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October 16, 2026

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

Hospitals

Nurses at Prime's Saint Francis Hospital Seek Union Vote

By Healthcare Technology News ·

Registered nurses at Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, Illinois, have petitioned for a union election, according to a filing with the National Labor Relations Board. The National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United filed the petition Aug. 24 with the board's Chicago regional office, seeking to represent 275 full-time, regular part-time and per diem registered nurses, Becker's Hospital Review reported.

The hospital is operated by Prime Healthcare, the California-based system that has expanded aggressively through acquisitions. A union vote at one of its facilities signals continued friction between nurses and hospital operators over the terms of frontline work.

The petition fits a broader pattern. Nurses across the country have organized in growing numbers as staffing shortages, workload, and burnout push retention to the forefront. If a majority of the 275 nurses vote yes, the hospital would be required to bargain with National Nurses United over wages, staffing levels, and working conditions. The NLRB will set the election date and oversee the vote.

Sources

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Hospitals

Bayhealth Plans $250M Hospital Expansion in Delaware

Bayhealth will expand its Kent campus from four to 10 floors in a $250 million project anchoring a seven-project, multi-year growth strategy.

Why it matters: Large regional capital bets show hospitals still expect inpatient demand growth even as care moves outpatient and digital.

Hospitals

California Hospital Down to 8 Days of Cash, Warns of Closure

Watsonville Community Hospital has roughly eight days of cash on hand and warns it could close within six to 12 months without action.

Why it matters: A hospital with single-digit days of cash is one disruption away from closing, threatening emergency and inpatient access for its entire community.

Hospitals

HHS Declares Public Health Emergencies in Florida, Alabama

HHS declared public health emergencies in Florida and Alabama after Hurricane Isaias, granting affected hospitals temporary federal regulatory flexibilities.

Why it matters: The declarations let hospitals in the storm's path keep treating patients by temporarily easing federal rules on staffing, transfers, and reimbursement.