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October 31, 2026

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

Hospitals

MUSC Radiology Chair Munden to Step Down; Lewis Named Successor

By Healthcare Technology News ·

The Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston is planning a leadership change in its radiology department. Reginald Munden, MD, DMD, will step down as chair at the end of December 2026, according to Becker's Hospital Review. Madelene Lewis, MD, will take over as department chair effective Jan. 1, 2027.

Munden has led MUSC's radiology department for 5 1/2 years. The extended runway, with the transition announced well ahead of the 2026 handoff, gives the academic medical center time to manage succession without disruption to clinical operations, teaching, and research.

Leadership transitions at academic radiology departments carry weight beyond a single hospital. These chairs shape imaging strategy, workforce pipelines, and increasingly the adoption of AI tools that are reshaping how scans are read. A smooth, planned handoff signals stability for staff and trainees at a time when radiology faces persistent workforce pressure and rapid technological change.

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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.