Chartis Top Reads: Weekly Healthcare Insights & Trends

The latest healthcare news and developments

More than 40% of rural hospitals are operating in the red, with 417 vulnerable to closure and hundreds more discontinuing critical services. Several considerations are critical to strategic planning.

Not a cure but a chance: How rural hospitals can prepare for the Rural Health Transformation Program

Recent Top Reads

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Remembering and reversing: Racism, DEI retrenchment, and Black health in 2026

Black communities have won hard-fought gains in civil rights, political power, and cultural recognition, yet the health effects of racism and discrimination remain stark.

10 years of continuous hospital at home funding: Congress extends waiver

Hospital at home growth is poised to accelerate as Congress passes a 5-year extension for the Medicare program. We outline next steps for health systems.

Congress passes healthcare spending package, funding critical health programs

The 2026 spending package includes $116.6 billion for HHS, extends the hospital at home waiver for 5 years, extends telehealth flexibilities, and takes steps toward site-neutral payments.

Number of health records stolen in 2025 was down, but breach risk is up

Despite a heightened focus on cybersecurity following the Change Healthcare attack, many organizations may still be vulnerable—especially with the rise of new technologies and reliance on vendors.

New Medicare GME positions aim to ease primary care physician shortages, but gaps persist

Reimagining primary care delivery is essential to improving access and health outcomes. Health systems will also need to pair it with better geographic distribution of the physician workforce.

OpenAI's and Anthropic’s new healthcare products highlight potential for access and efficiency but also privacy, reliability, and governance issues

The healthcare AI acceleration reflects trends of consumerism and comfort with data-sharing. Health systems will need to make AI part of their core strategy, with new governance and observability.

Contributors

Abigail Arnold

Associate Vice President of Research

Abigail Arnold is an Associate Vice President of Research with Chartis. She has experience in consulting and with many segments in the healthcare industry, including hospital systems, health plans, and pharmaceuticals.

Emily Nevarez

Research Manager

Emily Nevarez is a Research Manager at Chartis. Emily has over seven years of healthcare management consulting and applied research experience.

Meredith Deal

Senior Research Associate

Meredith Deal is a Senior Research Associate at Chartis. Meredith has over 6 years of research experience, 4 of which in the clinical setting. Meredith is a member of the Chartis Research Team, where she works on both internal and external research projects.

Floyd Pitts

Research Associate

Floyd Pitts is a Research Associate with Chartis. He has two years of healthcare research experience and has supported the firm through research projects including analyzing the performance of pediatric hospitals and documenting the activities of healthcare disruptors.