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A coalition of health industry leaders are backing a policy they say would help stop the statewide hemorrhaging of health care workers — allowing certain out-of-state professionals to practice in Texas. (Simpson, 1/16)

A month ago, officials at Vista Health Systems and Vista Medical Center East in Waukeganspoke publicly about the purchase of millions of dollars in new equipment and the strides they were making in regaining lost patients. But last week, Vista furloughed 69 non-medical personnel — 8.6% of its workforce — for the next six weeks. (Sadin, 1/15)

The University of Michigan Health system and the United Michigan Medicine Allied Professionals have a tentative three-year agreement, according to a statement issued Tuesday. This is the union's first contract agreement with Michigan Medicine and its clinical operation known as U-M Health. A contract ratification vote will be scheduled in the coming weeks. (Wethington, 1/15)

America's Essential Hospitals President and CEO Dr. Bruce Siegel plans to retire at the end of the year. Siegel joined the trade group, which represents the nation's safety-net hospitals, as CEO in 2010. He was named president the following year. Previous leadership roles include serving as president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital in Florida and president of NYC Health+Hospitals in New York. (DeSilva, 1/15)

At the J.P. Morgan Health Care conference this week in San Francisco, drugmakers had their sights set on the next generation of GLP-1 medications, alternatives, and a growing list of indications beyond diabetes and obesity. Meanwhile, the digital health industry was squarely focused on managing the impact of existing drugs, which have placed enormous pressure on health care spending. (Palmer, 1/16)

Nonprofit health systems presenting at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference this week said they aim to expand into $30 billion organizations through both organic growth and mergers and acquisitions. AdventHealth and Novant Health have each set $30 billion annual revenue targets, fueled by a growing demand for care and interest in deal-making. If successful, those health systems would follow other major nonprofit systems ... which eclipsed that revenue threshold after completing major mergers. (Kacik, 1/15)

Are we entering a world in which all of the exciting new therapeutics come from China? That question and variations of it could be heard at coffee meetings and late-night cocktail parties this week during the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference. (DeAngelis, 1/15)