The FTC's decision to ban noncompete agreements is expected to significantly impact the health care sector by empowering clinicians and potentially lowering health care costs, but it raises concerns among private practices about increased competition and staffing challenges. The rule, set to take effect on September 4, faces opposition from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and may not fully apply to nonprofit hospitals.
Several hospital systems and hospitals in the United States have reinstated mask mandates for patients and staff due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a 21.6% increase in COVID-related hospitalizations and a 21.4% increase in deaths. Hospital systems such as United Health Services in New York, Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Center in California, Auburn Community Hospital in New York, and University Hospital in Syracuse, New York, have all implemented mask-wearing requirements. Some experts argue that masks should only be considered for high-risk settings and that proper mask usage is crucial for effectiveness.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have issued a joint warning to hospital systems and telehealth providers about the privacy and security risks associated with online tracking technologies integrated into their websites or mobile apps. The agencies are concerned that these technologies may be disclosing consumers' sensitive personal health data to third parties without their knowledge or consent. The unauthorized disclosure of such information could reveal sensitive health details and violate privacy laws. The FTC has previously taken enforcement actions and provided guidance to companies regarding the monitoring and protection of health information shared with third parties.
The pandemic has exacerbated nursing staff shortages, resulting in contract nursing rates surging during successive waves of Covid infections. As hospitals have become increasingly reliant on contract nurses, travel nurse expenditures have risen more than 250% since the start of the pandemic. To cut down on agency contract labor costs, more hospitals are following Trinity's lead and starting their own internal staffing programs. Better pay and staffing conditions remain the top concerns for most nurses, but for more than half of them, flexibility is also key.
