could speed the demise of physical media in a gaming. The industry has offered consumers games via cartridges, cassettes, floppy discs, CDs, DVDs and Blu-Rays across a 50-year stretch. Sony has been reporting to investors in recent years that PlayStation games have been increasingly purchased as downloads, not as discs. The most recent figures show nearly four in five purchases of full games for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 were purchased digitally in the past year. Stats like that may cause today’s news to carry an air of the inevitable. But Sony’s declaration for 2028 is still likely to produce a shock, as the biggest gaming platform on the planet that uses game discs leaves them behind. Discs going away, but the fate of game boxes is unknown Sony is committing to still selling games in physical retailers even after they drop discs in 2028. Just how those games will be sold—in boxes with codes inside, as cards marked with digital redemption codes—is unclear. Digital games will also continue to be sold in the online PlayStation Store. New games released for PlayStation consoles prior to January 2028 will be unaffected by the policy change, Sony says. That means the PS5 games of 2027, be they a new Madden, a new God of War, a new Call of Duty, a new Sly Cooper (one can dream?), would still potentially be offered on disc. PlayStation 6 implications Sony’s timeline for a transition to a no-disc era will also spin up more speculation about the timing and configuration of Sony’s next-generation console, the probable PlayStation 6. “This pretty much guarantees that PS6 won’t arrive until 2028 at the earliest,” Piers Harding-Rolls, senior games research analyst at Ampere Analysis tells Game File. Harding-Rolls also concludes from today’s news that “the base version of a PS6 will not include a physical media drive,” as Sony looks to keep costs down on the device. Sony itself is saying nothing about the PS6 today: not its timing, nor how it might or might not support internal or external disc drives in order to run disc-based PS4 and PS5 games, should the console be backwards compatible. The many signs this was coming Industry support for games being released on physical media has been waning. As has consumer interest in them. PC games effectively went all-digital years ago, thanks to the popularity of playing games through Steam and other digital storefronts. The Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns that kept much of the global population home helped shift shopping patterns toward downloads. Sony’s own data shows PlayStation game downloads being an uncommon consumer choice a decade ago and now becoming the norm. On consoles, physical media has been in such decline that Sony and Microsoft both launched their current gen Xbox Series and PS5 consoles in 2020 with cheaper versions that lacked disc drives. In early 2024, Phil Spencer, then head of Xbox, told me that ““[w]e ship games physically and digitally, and we’re really just following what the customers are doing.” He added that the game industry had become an outlier in still supporting disc-based entertainment, even as movies and TV have bailed on discs in favor of downloads and steaming: “Gaming consoles themselves have kind of become the last consumer electronic device that has a drive. And this is a real issue, just in terms of the number of manufacturers that are actually building drives and the cost associated with those. And when you think about cogs that we’re going to go put in a console—and as you have fewer suppliers and fewer buyers—the cost of the drive does have an impact.” Last year, the Nintendo’s Switch 2, which uses cartridges rather than discs, introduced the concept of game-key cards, which are physical media that contain no game, just a prompt for a download. Even disc-based games aren’t what they once were, now frequently containing just stubs of games rather than the whole thing. The website Does It Play has tested over 3000 games and found that, for example, that the disc version of this year’s hit 007: First Light, only contained the game’s first mission, with the rest needing to be downloaded. Beyond all that, last week brought the news that Grand Theft Auto VI, likely the biggest game launch this decade, will debut for PS5 and Xbox Series without a disc-based version. Today’s big news comes to you for free. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and ensure more of my work is possible, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Discs helped define PlayStation However the trends in entertainment may be going, it is still remarkable to see PlayStation ditch discs given their importance in PlayStation history: In the late 1990s, the first PlayStation’s support for games on relatively cheap CD-ROMs instead of traditional game cartridges allowed the upstart console to outmaneuver cartridge-based systems from Nintendo and Sega, as it drove down game prices down in the process. (The cheaper disc format even prompted Final Fantasy VII maker Square to taunt Nintendo in a magazine ad, saying that if the game was “available on cartridge, it’d retail for around $1200.”) PlayStation devices often doubled as machines for watching movies and TV on the latest disc-based formats. In the late 2000s, for example, Sony’s pricy PS3 gained traction as a go-to device for playing then-novel Blu-Ray discs. In 2013, Sony effectively roasted the digital game-sharing restrictions proposed by rival Microsoft for its upcoming Xbox One console by showing how games could be shared for the then-upcoming PS4. In a 21-second clip that has over 20 million views on YouTube, one PlayStation executive simply handed a game box—presumably with disc inside—to another, who said “thanks.” Sony’s possible motivations The PlayStation announcement today cites “consumer preferences” and a shift away from discs among “the broader entertainment industry,” but does not delve into the decision-making process that brought Sony to this point. Sony is not discussing the economics of this move (I asked!), but there are a number of potential factors: Abandoning discs will spare Sony the cost of manufacturing and shipping them, which analysts and industry veterans I spoke to said could account for $1 or so of a game’s retail price. For first-party games, that’s direct savings for Sony, though the amount is limited by the winnowing percentage of people who were even buying the disc-based versions. For third-party games, Sony could pass the savings on to partners or just retain the better profit margin for themselves. As the 2024 comments from Phil Spencer alluded to, leaving discs behind could mean leaving disc-drives behind, allowing Sony to produce consoles more cheaply. Switching to digital-only for games could diminish the risks of copies of new games leaking. It would