HAP's Latest News

Hospitals are vital community anchors that communities depend on to thrive. That was the resounding message from a panel of statewide leaders who came together during HAP’s Leadership Summit last week to discuss the implications of hospital financial distress for Pennsylvanians and their communities.

Responding to the ongoing needs of our members, HAP hosted a Workforce Summit that brought together clinical, administrative, and workforce leaders from across Pennsylvania to learn and share best practices for developing and engaging health care teams. We’re highlighting some of the innovative ways Pennsylvania hospitals are addressing the workforce crisis.

Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center developed the Registered Nurse (RN) Ambassadors Program to address nursing workforce shortages through peer leadership, engagement, and recruitment by bedside nurses themselves.

Hospital leaders are preparing for significant disruption as payment cuts and coverage losses stemming from last year’s federal budget reconciliation bill, H.R. 1, begin to phase in.  

A third of Pennsylvania’s rural hospitals are at risk of closing as payment for health care services continues to lag behind the cost of delivering care, a national report found.

UPMC is expanding workforce development efforts through its “Pathways to Work” program, focusing on creating career “on-ramps” into high-demand health care and skilled trade professions. The initiative combines job navigational support, paid apprenticeships, training programs, mentorship, and collaborations with workforce investment boards.

The Ebola outbreak is spreading rapidly, with 900 suspected cases and 220 suspected deaths, but the risk of global spread remains low, public health officials said this week.

Hands-on medical training in rural communities builds connections that leaders at St. Luke’s University Health Network are hoping will relieve the doctor shortage commonly found there.

Plans on Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces are changing in 2027.

During National Hospital Week, HAP is revisiting its Caring for the Commonwealth video series, which highlights the many ways Pennsylvania hospitals are advancing care, supporting patients, and strengthening communities across the commonwealth. Patients rely on hospitals to deliver outstanding care when and where they need it, and Pennsylvania’s hospitals are rising to the occasion through innovation, community partnerships, and compassionate care.

Securing and maintaining a steady and satisfied workforce is every hospital’s challenge, and experts at Jefferson Health are thinking outside the box to find solutions.