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The federal government warned that a group of Iranian cyber actors have conducted a number of attacks against U.S.-based entities, including healthcare organizations. The FBI, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Defense Cyber Crime Center Department said in an advisory the actors are attempting to work with ransomware affiliates to lock networks and find ways to extort victims. (Turner, 8/30)

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is dropping its appeal of a June U.S. District Court ruling that vacated the government's restriction of third-party online tracking technologies on hospital webpages. The white flag came 10 days after the administration had filed its appeal to the Fifth Circuit. The case had been brought in late 2023 by the American Hospital Association (AHA) the Texas Hospital Association, Texas Health Resources and United Regional Health Care System, which had argued that HHS’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) overstepped its authority with guidance it had issued in 2022. (Muoio, 8/29)

Up to 5% of people who have surgery can develop an infection — which can prolong healing and lead to dangerous complications, studies have shown. Additionally, chronic wounds affect around 6.5 million patients in the U.S. ... Now, a new medical technology that uses fluorescent light has shown to be effective in detecting missed bacteria, according to new research led by University of Southern California, Los Angeles (USC). (Rudy, 9/3)

Dr. Zaineb Shatawi, a fourth-year general surgery resident at Memorial Hospital West in Pembroke Pines, sat down at the console of a da Vinci simulator, removed her shoes to use the blue and yellow pedals, and immersed her face into a space that shows a 3D view of a virtual patient. “You’re looking through this eyepiece, and then in this simulator you have three instruments in the patient’s body,” Shatawi explained. “So you can control two at a time and then if you want to use a third one you can switch between controls.” (Zaragovia, 8/29)

Health systems have embraced remote patient monitoring but they're still trying to determine how to establish the programs. Remote patient monitoring programs allow hospitals to provide additional care to patients, reach underserved areas and improve outcomes among chronic disease populations. But despite the promise, leaders are grappling with how to get a return on investment due to reimbursement uncertainty from commercial payers and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (Perna, 8/30)

Pediatrician Alexandra Epee-Bounya had had enough. In her 20 years caring for children in Boston, she had seen hundreds of kids with suspected urinary tract infections. Each time, she’d turn to a calculator, used by all Boston Children’s Hospital clinicians, to judge the youngest children's risk. Did the infant have a high fever? Add a point. Was she a girl? Add two points. As she went down the list, one of the factors tripped her up every time: Was the child Black? (Palmer and McFarling, 9/3)