An appellate court ruled in favor of drug manufacturers, allowing them to impose conditions on pharmacies receiving discounted drugs under the 340B program. This decision upholds a previous district court ruling that sided with Novartis Pharmaceuticals and United Therapeutics, who had sued the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in 2021. The 340B Drug Pricing Program requires drugmakers to provide discounts to providers serving low-income populations. However, pharmaceutical companies argue that providers abuse these discounts, especially when partnering with multiple pharmacies. The HHS had argued against the restrictions, issuing enforcement letters and threatening fines. The court's decision acknowledges drugmakers' concerns regarding potential abuses in the program but also noted that any conditions imposed by drugmakers must not violate the 340B statute. Provider groups oppose the ruling, arguing it jeopardizes access to discounted medications for disadvantaged patients.

Latest 340B ruling delivers blow to providers healthcaredive

Ascension is collaborating with top cybersecurity experts to investigate and mitigate a recent ransomware attack, ensuring the secure restoration of their systems. Despite the incident, hospitals and facilities remain operational. Regular updates are being provided to patients on a regional basis via the designated webpage, while critical partners and vendors are receiving necessary information to assist in network restoration. Ongoing progress and updates will be communicated through the website.

Cybersecurity Event Update | Ascension publication

In today's digital age, data management is evolving rapidly, with businesses harnessing technology to maximize the return on data investments. Forbes Technology Council members outline emerging trends such as the use of generative AI, private large language models, and retrieval-augmented generation to improve data analysis and usability. Other highlighted strategies include implementing federated learning for decentralized data training, utilizing decentralized ledger technology for enhanced security, and employing low-code platforms to accelerate data projects. Furthermore, integrating data security within ETL pipelines, adopting data fabric approaches, and treating data as a product were identified as practices that significantly enhance data management efficiency and security.

Council Post: Innovative Data Management: Tech Leaders Share Leading-Edge Approaches Forbes

**Expanding the System to Emergency Departments for Improved Patient Care**: The team plans to extend their system to emergency departments. Their aim is to use head-to-toe assessments to generate scores that guide providers on the next steps, ensuring patients receive appropriate care levels from the start. This expansion is anticipated to be highly beneficial, although further development is necessary.

**Enhanced Patient Experiences at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital**: Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital has introduced "Loma Land," an interactive digital experience designed to create a calming environment for patients and families. Visitors engage with digital wall screens to customize an animated forest creature, which then accompanies them through the hospital via motion sensors. This technology aims to alleviate stress and enhance the healing process by providing engaging, customizable experiences, with potential applications for in-room education.

**Using AI for Safer Surgeries in Pediatric Care**: A survey at a Chicago-based children’s hospital reveals that parents generally support the use of AI in pediatric acute care despite some reservations. At Boston Children’s Hospital, Dr. Kathy Jenkins explores AI's potential to improve safety in pediatric cardiac procedures. Utilizing extensive data, her research focuses on enhancing the quality of complex and invasive procedures like those in the cardiac catheterization lab.

How Children’s Hospitals Approach Change in Patient Care healthtechmagazine