• Maryland: According to new research funded by NIH and published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, people who had COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic have twice the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death. For the study, researchers analyzed data from over 10,000 COVID-19 infections that occurred between Feb. 1, 2020, and Dec. 31, 2020. Among the 2,868 hospitalized patients in this group, those who had COVID-19 had a four times greater risk of heart attack, stroke, and death compared to those who weren't infected. (Twenter, Becker's Hospital Review, 10/14)
• New York: According to a new report from Silicon Valley Bank, the center of digital health funding has moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to New York, including New York City and Long Island. In the first eight months of 2024, New York-based companies received $2.3 billion in venture-backed health tech investments, compared to $2.1 billion for Bay Area companies. At the same time, the report's authors found that mega venture capital funding deals, which are defined as being worth $100 million or more, have largely plateaued in the last few years. In 2023 and the first eight months of 2024, mega deals made up 34% of all funding. In comparison, mega deals made up 47% of all funding in 2022 and 50% in 2021. Artificial intelligence (AI) has also been on the rise, with 44% of health tech investment funds going to AI companies in 2024, compared to 36% in 2023. Currently, the top health tech subsector for mergers and acquisitions is provider operations, with 32 deals in the first eight months of 2024. (Perna/Broderick, Modern Healthcare, 10/16)
• Rhode Island: CVS Health on Friday announced that CEO Karen Lynch would step down less than four years after she took over the position. David Joyner, who served as president of CVS Caremark and EVP of CVS Health, will take over as CEO. Roger Farah, chair of the company's board, has also been elevated to executive chair. "We believe David and his deep understanding of our integrated business can help us more directly address the challenges our industry faces, more rapidly advance the operational improvements our company requires, and fully realize the value we can uniquely create," Farah said. Over the last few years, CVS has struggled with financial difficulties, leading to layoffs and other changes to its corporate structure. The company is currently conducting a strategic review of options and could potentially break up its businesses. (Constantino/Pramuk, CNBC, 10/18; Bomey, Axios, 10/18)

As executive turnover continues to increase in healthcare organizations, interim leaders become more critical. In this Q&A, Sue Schade, principal at StarBridge Advisors, shares how to effectively utilize interim leaders to navigate transitions and achieve long-term improvements.