also seemingly make second-hand sales of used games impossible, pushing more people to buy their own copies of games. These economic benefits for Sony could be boons for the games industry overall, Ampere analyst Piers Harding-Rolls tells Game File. Among other things, it could free publishers and retailers from having to worry about securing an inventory of game discs when trying to sell games, he noted. “If there is a way to streamline the business of games retail, I generally think it’s a good thing for the industry as it removes unnecessary costs,” Harding-Rolls said. “This will help offset pressure on margins from other directions – development and staffing costs for example.” Should the industry shift from game boxes that contain discs to smaller, cheaper game cards, Harding-Rolls said, that reduces pressure on publishers and retailers. “The advantage of everything going digital for the industry is that sales can be tracked much more easily and there is less commercial risk for publishers wanting to continue selling via retail,” he said. The shift to no discs will also likely impact game development timelines, as developers will no longer face the same urgency to have a build ready to submit to PlayStation for the production of a disc, as industry experts noted around GTA VI’s no-disc news last week. Instead, projects may gain weeks of development time, in the event delivery deadlines for platform approval move closer to release date. Preservationists’ likely worries While millions of gamers have shifted to digital, there are still people who associate game discs—and only game discs—with actual ownership of PlayStation games. That portion of the gaming community spoke up last week about wanting to buy a version of GTA VI that they could hold in their hands, could lend to a friend and could potentially pop into a well-preserved PS5 console three decades from now and still see it run. Such gamers didn’t want to worry that they’d merely purchased a digital copy that could lose access to the game if, say, the company behind the game someday turns of the servers that transmit downloadable copies. Digital copies of games are inherently less long-lasting, because consumers aren’t actually buying a game (on a disc), just buying access to the game. The fine print in online gaming shops notes this, as does a recent law that went on the books in California in 2025. That lasw requires game publishers doing business in the state to refrain from words like “sell” when offering digital copies of games, unless they explicitly tell consumers that what’s being sold isn’t the game itself but a potentially revocable license to access it. A Sony spokesperson noted to Game File that “[w]ith all digital content, including games, movies, and music, players are purchasing a personal license for non-commercial use.” Regarding the fears of PlayStation games being lost to time in an all-digital era, the rep also noted that Sony remains “committed to delivering experiences from past generations to the new platforms our players are using.” They noted that PlayStation has used emulation and remasters to keep offering its classic games to modern gamers. It’s true that many consumers have become accustomed to not having physical copies of new music albums or movies, but the relative precariousness of digital copies of games is in fact being highlighted today by…. Sony’s other big announcement: the upcoming closure of the PS3 and PS Vita online stores Sony said today that it will be closing the online marketplaces for its PlayStation 3 console and PS Vita handheld in most countries in July 2027 (sooner elsewhere: August 2026 for the PS3 store Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua; late 2026 for PS3 in other Latin American countries and the Middle East). “We know this news may be disappointing to PS3 and PS Vita players who hold a special place in their hearts for this generation of gaming,” Sony said in its announcement, saying the move “was not an easy decision for us to make.” Sony said that PS3 and Vita marketplaces “are no longer able” to support modern commerce systems, prompting a “need” to close the shops and focus on more modern PlayStation platform stores. The news may spark some deja vu. Sony announced back in March 2021 that it planned to take the PS3, Vita and PlayStation Portable marketplaces offline that summer. The move would have caused some 2,000 digital-only games to become unavailable for new purchasers, according to a VGC analysis at the time. Fans complained loudly. By April 2021, Sony walked back the PS3 and Vita shop closures, with then PlayStation boss Jim Ryan saying “it’s clear that we made the wrong decision here.” This time around, Sony is giving a longer notice period in most regions. The closure of those stores is still likely to cut off access to new purchases of digital-only PS3 and Vita games. The current PlayStation 5 marketplace sells PS5 and PS4 games, as well as a selection of PS1 and PS2 games. It does not sell PS3 games, because games for that platform can’t run on the system (some are offered via a PlayStation Plus streaming option). Vita games also aren’t sold via PS5. Sony says digitally purchased PS3 and Vita games will be downloadable after the stores’ shutdowns “for the foreseeable future.” Sony’s move contrasts with Microsoft’s Xbox platform, which continues to sell and support games from all four Xbox console generations. But it puts it in line with Nintendo, which disabled purchases in the marketplace for its Wii console (a contemporary of the PS3) in 2019. Nintendo discontinued purchases in the online shop for its 3DS portable (a contemporary of the Vita) in 2023. The big questions about Sony’s 2028 post-disc era Will Microsoft follow suit, ending support for new disc-based games on Xbox platforms and therefore all game consoles, too? Whether Microsoft does or not, will third-parties that can no longer release games on discs for PlayStation, simply ditch the disc options across the board? Given the GTA VI no-disc experiment launching this November, will more game publishers decide to forgo disc-based offerings even in 2027? How will no-disc PS5/6 games be packaged and sold in brick-and-mortar retail stores? What becomes of game sharing in an all-digital era? Will Sony modify its current set-up, which currently allows some sharing of digital games across a pair of consoles, to allow more casual lending? (See for example, Nintendo’s year-old system of letting players lend a digital game to another player in a “family group” for up to 14 days.) Will there be a version of a PS6 with a disc drive? Or will a drive be offered as an add-on? And how will gamers who want to retain access to PS4/PS5 disc-based games react to whichever configurations Sony chooses to offer? What will the final disc-based PlayStation game be?
