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September 15, 2026

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

Hospitals

Mount Sinai South Nassau Names Kugler Interim President

Mount Sinai South Nassau in Oceanside, N.Y., has appointed Joshua Kugler, MD, as interim president following the retirement of the hospital's president, according to Becker's Hospital Review.

Kugler is a familiar figure at the hospital. He previously served as chief medical officer and clinical chair of the department of emergency medicine, making him a longtime physician leader who knows the organization from the inside. Promoting an established clinical executive into the top interim role is a common playbook for health systems, offering continuity while a permanent search plays out and reducing disruption for staff and patients.

For Mount Sinai South Nassau, an acute care hospital serving Long Island's South Shore, the move signals stability during a leadership transition. Physician leaders increasingly move into administrative roles as systems look for executives who understand both clinical operations and financial pressures. Readers should watch whether the interim tag becomes permanent, a frequent outcome when a respected internal candidate steps up.

More in Hospitals

Hospitals

Kearney Regional in Nebraska Promotes Danny Van Ranken to CEO

Kearney Regional Medical Center in Nebraska named Danny Van Ranken, a 2014 hire who started as its first respiratory therapy manager, as its new CEO.

Why it matters: Internal promotions like this signal how regional hospitals are betting on operational continuity amid financial and staffing pressure.

Hospitals

Rural Hospitals Form Networks to Stay Independent

Over 150 independent rural hospitals in eight states have formed clinically integrated networks to gain scale and payer leverage without merging, with Missouri's 23-hospital Show-Me High Value Network the newest entrant.

Why it matters: Rural hospitals are testing whether collaboration can preserve local independence and access to care in the face of relentless consolidation pressure.