HOSPITALS

MassHealth on Friday holds a public hearing on a proposed regulation allowing doulas — who help expectant mothers advocate for themselves throughout pregnancy, labor and delivery, as well as support them during the postpartum period — to enroll as approved providers.

Black and Hispanic mothers face more risks than white women during childbirth. A new round of funding is part of an effort to reduce the health gap.

Valley Springs Hospital plans to eventually serve 150 patients but will start with 30 beds when it opens August 14.

Staffing pressures and lower demand in Franklin County led Behavioral Health Network to move its detox beds to Springfield. Longer term treatment will continue in Greenfield.

The outgoing Baker administration announced a "roadmap for behavioral health reform," which includes 25 new mental health centers and a 24/7 help line.

Although the nature of mental illness makes precision medicine challenging, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital are hoping to jumpstart the field.

In early January, hospitals run by Baystate Health had as many as 320 patients testing positive for COVID-19. Midweek, that number was down to just 39.

Researchers from UMass and Baystate Medical Center compared those who did — and did not — receive buprenorphine after their release.

Preliminary findings from a new study in southern California show that the COVID-19 omicron variant causes less severe disease than other variants. Connecticut health providers say that aligns with the kinds of cases they are seeing in local hospitals.

Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center is suing Hartford HealthCare and its subsidiaries, including Hartford Hospital, claiming that it is trying to create a monopoly on hospital services by acquiring physician networks.