Neuroimaging utilization in emergency departments has increased year-over-year for a decade
Researchers believe their new data could be used to better inform staffing coverage in modern radiology departments.
Priorities for Military Health System: ‘Our mission is readiness’
Keith Bass, assistant secretary of war for health affairs, outlines his strategic priorities for the Military Health System, with funding and staffing at the top of the list to optimize warfighter readiness.
Work visa issues leave Door County businesses short staffed for summer season
Businesses say they are facing staffing challenges because many of the foreign workers they rely on through the summer tourism season haven’t arrived.
The 2026 legislative update of health care laws
Commentary: Maryland's 2026 legislative session introduced laws affecting healthcare staffing, insurance coverage, nursing homes, and data privacy.
Maine forest groups warn Pingree that federal cuts could endanger research, forest health
Maine forestry groups emphasized that any reductions of U.S. Forest Service research and staffing would have consequences across the state and region. U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree gathered state agencies and other forestry organizations for a roundtable discussion in Portland on Thursday about the impact of recent changes at the Forest Service and their concerns about […]
HPAE Nurses Ratify New Contract giving Patients Access to a Virtua Health Hospital with Safe Nurse-to-Patient Ratios
HPAE Nurses Ratify New Contract giving Patients Access to a Virtua Health Hospital with Safe Nurse-to-Patient Ratios Now every NJ Hospital with HPAE Nurses has enforceable safe staffing in their union contract EMERSON — HPAE Local 5105 Registered Nurses at Virtua-Mount Holly Hospital have ratified a new three-year contract with Virtua Health that includes enforceable safe nurse-to-patient[...]
Nurses across Baystate Health signal concern over potential staffing cuts
Nurses across the Baystate Health system said the hospital is “misaligned”
Cape Cod businesses see seasonal worker visa delays
Increased scrutiny by the Trump administration, understaffing at embassies, and an influx of World Cup travelers have thrown a wrench into the program that helps power the Cape summer economy.
Oklahoma County jail fails 12th consecutive health inspection
The Oklahoma County jail has failed its latest surprise health inspection due to missed safety checks, unsanitary conditions and staffing shortages.
Retirements, economic pressures, staffing challenges driving exodus of businesses
Rochester business owners are increasingly looking to sell, broker Stuart Levy says, citing shrinking margins, higher costs and staffing woes. BizBuySell lists 84 active Q1 listings, led by service firms.
Nursing home staffing rebounds from COVID levels
An aging population and Trump administration immigration policies could still stretch the industry.
Cal Fire expands aerial fleet amid jetfuel concerns
Cal Fire is enhancing its firefighting capabilities with new aircraft and increased staffing as it prepares for another challenging fire season in California, even as the state faces budget issues and uncertainty around fuel this summer.
St. Mary’s nurses win union election, cite pay, staffing concerns
Nurses at SSM Health’s St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison won an election to certify their union Thursday.
COVID pandemic’s effect on nurse staffing confounds linear expectations
Many or most who left their jobs in the early 2020s—whether for other nursing jobs or entirely new work—were thinking about doing so prior to the pandemic.
Redding nurses, health care workers to hold strike vote and picket for safe staffing
Registered nurses and caregivers at Shasta Regional Medical Center in Redding, Calif., will hold a strike vote and picket on Thursday, June 11, to protest management’s refusal to address patient care and safe staffing issues. Nurses and health care workers at Shasta Regional, a Prime Healthcare facility.
The radiologist shortage is real but smaller and more local than believed: Report
Approximately 1,470 of active radiologist openings have been sitting unfilled for over two months or more, concentrated in certain states.
Stepful banks $55M to scale AI-powered medical training to boost the workforce pipeline
Healthcare staffing shortages are a near-universal problem for healthcare providers. | The company currently works with more than 35 major healthcare systems and has graduated over 32,000 practice-ready healthcare workers since its founding.
Trump says he wants Pulte to further slash staffing at national intelligence office
President Donald Trump said Friday that he wants his new acting director of national intelligence, Bill Pulte, to cut the office, which has already been significantly scaled back during his second term.
