Is five a magic number that people will click on to find out what’s on the list? Is it just the right number you think you have the time to read? I don’t know but there are lots of lists out there with 5 things you should know. These got me to click through and I think they were worth sharing.
Solventum
Five strategies to improve Medicaid payment accuracy – By Erika Johnson & Kaleigh Myers – As health policy continues to shift, every Medicaid dollar has to work harder. Provider tax headwinds, tighter state directed payment rules, semi-annual redeterminations and mounting audit scrutiny are squeezing payers and providers from all sides. Those that successfully navigate this change will be organizations that can prove value, patient by patient, claim by claim, while protecting access and equity.
When Medicaid reimbursement falls and uncompensated care increases, providers often rely on commercial payers to offset losses. For both coverage types, efficiency, value-based payment and accuracy remain crucial.
Advent Health
5 ways AI will make health care more human in 2026 – By Viktor Tuparov – For years, artificial intelligence has been on the fringes of health care – full of promise but often disconnected from the everyday experiences of patients and caregivers. That’s changing, says Robert Purinton, chief AI officer for AdventHealth, who predicts this is the year AI moves “from vibes to value.”
That value isn’t abstract or technical. It is felt through the daily experiences of caring for patients and supporting caregivers.
“AI adoption should not be about replacing people with technology. It should support people across the organization, creating more time for human connection, sound clinical judgment and compassionate care,” Purinton said.
Based on his work leading AI at one of the nation’s largest faith-based health care systems, Purinton offers five predictions for how AI will shape care this year, with patients and caregivers at the center.
Association of Health Care Journalists
5 actionable ways to find health IT stories in 2026 – By Karen Blum – Health information technology is an ever-evolving field with plenty of subtopics ripe for news coverage. If you are looking to incorporate health IT into your reporting, or you’re just getting started as a general reporter who periodically tackles health IT, here are some suggestions for finding story ideas.
DeepIntent
The 5 Key Health Marketing Takeaways from CES 2026 – Many of the most important ideas at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) had direct implications for healthcare marketers. Across panels on data privacy, startup ecosystems, the growing role of Big Tech in health, and healthcare’s next decade, a consistent set of themes emerged. Together, they point to a future in which healthcare advertisers must move faster, navigate more complex landscapes, rethink where and how patients engage, and collaborate more deeply across the ecosystem.
Here are five key healthcare marketing takeaways from CES 2026.
Persona
5 best practices for securing health data – By Doug Bonderud – It’s more important than ever for healthcare organizations to ensure patient data security. Along with evolving regulations, the Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA) notes that increased ransomware risk paired with inadequate protection measures could pose significant challenges for healthcare organizations in 2022. Add in the increasing use of telehealth solutions and cloud-based patient platforms, and there’s a perfect storm brewing for patient data privacy.
American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
Top Five Health Care Trends for 2026: How New Technology Is Transforming Patient Care – From wearable devices that catch health issues sooner to artificial intelligence (AI) tools that give clinicians more time with patients, 2026 is poised to be a pivotal year for how care is delivered.
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) released its top five health care trends for 2026, highlighting how innovative technologies and care models will make health care more personalized, more accessible and more focused on activities of patients’ everyday lives. Today more than 461,000 licensed nurse practitioners (NPs) are delivering care nationwide. NPs are uniquely positioned to help patients navigate these changes and translate innovation into better health outcomes.
IdeaNote
Health-Tech: 5 Startups Changing Healthcare and The World – Imagine a world where surgeons practice a life-saving operation in virtual reality before ever picking up a scalpel, or a paralyzed woman defies the impossible and completes a marathon on robotic legs. The healthcare industry, long entrenched in tradition and bureaucracy, is undergoing a quiet revolution. At the intersection of human ingenuity and cutting-edge technology, a handful of startups are not just dreaming of a better future, they’re building it, one life-changing innovation at a time.
The Real Economy Blog
5 things to know in life sciences: Week of Jan. 19, 2026 – By Amanda Laskey, Katherine Powers and Max Stanyard – Each week we highlight five things affecting the life sciences industry. Here’s the latest.
MedTechDive
5 topics to watch as MDUFA negotiations restart – By Elise Reuter – Medtech lobbyists and the Food and Drug Administration’s medical device center began negotiations last year on an agreement that sets a significant portion of the center’s budget. The Medical Device User Fee Amendments, or MDUFA, determine how much the FDA can raise in industry fees over a five-year period, supplementing taxpayer funding.
The FDA and industry must come to an agreement before September 2027, when the current MDUFA agreement is set to expire, although stakeholders expect an agreement to go to Congress this year. Device lobbyists called for a renewal of the current agreement, with a similar funding amount and structure, while patient groups emphasized the need for increased safety and transparency. Many stakeholders also raised concerns about the FDA’s capacity after staff cuts that took place last year.
Here are five topics to watch as the FDA and industry near a deal:
Case Western Reserve University
5 Medical Robots Making a Difference in Healthcare – Despite initial unease with the idea of a robot handling surgeries or providing emotional support, they are increasingly prevalent in healthcare. Engineers have compelling reasons to develop medical robots. Unlike humans, these tireless machines with steady ‘hands’ can execute precise movements beyond human range, providing prolonged patient support. They excel in automating lower-level tasks, allowing professionals to focus on high-level work. This post considers five robots currently utilized in hospitals and treatment centers to improve care and patient outcomes.
Every Friday morning on Healthcare NOW Radio we publish a Friday Five post on current topics and healthcare awareness celebrations.