Staff Reports

Perioperative nurses and surgical professionals from across the Southeast are invited to gather for one of the region’s premier educational and networking events as the 2026 Southeast Councils of periOperative Nurses Conference comes to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, Nov. 13-15, 2026.

Launched in 2025 with an inaugural class of 243 students across seven high schools and 11 middle schools in six Northeast Tennessee school districts, the Ballad Health Academy serves as both a unique career development program for high school students across the Appalachian Highlands and as a forward-thinking strategy to address workforce shortages in healthcare by creating local talent pipelines. Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the program takes an innovative school-within-a-school approach to create accelerated pathways from high school into healthcare careers.

Water vapor technology applies the thermal energy stored in sterile water vapor to ablate targeted prostate tissue via a transurethral procedure, potentially minimizing life-altering side effects.

Med Tech Solutions (MTS), a provider of managed healthcare IT services, recently announced the acquisition of Avarion, a two-time Best in KLAS HIT Advisory firm serving hospitals, health systems and care networks. The acquisition accelerates MTS’ growth as a managed service provider supporting the full continuum of care, from ambulatory and community-based care settings to complex acute care environments.

Cardinal Health has issued a voluntary recall for select lots of Webcol Large Alcohol Prep Pads (70% isopropyl alcohol) to the consumer level. The product is being recalled due to microbial contamination identified as Paenibacillus phoenicis.