Business briefs, June 5
Senators push CMS to reinstate nursing home ownership reporting requirements … New DOJ toolkit could turn EMTs, cops into nursing home watchdogs … Combatting racism in senior living and care requires ‘institutional courage’ to avoid status quo … CNA coverage declined, but few other staffing ramifications of COVID immunity … SNFs, aging Americans helping drive strong interest in healthcare property investment … Kendal launches comprehensive ‘brand evolution’
Dunlap unveils healthcare priorities
Dunlap’s healthcare plan also includes measures to protect abortion access and require “safe nurse-to-patient staffing ratios.”
Towards a responsive health system and equitable access to quality RMNCAH services
Indonesia’s vast geography and sociocultural diversity shape the delivery of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (RMNCAH) services in ways that are both enabling and challenging. Across provinces, significant variation has been observed in how services are planned, resourced, and delivered. These variations in service standards and quality are felt daily in the lives of women, newborns and adolescents. Despite these challenges, progress is visible. National estimates show a drop in maternal mortality ratio, from 331 to 140 per 100 000 live births since 2000, signaling improvements in care quality and access. Fertility has stabilised and contraceptive use has grown, yet unmet reproductive health needs persist, and adolescent pregnancies continue to reflect early marriage and limited access to youth-friendly services.To better understand how Indonesia’s health system has evolved under decentralisation, the Ministry of Health, supported by World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), IPAS and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), conducted a joint external review of RMNCAH programmes. This review draws on multiple sources of evidence, including existing literature, policy documents, national health system data, as well as field visits to six selected provinces to represent Indonesia’s geographic and administrative diversity. During the field visits, review teams observed service delivery in health facilities, spoke with health workers and local leaders and met mothers and families to understand how RMNCAH policies are operationalised. One of the challenges identified was the management of low birthweight (LBW) infants, a major contributor to neonatal deaths, under resource constraints. One midwife described a severe case of extremely LBW twins, one stillborn and the other died after three days of care. She recalled how the surviving infant struggled to swallow and may not have received breast milk, while simultaneous emergencies required the team’s attention, affecting the care provided to the infant.A subsequent review of the case by the district health office revealed insufficient antenatal care, fragmented maternal medical history due to population mobility, referral delays, limited provider capacity in neonatal intravenous access and a heavy workload that constrained proper newborn monitoring. These insights informed recommendations to strengthen both system-wide and service-level responses. Since the early 2000s, Indonesia’s decentralisation initiative has given much of the responsibility for funding, staffing and managing health services to regional governments. While the Ministry of Health sets national clinical standards, daily management of public health facilities falls under regional authorities through the Ministry of Internal Affairs. While this arrangement allows services to be tailored to local needs, it also depends heavily on local capacity for planning, budgeting and management. Health facilities and district health offices are better positioned to translate national priorities into local action when they have access to consistent technical support, helping health workers manage resource constraints and infrastructure gaps.The complexity of Indonesia’s health system governance is no easy feat to navigate. Understanding these dynamics is essential to strengthening policy, improving coordination and ensuring more equitable access to services across Indonesia. Under the leadership of Ministry of Health, recommendations from this exercise will be key in guiding the nation’s roadmap to an equitable and quality health system for RMNCAH.Written by Edit Oktavia Manuama, National Professional Officer (Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health), and Jessie Yunus, National Professional Officer (Gender, Rights, Equity, and Disability Inclusion)
Holding the Veterans Affairs Secretary Accountable for the Severely Damaged Veterans’ Health Care System | American Postal Workers Union
In February 2025, representatives from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) began working with the newly appointed Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins to identify alleged wasteful contracts and improve VA operations. DOGE cancelled hundreds of VA contracts and carried out thousands of staffing reductions, including the dismissal of probationary employees, under […]
Springfield losing its detox beds as Behavioral Health Network moves toward transitional treatment
Springfield's Carlson Recovery Center is ending detox beds with 24/7 medical supervisor due to staffing, shifting to less-intensive residential addiction care.
Training cops to handle mental health crises is key, experts say. One SC man's story explains why.
Sending South Carolina police officers to a five-day crisis intervention course can be a drain on agencies’ manpower. But proponents say it’s worth the temporary hit to staffing and logistics,
CDC Is Walking a Tightrope With Its Response to Hantavirus
Administration officials host frequent calls and have reallocated staffing, but don’t want to replicate Covid-era response.
Thousands of Endeavor Health nurses look to unionize over pay cuts, staffing conditions
Nurses accuse Endeavor of staffing too few nurses, putting patients at risk. The mobilization effort would unionize nurses at four of Endeavor’s nine hospitals.
Thousands of Endeavor Health nurses look to unionize over pay cuts, staffing conditions
Nurses accuse Endeavor of staffing too few nurses, putting patients at risk. The mobilization effort would unionize nurses at four of Endeavor’s nine hospitals.
Maryland ranked high among states for public health preparedness, but could be doing more
Maryland remains better prepared to combat public health emergencies than most other states, but federal shakeups in staffing and funding could threaten those protections, according to a new report from Trust for America’s Health.
Reduce restaurant labor costs without cutting staff
Smarter scheduling is helping restaurants control labor costs, improve staffing accuracy, and operate more efficiently in a tight-margin industry.
