AI-curated news for your industry

The US House Veterans' Affairs Committee voted unanimously this week to subpoena Oracle Executive Chairman Larry Ellison and CEO Mike Sicilia, as costs for the VA's EHR modernization project skyrocketed from $10 billion to $27 billion, yet only 17 medical centers have been deployed since 2020. Oracle's absence from the hearing drew lawmakers' dissatisfaction, raising questions about accountability.

Adena Health has completed its acquisition of Fairfield Medical Center. Previously, the proposed merger between Fairfield and OhioHealth fell through due to an antitrust review by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC praised the new deal and stated it will continue to block hospital mergers that harm competition.

More doctors are using AI medical scribes to save time, but experts warn of hidden malpractice risks. AI records are prone to errors and difficult to audit, with clinicians bearing ultimate responsibility. Studies show AI-generated medical records are of lower quality than human-written ones, suggesting cautious deployment and enhanced review.

Expion Health has been named to the Inc. 5000 list for the second consecutive year, rising nearly 77% in rank within one year to enter the top approximately 21% of the list. CEO Karin Humphrey stated that this recognition reflects market demand for flexible pharmacy strategies and the value the team delivers to clients in a complex market environment.

On August 17, 2026, Overjet announced a major upgrade to Overjet Voice, adding hands-free hard tissue charting and natural voice periodontal recording. Clinicians can converse in natural language during examinations, and the system automatically captures periodontal measurements, restorative findings, billing codes, and clinical notes, writing them directly into the clinic's PMS system. Hard tissue charting is now supported on platforms including CareStack, Eaglesoft, Open Dental, Dentrix Core, Dentrix Ascend, and Denticon. Existing Voice subscribers can use these features at no additional cost.

Providence Equity Partners has agreed to acquire a majority stake in CheckedUp, a patient education and engagement platform focused on specialty point-of-care settings. The transaction will be conducted alongside the co-founders and Varsity Healthcare Partners, with funds used to expand the network, invest in product and technology, and strengthen data and analytics capabilities. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.

Signia (a member of the WSA Group) released the Signia Multi-adaptive Xperience (MaX) platform on August 24, 2026, claiming it to be the world's first multi-dimensional AI hearing aid platform equipped with quadruple deep neural networks (4 DNNs). Driven by Acoustic Intelligence™, the platform simultaneously analyzes four dimensions—speech, noise, environmental conditions, and the wearer's own voice—breaking through the limitations of traditional single-dimensional AI noise reduction. The MaX platform features a new chip with 54 times greater processing power, 50% improved energy efficiency, and doubled memory compared to the previous generation. The first hearing aid to utilize this platform, the Pure C&G MaX receiver-in-canal (RIC) device, was also unveiled, supporting classic Bluetooth, LE Audio, Telecoil, and Auracast™ connectivity. The product will be available in major markets including the United States, Germany, and Nordic countries starting August 24, 2026.

RadarFirst released an analysis indicating that healthcare privacy operations are undergoing three major transformations: health data flowing into a broader ecosystem, AI-related incidents challenging traditional response models, and AI governance and incident management trending toward unification. The company has handled over 1 million privacy incidents and supported more than 4 million regulatory decisions.

Preppy (a StraighterLine company) announced on August 26, 2026, the launch of the allied health workforce platform Preppy Workforce, with a commitment to help 250,000 people enter allied health careers by 2031. The platform expands Preppy's role from a career training provider for learners to a workforce partner for hospitals and health systems. Employers can leverage Preppy's learner pipeline and its nationwide network of nearly 700 allied health placement professionals to fill open positions, and can customize educational programs to meet local staffing needs and upskill existing employees. The platform also introduces a Pay on Complete option, designed to reduce employers' upfront financial risk.

Alter Behavioral Health and Care Predictor have unveiled the 2026 Behavioral Health Outcomes Consortium (BHOC26), a first-of-its-kind collaborative event scheduled for September 8-10, 2026, at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach in Dana Point, California. The consortium will gather providers, payers, researchers, technology innovators, and policymakers to establish industry standards and a common outcomes framework for behavioral health care. Highlights include panel discussions and workshops with executives from Optum, Magellan Health, Carelon, and TPN.Health, and a closing keynote by former U.S. Representative Patrick J. Kennedy. Registration details are available at bhoc26.com.