A coalition of 22 attorneys general has secured a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration's plan to cut National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grant funding for indirect costs to 15%. Issued by Judge Angel Kelley, the ruling halts changes that plaintiffs argue would severely impact medical research by reducing necessary administrative funding below historical averages of 27% to 28%. Concerns from multiple medical organizations indicate that these cuts could undermine public health advancements, while proponents argue that lower overhead can be managed by universities despite differences in funding structures between NIH and private foundations. The administration has until Friday to appeal the decision.

Attorneys General Block NIH Funding Cuts, Safeguarding Medical Research MedPage Today

MultiCare Health System in Tacoma, Washington, has decreased unnecessary healthcare costs by approximately $2.5 million within a year, underscoring the excessive financial impact of wasteful medical care in the U.S. Healthcare sector. Collaborating with IllumiCare, the health IT company employed strategies to analyze lab and pharmaceutical expenses, mainly focusing on physician orders for antibiotics and lab tests to improve clinical efficiency. The use of IllumiCare's EHR-agnostic tool, CDS Hooks, facilitated context-specific recommendations for providers, ultimately aiding in more informed decision-making. Additionally, MultiCare implemented a quality metric that associated cost savings with individual practitioners' performance.

MultiCare Cuts Healthcare Waste by $2.5 Million Through Innovative Partnership Becker's Hospital Review

Episcopal Health Services (EHS) in Far Rockaway, N.Y., has appointed two new leaders to strengthen its digital and quality initiatives. John Rossi has been named VP and Chief Digital Information Officer, bringing over 25 years of experience in healthcare IT. In this role, he will oversee the development and implementation of digital strategies to improve patient care and operational efficiency. Additionally, Dr. Robert Bloise, Jr., DMSc, MS, PA-C, has been appointed as Chief Quality Officer. With a background in clinical leadership and quality improvement, Dr. Bloise will focus on enhancing patient safety and care standards across EHS facilities.

EHS Appoints New Leaders to Drive Digital Innovation and Quality Care QNS

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently shared the company's roadmap for its upcoming AI models, GPT-4.5 and GPT-5, emphasizing a shift toward simplifying their product offerings. He noted that GPT-4.5, also called Orion, will be the last of the "non-chain-of-thought" models and will pave the way for a unified system that integrates the o-series and GPT-series, enhancing reasoning capabilities across tasks. Furthermore, GPT-5 will provide free ChatGPT users with unlimited access at a standard intelligence level, while Plus and Pro subscribers will receive higher-tier intelligence access, representing a strategic tiered service model.

OpenAI's Sam Altman Unveils Roadmap for GPT-4.5 and GPT-5 Integration The Verge