HHS tackles ‘overmedication’
The cruise ship hantavirus outbreak, 988 staffing problems, and more health news from Morning Rounds
The business blueprint for the Atlanta we know today
In the 1960s, most decisions in Atlanta could be traced to a dozen or so business leaders who called the shots. All were men. Today, many executives are transplants to Atlanta; CEOs tend to have shorter tenures, and they exert less influence. But that also means business has become more diverse, both in staffing and scope.
House proposes cuts to NOAA, science in new funding bill
The National Weather Service would get a boost, and it would be required to maintain staffing levels.
House proposes cuts to NOAA, science in new funding bill
The National Weather Service would get a boost, and it would be required to maintain staffing levels.
REPORT: Texas Workers’ Safety & Health in Danger Under Trump, Abbott Attacks
TEXAS – Today, on Workers Memorial Day, Texas workers are dying and being injured on the job after Donald Trump and Greg Abbott cut essential funding and staffing, directed resources away from agencies, and preempted policies that protect workers, according to a new report by the AFL-CIO.
Insurance loss puts child care center out of business
Lakeside Early Learning in Duluth will continue to offer child care through June 4 as staffing and ratios allow.
Axios Live: North Carolina faces health care funding, staffing gaps
Health leaders at an April 16 Axios event warned that funding uncertainty and workforce shortages are colliding in the state.
VA Staffing: 855 Workers Left Massachusetts VA in 2025
Many veterans say an exodus of medical staff has resulted in longer waits for treatment and has forced them to go outside the VA for care.
Why OpenAI is ‘running at lightning speed’ to build an ad business
The AI ad wars have officially begun, and OpenAI is staffing up and dropping rates to lure brands away from the likes of Meta and Google.
U.S. health department restoring staffing to WTC health program
St. Joseph Health nurses hold rally to mark start of contract negotiations
Registered nurses at St. Joseph Health in Brazos Valley, Texas, will hold a rally on Wednesday, April 22 as they begin negotiations for their first contract, following their decisive vote to form a union last year. Nurses say safe staffing, workplace safety, and a strong voice for nurses will be their top priorities as they start negotiations.
Valley Health changes staffing contracts, trims service citing ‘Big Beautiful Bill’
Mark Nantz, president and CEO of Valley Health, attributed the changes as a response to how health care is evolving nationally. A rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services late last year reduced reimbursements while the H.R. 1, also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” is expected to spur drops in Medicaid enrollment nationwide.
RFK Jr. restores staffing at 9/11 health program ahead of Capitol Hill testimony
The move comes after nearly a year of bipartisan criticism about program staffing shortages delaying care for program participants.
VA announces intent to reorganize the Veterans Health Administration
The Department of Veterans Affairs is restructuring the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to eliminate administrative hurdles and grant local hospital directors greater autonomy, the VA said in an announcement on Dec. 15, 2025. The shift aims to modernize the system, ensuring veterans receive consistent, high-quality care regardless of the VA facility they visit. The VA said this isn’t a reduction in force or an attempt to reduce VHA staffing levels. The department said the goal is to improve veteran health outcomes and ensure policies are applied consistently throughout all facilities. As part of the reorganization, the VHA Central Office will have responsibility for setting policy goals and conducting financial management, oversight and compliance, and operation centers and Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) will take policy direction from the VHA Central Office to develop operational, quality and performance standards. The changes aim to provide clearer guidance for delivering health care throughout the VA. For DAV’s statement on VHA reorganization, scan the code or visit qrs.ly/q9h7shd. For DAV’s statement on VHA reorganization, visit dav.org/learn-more/news/2025/dav-statement-on-vha-reorganization/.
VA launches new EHR at four Michigan medical centers
The new federal electronic health records system went live at facilities in Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Detroit and Saginaw. The Department of Veterans Affairs also says it is staffing up to support implementations of the long-beleaguered Oracle Health EHR.
Staffing and pay concerns at the forefront of Sutter Health workers informational picket
Workers at Sutter Health hospitals in Northern California, including Sacramento, held an informational picket to highlight concerns about unsafe staffing and pay amid ongoing contract negotiations.
Proactive business decisions are improving local cancer care
Two of the region’s leading cancer organizations—Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center and Ochsner Cancer Center—are pushing deeper into underserved communities, deploying new technology and rethinking how care is delivered. The challenges of access, staffing and financing remain formidable, but the distance between patients and quality care is shrinking. Nearly 80% of Louisiana’s land is classified […]
Accenture acquires Spain-based Keepler to boost AI and data business
The IT service provider says it aims to expand its capabilities to help clients reinvent core business processes.
