healthcare

The World Economic Forum argues that chronic disease should be treated as an economic problem as well as a health crisis, highlighting the strain long-term illness places on workforces, productivity and public finances. The framing suggests policymakers need to address conditions like diabetes and heart disease through economic policy, not just healthcare systems.

New research says menopause is a major health milestone in women's lives, yet medical records systems barely record or track it. The findings highlight a gap in how healthcare systems document midlife women's health, which researchers argue can affect care quality and research into conditions linked to menopause.

Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani announced the group will invest ₹4,000 crore in a 2,000-bed hospital in New Town near Kolkata, a project he says will create 10,000 jobs. The pledge marks a significant healthcare investment in West Bengal and is drawing wide attention online, with discussion focused on its scale, the jobs promise, and the Adani Group's growing footprint in eastern India.

Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton, the leading candidates to succeed Gavin Newsom as California governor, have unveiled contrasting healthcare platforms. CalMatters compares their plans as the 2026 race heats up, with healthcare emerging as a key campaign issue for voters across the state.

A Bloomberg opinion piece argues that universal public health insurance is the answer to the United States' ongoing healthcare crisis. The article contends that millions of Americans face unaffordable care and gaps in coverage, and that a publicly funded universal system would address these failures. The argument feeds into a long-running American debate over single-payer healthcare versus the current mixed public-private model.

Healthcare systems are coming under scrutiny for their substantial environmental footprint, prompting calls to redesign how care is delivered. Discussion is focusing on ways hospitals and health providers can cut emissions, reduce waste and adopt more sustainable practices without compromising patient outcomes.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced a multistate settlement with laboratory company Labcorp over the data breach at American Medical Collection Agency, a billing firm that handled patient information. The breach exposed millions of consumers' personal and financial data. The settlement is expected to include payments and stronger data security requirements for the companies involved.

Healthcare organizations are pursuing financial transformation initiatives aimed at protecting patient access to care. Modern Healthcare reports that providers are reworking their financial operations and funding models to remain sustainable amid rising costs and margin pressure, with the stated goal of keeping services accessible rather than cutting them.

A growing debate is unfolding over legal responsibility when artificial intelligence systems used in healthcare make errors. As AI tools move into diagnosis and treatment decisions, questions are mounting over whether doctors, hospitals, drugmakers or software developers should be held accountable when a wrong recommendation harms a patient, and regulators have yet to offer clear answers.

Bright Smile Dental Care, a dental practice in Fishers, Indiana, has notified patients that it experienced a data security breach. The notification follows standard practice for healthcare providers after such incidents, which often involve exposure of patient information like names, contact details, and insurance data. Details about how many patients were affected or what data was accessed have not yet been made public.

Dr. David Callender is retiring from his role as president and CEO of Memorial Hermann Health System, one of the largest hospital systems in the Houston area and Texas. The announcement was reported by the Houston Chronicle. The system has not yet detailed a transition timeline or successor in the available reporting, leaving questions about leadership continuity at a major regional healthcare provider.

Pranjal Gambhir has joined investment bank Lazard as Head of Medical Technology, the firm announced via a press release. The appointment places Gambhir in charge of Lazard's banking coverage for the medtech sector, a key advisory area for the firm as it pursues deals, restructurings and capital raising among medical technology companies. Details of Gambhir's background and start date were not included in the announcement.

Oracle Health and ID.me have announced a partnership aimed at simplifying how patients securely access their health data. The collaboration is intended to streamline identity verification for accessing medical records, reducing friction for patients and providers. Details beyond the announcement are limited, and reactions from the healthcare and technology sectors are still emerging.

Technology firm Leidos has won a $129 million blanket purchase agreement to support electronic health records systems for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Under the deal, Leidos will provide technical and operational support for medical record systems used across ICE detention facilities. The contract adds to Leidos' large federal health IT portfolio and comes as immigration detention conditions and detainee medical care remain under scrutiny.

NTK, a unit of Malaysian hospital group IHH Healthcare, has filed an appeal against a Tokyo court ruling in its legal dispute with Daiichi. The case, heard in Japan, remains ongoing as the appellate process begins. Details of the ruling's content and the dispute's subject were not disclosed in the report.

Columbus hospitals are investing billions of dollars in new construction and expansion projects set to shape the city's healthcare landscape in 2026. The spending wave covers new buildings and facility upgrades across the region's hospital systems, and the scale of the outlay is drawing attention as health systems balance growth ambitions with rising costs.

Roy Cooper has intensified his criticism of Michael Whatley in their North Carolina Senate race, arguing his rival's record would worsen cost-of-living pressures on families. Cooper is campaigning hard on affordability promises, including lower prices and healthcare costs, as voting approaches. The sharpened tone signals the contest's focus on household expenses in the final stretch.