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November 12, 2026

Takeaways from the most recent news in the technology and policies shaping healthcare.

Hospitals

CharterCare Inks 1,100-Worker Deal as Union Vote Looms

By Healthcare Technology News ·

CharterCare Health Partners has reached a labor milestone and faces a new organizing push at the same time. The Rhode Island system signed a contract covering 1,100 workers, while more than 200 employees at its Roger Williams Medical Center in Providence move to join Service Employees International Union 1199 New England, according to the Providence Journal.

SEIU 1199NE filed petitions with the National Labor Relations Board on Nov. 3 and Nov. 5, seeking elections covering 235 workers. The group includes skilled maintenance staff and other employees who are not yet represented.

The twin developments show how union activity continues to spread across hospital workforces, with existing bargaining units locking in contracts even as new groups organize. For health system operators, the pattern signals rising labor leverage amid persistent staffing pressure, and a greater share of frontline and support workers coming to the bargaining table.

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Hospitals

Baltimore ERs See Surge in GLP-1 Side Effects, Doctor Warns

Baltimore emergency physicians report a rise in preventable ER visits tied to GLP-1 drugs used without medical supervision, a MedStar Health doctor told WBAL-TV.

Why it matters: The surge shows how unsupervised online access to GLP-1 drugs is pushing avoidable costs and complications into hospital emergency rooms.

Hospitals

Lehigh Valley Sues Highmark Over Specialty Drug Access

Lehigh Valley Health Network sued Highmark, alleging the insurer is blocking its specialty pharmacy from dispensing high-cost drugs to members.

Why it matters: Specialty drugs are among the most profitable prescriptions, and the suit tests whether payers can steer them away from hospital-owned pharmacies.

Hospitals

Hackers Lurked 17 Days in Georgia Hospital Network

Hackers accessed Bacon County Hospital's network in Georgia for 17 days before detection, copying files in a breach that underscores rural hospital security gaps.

Why it matters: Slow detection lets attackers quietly steal patient data, and small rural hospitals are among the most exposed in healthcare.