Medicaid work rules will stress states' staffing capacity
Interview: Chattanooga mayor says police staffing up, business hub opens as city grows
Chattanooga is growing. And city leaders say they are trying to keep up.In a wide-ranging interview, Mayor Tim Kelly told us on ARC Chattanooga Wednesday mornin
Nurses picket outside Mercy Health - Lorain Hospital amid contract dispute, raise safety and staffing concerns
Hingham Schools Eye Business Curriculum Expansion as Class Size Concerns Mount
HINGHAM - March 23, 2026 - The Hingham School Committee moved to modernize its high school offerings Monday night, reviewing a comprehensive plan to expand the “small but mighty” Business Department while simultaneously grappling with data that places Hingham as an outlier in elementary class sizes. Director of Social Studies Andy Hoey presented a two-year program review that highlighted the department’s success in community partnerships but warned that high student demand is testing current staffing limits. Meanwhile, committee Chair Jen Benham presented independent research showing Hingham is the only benchmark district with second-grade classes hitting a 25-student cap, sparking a directive for the Policy Subcommittee to review class-size standards. Editors note: South Shore News is going paid in April, subscribe now to make sure you don’t miss a story. Reach out for group or organizational pricing. Subscribe The Full Story The meeting opened with a look into the future of Hingham High School’s (HHS) curriculum. Andy Hoey, who oversees the Business Department, presented the first formal program review for the department since 2009. [15:09] Hoey characterized the department as a vital elective hub that currently serves between 14% and 27% of the HHS student body in any given year. [31:31] “We are very proud of our business department here at Hingham High School... while we’re very proud of it, we are always striving to make improvements and enhancements.” [15:55] — Andy Hoey, Director of Social Studies A key highlight of the presentation was the announcement of a new AP Business with Personal Finance course launching next year, pending enrollment. [20:08] The review team found that while the program is “well-aligned” to national standards, it remains a high-school-only offering. Hoey outlined an action plan to explore “vertical articulation,” potentially introducing business or financial literacy units at the middle school level to fill a “gap” identified between fifth and eighth grade. [41:48] However, the department faces “smoke and mirrors” regarding student GPA, according to Hoey. Currently, most business courses are “unleveled” and do not count toward a student’s GPA, which survey data suggests may deter some students from enrolling. [28:15] The committee discussed the possibility of offering Honors or College Prep (CP) credit for advanced courses, such as investing or marketing, to better reflect their academic rigor. [38:27] The discussion took a sharp turn toward elementary education during an enrollment update. Superintendent Dr. Katie Roberts noted a net gain of four students mid-year, but it was Jen Benham’s “rabbit hole” data analysis that caught the committee’s attention. [50:35] Benham researched 13 benchmark towns—representing 34 elementary schools—and found that Hingham was the only district with a second-grade section reaching 25 students this year. [51:36] Benham’s findings suggested that while many districts lack formal class-size policies, Hingham’s current cap of 25 for second grade may be too high. “I think if we could at least have 23 at a cap for grade two,” Benham suggested, noting the importance of that grade level for literacy development. [53:09], [54:55] Dr. Roberts cautioned that smaller classes require more staff, which is a significant hurdle following a budget season where nine general education positions were cut across the district. [55:56] The committee also finalized the 2025 Town Report, which was updated to be more “student-centered” and highlight staff early in the document. [11:12] Additionally, a series of food service policies were approved to align with Massachusetts’ universal free school meal mandate, including new protocols for meal modifications due to allergies or religious needs. [59:23] Share Why It Matters The meeting underscored a tension between Hingham’s desire to offer elite, specialized programming and the foundational pressure of class sizes. The expansion of the Business Department—including potential Microsoft certifications and AP courses—aims to prepare students for a “real world” where credit scores and financial literacy are paramount. [46:20] However, the revelation that Hingham’s second-grade classes are larger than those in all neighboring benchmark towns suggests a potential strain on early education that could impact long-term student performance if not addressed by the Policy Subcommittee. Official Minutes & Data Key Motions & Votes Motion: To approve the Hingham Public Schools 2025 Town Report. [13:16] Vote: Unanimous (7-0) ([01:13:28]) Motion: To approve the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for summer counselor work regarding course placement. [57:33] Vote: Unanimous (7-0) ([57:50]) Motion: To approve Policy EFBA (School Food and Nutrition/Meal Modifications). [01:00:32] Vote: Unanimous (7-0) ([01:00:44]) Motion: To approve Policy EFC (Universal Free School Meals). [01:00:54] Vote: Unanimous (7-0) ([01:01:07]) Public Comment No members of the public spoke during the meeting or via the remote link. [01:02:30] What’s Next The Policy Subcommittee will take up the review of elementary class-size caps over the next year to determine if the Grade 2 limit should be lowered from 25 to 23. [52:18] The Business Department will monitor enrollment for the new AP Business course and continue exploring dual-enrollment partnerships with Quincy College. [38:13] Source Video: Harbor Media South Shore News is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
Proposal overhauls Kentucky State, shifts focus to STEM degrees
The proposal would reduce the school's majors and enrollment; staffing would also be cut.
WTC health advocates point to delays in getting new conditions covered
Victim advocates are raising concerns about staffing shortages and leadership shake-ups.
Lawmakers consider changes to health care, nutrition in CT prisons
HB 5567 was developed following reports of problems with medication distribution, staffing, food quality and medical care in DOC facilities.
The ER staffing conflict, and no facility fee for a marmot
A battle between doctors and a hospital system is an early test of a new law designed to separate business and medicine.
New urgent care in Massillon Community Health hub closes to restart
The Access Care urgent care center has temporarily closed at the Massillon Community Health hub. Staffing and services are to be reviewed.
