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November 2, 2026

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

Hospitals

Hospital CEO Exits Outpace 2025 With 140 Departures

By Healthcare Technology News ·

Hospital and health system CEOs are leaving their jobs at a faster rate this year. About 140 have exited so far in 2026, according to data from global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported by Becker's Hospital Review. That puts hospitals ahead of 2025's pace, when 180 CEOs departed for the full year.

Hospitals stand out. They are one of the few sectors Challenger tracks where CEO turnover is accelerating rather than slowing. The firm counted 74 hospital and health system CEO exits through part of the year, a signal that leadership churn at the top of American healthcare remains elevated.

The turnover reflects mounting pressure on hospital leaders, who are navigating thin margins, workforce shortages, and uncertainty around federal reimbursement and policy. Frequent leadership changes can stall long-term strategy, delay technology and capital investments, and complicate execution at organizations already under financial strain.

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Hospitals

Rady Children's CEO Signals Succession After 29 Years

Rady Children's CEO Kimberly Chavalas Cripe, with 29 years leading CHOC, says she is ready to meet her successor amid a major pediatric system integration.

Why it matters: Long-tenured hospital CEOs shape strategy and culture, so orderly succession is essential to continuity as pediatric systems consolidate and face financial pressure.

Hospitals

Hackensack Meridian First in Northeast to Offer Pixclara

Hackensack Meridian Health is the first Northeast hospital network to offer Pixclara, an FDA-approved PET imaging drug for assessing brain cancer, at its Hoboken, N.J. imaging site.

Why it matters: Advanced PET tracers like Pixclara improve the precision of brain cancer diagnosis, and early adoption lets health systems differentiate their imaging capabilities.

Hospitals

Locum Tenens Emerges as a Fix for Maternity Care Deserts

Hospitals facing a wave of labor and delivery closures are turning to flexible locum tenens staffing to keep maternity units open.

Why it matters: Every L&D closure pushes childbirth farther away and raises risk for mothers and babies, making flexible staffing a lifeline for access.