Samwise Healthcare IT Newsletter
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
VA Selects Abridge for Ambient AI Enterprise Contract Worth Up to $775M
The Department of Veterans Affairs has selected Abridge to provide ambient artificial intelligence documentation technology under a nationwide enterprise contract, Becker's Hospital Review reported September 22. The multiple-award contract, valued at up to $775 million over its full term, will give VA clinicians access to Abridge's real-time ambient AI that automatically generates clinical notes from patient-provider conversations. The VA is the largest integrated health system in the United States, serving more than nine million veterans. Becker's reported that the selection positions Abridge as a primary vendor for AI-powered documentation across VA medical centers and outpatient clinics nationwide.
Sources: Becker’s Hospital Review
Senators Warner and Wyden Reintroduce Health Cybersecurity Bill with $1.3B for Hospitals
Senators Mark Warner of Virginia and Ron Wyden of Oregon reintroduced the Health Infrastructure Security and Accountability Act on September 22, renewing their push for binding federal cybersecurity standards across the U.S. healthcare sector. The bill would require healthcare organizations to meet baseline security requirements and establish accountability mechanisms for entities that fail to protect patient data. Healthcare IT News reported the legislation would earmark $1.3 billion to help hospitals, particularly rural and underserved facilities, bolster cybersecurity preparedness. The senators first introduced a prior version of the bill following the 2024 Change Healthcare ransomware attack, which disrupted claims processing for hundreds of thousands of providers across the country.
Sources: Healthcare IT News
McKesson Discloses Cyber Incident Affecting Oncology and Medical-Surgical Customer Data
McKesson disclosed September 22 that a cybersecurity incident affecting third-party applications had resulted in unauthorized access and data exfiltration for a subset of customers within its Oncology & Multispecialty business. The company said the incident primarily involved business contact and order data related to its Medical-Surgical unit. McKesson's investigation, supported by cybersecurity experts, found no indication that data from its North American Pharmaceutical Distribution or CoverMyMeds units was affected. The Irving, Texas-based healthcare distribution company, which first disclosed the breach in August, said it continues to serve customers across all lines of business and will notify affected individuals per applicable law. Becker's Hospital Review reported the update on September 22.
Sources: Becker’s Hospital Review
Mass General Brigham Deploying AI Agents for Administrative and Clinical Workflow Automation
Mass General Brigham is deploying AI agents to automate administrative and clinical operations tasks across its health system, the organization's chief information and digital officer said at the HIMSS AI in Healthcare event on September 21, Healthcare IT News reported September 22. The Boston-based academic medical center said AI agents are being used to handle scheduling, documentation, and other workflow tasks that previously required manual staff intervention. The initiative is part of the health system's broader strategy to use artificial intelligence to reduce clinician burnout and improve operational efficiency. Mass General Brigham said the agentic AI rollout is ongoing and being expanded across additional departments.
Sources: Healthcare IT News
Jefferson Health Ambient AI Saves Providers More Than One Million Documentation Hours
Philadelphia-based Jefferson Health has saved its providers more than one million hours of clinical documentation time through its ambient AI program, the health system announced September 22, according to Becker's Hospital Review. The milestone was reached as Jefferson continues scaling its ambient AI deployment beyond physicians to include nursing staff. Jefferson set an organizational goal of returning 10 million provider hours by 2028, and the program has already achieved roughly 10 percent of that target. The health system said it plans to extend ambient AI to its nursing workforce as a next phase, with the aim of reducing documentation burden and improving care time with patients.
Sources: Becker’s Hospital Review
Penn State Health to Launch Epic Systemwide on October 31, Replacing Five Patient Portals
Hershey, Pennsylvania-based Penn State Health will launch Epic across its health system on October 31, moving to a unified electronic health record and billing system, Becker's Hospital Review reported September 22. The transition will also introduce Epic's MyChart patient portal, replacing five separate patient portals with a single platform. Through MyChart, patients will be able to message care teams, view test results, schedule appointments, manage prescriptions, join virtual visits, and access health information. Penn State Health said the unified EHR will give clinicians and support staff greater visibility across its hospitals and outpatient practices while also supporting care coordination with other health systems.
Sources: Becker’s Hospital Review
HealthEx Joins Meta and MUSE QHINs Under TEFCA National Data Exchange Framework
Health data startup HealthEx has joined two Qualified Health Information Networks under the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement, Healthcare IT News reported September 22. HealthEx is now participating in the Meta and MUSE QHINs, expanding its interoperability footprint within TEFCA's national data exchange framework. The company said its participation enables healthcare organizations using HealthEx to exchange clinical data more broadly with other TEFCA participants. TEFCA, administered by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, provides a standardized framework for nationwide health data interoperability. Healthcare IT News covered the interoperability developments in a roundup published September 22.
Sources: Healthcare IT News
Duke and Texas Health Leaders Outline Where Asynchronous Telemedicine Works — and Where It Does Not
Clinical leaders from Duke University Health System and Texas Health Resources argued September 21 in favor of expanded asynchronous telemedicine at a Healthcare IT News virtual event, with coverage published September 22. Kathi Cox of Texas Health Resources and a Duke counterpart described workflows where patients submit information and providers respond on their own schedule, without requiring both parties to be present simultaneously. The leaders said asynchronous models work well for chronic disease management, dermatology, and follow-up consultations, but are less appropriate for acute or high-acuity conditions. Healthcare IT News reported on the leaders' discussion on September 22.
Sources: Healthcare IT News
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