How prison staffing shortages are driving away mental health staff
Correctional officers are leaving their jobs at federal prisons. And when these prisons are understaffed – psychologists and other staff are asked to act as guards. Recent reporting from The Marshall Project says it’s pushing mental health professionals out of prisons. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Jason Fuller and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane.It was edited by Jeanette Woods and Courtney Dorning.Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.
600 people forced to sleep on grounded planes after heavy snow
Six flights were unable to take off before Munich Airport's curfew. Staffing issues then meant passengers were stranded on the planes.
Kaiser Permanente health workers return after four-week strike
An estimated 31,000 registered nurses and other front-line Kaiser Permanente health care workers will return to work on Tuesday after a four-week strike in California and Hawaii to demand better wages and staffing.
St. Joseph Health nurses to hold rally for patient safety
RNs from St. Joseph Health in Brazos Valley, Texas, will hold a rally on Thursday, Feb. 19, as they prepare for upcoming negotiations for their first contract since forming a union last December. Nurses say safe staffing, workplace safety, and a strong voice for bedside nurses will be their top priorities as they start negotiations.
Amid staffing changes, Sports Information shifts away from student writers
The College’s Athletic Department has undergone significant changes following the retirement of former Director of Sports Information, Dick Quinn, last spring. Quinn held the position since 1989, overseeing a team of student writers who documented the College’s athletic events. Since Quinn’s retirement, the athletic department has navigated a leadership transition while reassessing how athletic content...
Redding nurses and health care workers announce Feb. 19 strike
Shasta Regional staff have been in negotiations since August, 2025 for a new contract with little to no movement on key issues. The staff urges management to agree to a contract that provides safe staffing and a commitment to practices that recruit and retain workers.
Supplemental Health Care Earns Ninth Best of Staffing Talent and Client Awards in 2026
Supplemental Health Care (SHC), a leading tech-enabled workforce solutions provider, has been named a winner of ClearlyRated's 2026 Best of Staffing Client and Talent awards, underscoring the company's commitment to world-class service in behavioral health, education, and healthcare. In addition, SHC has maintained its prestigious Gold status, reflecting a sustained track record of excellence for five or more consecutive years.
Kaiser Permanente health care workers enter second week of strike over staffing, wages
Thousands of nurses and health care workers at Kaiser Permanente continue to picket over safe staffing levels, fair compensation and timely care for patients.
Why Mass. is about to face a health care staffing crisis. And how that will affect your family
Haitian immigrants make up nearly 40% of home health aides in the Bay State, and a Tuesday deadline is ending their protected status.
Vanderbilt Health acquires Tennova’s Clarksville hospital and related physician clinics from Community Health Systems
Leaders with Vanderbilt Health announced today completion of the acquisition of Tennova Healthcare-Clarksville Hospital and freestanding emergency room Tennova ER-Sango, along with the hospital’s related businesses, including physician clinics and outpatient services, from Community Health Systems Inc. (CHS). Vanderbilt Health has held a 20% minority interest in these operations since 2021. Under Vanderbilt Health’s ownership, the 270-bed hospital will be named Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital (VCH) while the freestanding Sango ER will be named Vanderbilt Emergency Sango. Also joining the Vanderbilt Health system through the acquisition are physician practice locations in Clarksville, Dover, Pleasant View and Tiny Town offering, depending on location, orthopaedics, primary care, wound care, digestive health, urology and surgical services. Acquisition of the hospital and its related physician practices expands Vanderbilt Health’s ability to serve patients across the region, supporting its ability to provide high-quality care in more convenient, community settings that are also more cost-effective. “We are thrilled to welcome Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital into our health system. Providing exceptional care close to home is invaluable, and we are eager to serve the citizens of Clarksville and Montgomery County by expanding the hospital’s programs and services,” said Jeff Balser, MD, PhD, President and CEO of Vanderbilt Health and Dean of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. This acquisition marks Vanderbilt Health’s fourth regional hospital expansion, further strengthening its presence across Middle Tennessee beyond its already extensive inpatient and ambulatory services in Nashville. VCH joins Vanderbilt Health’s network of regional medical centers that now include Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital in Lebanon, Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital in Coffee County, and Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital in Shelbyville. With a strong record of growth and investment in people, programs and services for its regional hospitals, residents of Clarksville, Montgomery County and the surrounding region can expect that Vanderbilt Health will bring a host of adult and pediatric services to the area. Initial plans for VCH over the upcoming year include increased staffing for the hospital’s emergency services, including the addition of pediatric emergency medicine specialists with Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, along with increased surgical specialty offerings. Longer term, physicians and staff will be recruited to bring a broader array of adult and pediatric specialty services to the community. “I am delighted to welcome the physicians, nurses and staff of Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital into the Vanderbilt Health family and look forward to working closely with the hospital’s medical staff and members of the local health care community to ensure we excel at meeting their needs as caregivers as we pursue the goal of improving the health and wellbeing of the patients we serve,” said Jane Freedman, MD, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Health System Officer for Vanderbilt Health. Currently, VCH employs approximately 1,100 staff and more than 30 physicians. Through this acquisition Vanderbilt Health has committed to hire substantially all current employees who are in good standing. Services already established by Vanderbilt Health at VCH include an OB-GYN hospitalist program, an array of oncology services provided by a multidisciplinary team with Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, and neonatal care in the hospital’s Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit provided by specialists with Monroe Carell. VCH has been designated as an Accredited Chest Pain Center and a Wound Care Center of Distinction and has earned the Gold Seal of Approval from The Joint Commission. More information about Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital is available at: vanderbilthealth.com/hospital/vanderbilt-clarksville-hospital
California mental health hospitals warn over cuts after state hands down staffing rules
Psychiatric hospitals could close beds under proposed state rules if regulators don’t allow implementation time, facilities warn.
31,000 Kaiser Permanente health care workers on strike
Those on strike say wages have not kept pace with inflation, and there is not enough staffing to keep up with patient demand.
Another strike sends 31,000 Kaiser Permanente health care workers to picket lines
An estimated 31,000 registered nurses and other front-line Kaiser Permanente health care workers launched an open-ended strike this week in California and Hawaii to demand better wages and staffing.
Another strike sends 31,000 Kaiser Permanente health care workers to picket lines
An estimated 31,000 registered nurses and other front-line Kaiser Permanente health care workers launched an open-ended strike this week in California and Hawaii to demand better wages and staffing
These 3 Policy Moves Are Likely To Change Health Care for Older People
Two Trump administration regulatory rollbacks affect nursing home staffing and home care workers, and a new AI experiment in Medicare has alarmed eldercare advocates and congressional Democrats.
Northern Light Health to close Castine primary care clinic
Northern Light says this is due to staffing shortages.
More Staff Means Better Health Among Nursing Home Residents, Study Says
By Dennis Thompson HealthDay ReporterWEDNESDAY, Jan. 21, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Boosting staffing levels at nursing homes could improve the health of residents, a new study says. Fewer residents wound up with injuries and illnesses after an Illinois program increased staff at nursing homes with ...
Former AMA president says the U.S. health care system will implode without an overhaul
In an interview, Aidoc's Jesse Ehrenfeld talks about how AI tools can help health systems overcome staffing shortages.
Jerry J. Bobb Unveils Bold Strategy for Business Pivot: Scaling Back to Move Forward
Facing staffing shortages and supply disruptions, Jerry J. Bobb narrowed operations rather than expanding them—a move he says helped stabilize a...
Foulkes builds her R.I. gubernatorial campaign team as the election year begins
Former CVS executive Helena Foulkes has kept a low profile since launching her second campaign for Rhode Island governor in September, but the Democrat is staffing up as the election year begins.
NJBIA Business Outlook Survey Spotlight: Staffing, Employment & Wages
NJBIA released its 67th annual Business Outlook Survey on Dec. 2. While much of the attention of the survey focused on 2055 energy cost increases and
Immigration lawyers say the H-1B chaos is forcing tough business calls
H-1B visa policy shifts in 2025 cause firms to reconsider staffing, use alternative visas, and update HR travel guidance.
Iryna’s Law aims to improve public safety — but it may deepen jail and health care strains
North Carolina sheriffs say stricter pretrial release rules could test capacity, staffing and county budgets.
Medical giant Mayo closes 6 rural health clinics in Minnesota there could be more to come
Mayo Clinic Health Systems just closed a half dozen clinics in rural towns and small cities in southeastern Minnesota, and it is consolidating some others, as the giant medical care provider struggles with staffing shortages in rural areas.
Registered nurses at St. Joseph hospital in Bryan, Texas vote decisively to join National Nurses Organizing Committee / National Nurses United
Nurses at the 316-bed facility say they voted to join the union because it is critical that nurses have a say in making decisions in patient care, staffing, and to help recruit and retain experienced nurses, which leads to improved patient care.
Vitable Health and DirectShifts Partner to Expand Clinicians’ Access to Care and Coverage
PHILADELPHIA, December 09, 2025--Vitable Health, an all-in-one health benefits platform redefining care for the American workforce, today announced a new partnership with DirectShifts, a leading clinician staffing platform, to make it easier for clinicians nationwide to access everyday healthcare and insurance coverage.
Logan Health providers seek unionization amid staffing concerns
Nearly 60 primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants at Logan Health clinics in Northwestern Montana have filed a petition with the
Working with monkeys was this lab tech’s dream job. Now she’s staffing an IT help desk
Trump’s reshaping of science has fueled fears researchers will leave the U.S. This lab tech's story shows it can drive people out of science altogether.
Women & Infants caregivers allege health, safety and staffing issues
PROVIDENCE – Unionized caregivers at Women & Infants Hospital earlier this month gathered to demand that parent company Care New England Health System address concerns around patient safety, staff training and infrastructure. Service Employees International Union 1199 New England, the union representing the employees, said in a statement that despite Care New England reporting a $40 million profit for 2024, “caregivers continue to raise major concerns” about staffing among labor and delivery, […]