BY:  Rick Pollack, President and CEO, AHA

August 14, 2026 – Every day, hospitals and health systems perform a remarkable balancing act. They invest in talented caregivers, advanced technologies, innovative partnerships and modern facilities, all while keeping their focus where it belongs: delivering safe, high-quality care for every patient who comes through their doors.

But in today’s environment, delivering great care also requires something increasingly essential: protecting the digital infrastructure that makes care possible.

Cyberattacks against healthcare continue to grow in frequency, sophistication and impact. This summer alone, we’ve seen a troubling increase in cyber threats perpetrated by international cyber gangs and state-sponsored hackers. They have increased their targeting of healthcare third-party vendors, conducted ransomware attacks and led data-theft extortion campaigns.

As these attacks become more common, there is a risk that we will begin to view them as simply another operational challenge. We cannot afford to do that.

As AHA National Advisor for Cybersecurity and Risk John Riggi frequently emphasizes, we must not become desensitized to the true impact of these crimes. Cyberattacks are not merely technology incidents. They are threats to patient care and patient safety.

When cybercriminals disrupt critical systems, the consequences can extend far beyond computer networks. Surgeries may be delayed. Emergency department services may be limited. Ambulances may need to be diverted. Clinicians may temporarily lose access to information they rely on to make informed decisions about patient care.

Compounding the challenge is the growing use of artificial intelligence by cybercriminals to create more convincing phishing attempts and more sophisticated attack methods. At the same time, attacks on third-party vendors, utilities and supply chain partners have demonstrated that an organization’s cybersecurity posture is only as strong as the ecosystem on which it depends.

That is why cybersecurity remains one of the AHA’s top priorities.

We have worked closely with hospitals and health systems, federal agencies, law enforcement partners and private-sector organizations to strengthen the healthcare sector’s cyber resilience. Through our Cybersecurity and Risk Advisory Services webpage, we provide timely threat intelligence, practical guidance and actionable resources to help organizations prepare for, respond to and recover from cyber incidents.

The AHA also offers continuously updated tools, advisories and best practices designed to help hospitals maintain a heightened level of vigilance. These resources include assessments that help organizations evaluate their cybersecurity readiness, identify vulnerabilities and strengthen defenses before an incident occurs.

We also have placed significant emphasis on operational resilience. Hospitals and health systems should be prepared to maintain clinical and business continuity even if critical technologies become unavailable. In partnership with Joint Commission, we recently launched the Cyber Resilience Readiness program to help the field prepare for such a “Not if, but when” scenario. Planning, exercising and preparing for such scenarios can help ensure that patient care continues safely during a cyber disruption.

The AHA’s Preferred Cybersecurity & Risk Provider Program identifies trusted providers with vetted services that can help hospitals and health systems protect their patients and operations from cyberattacks and physical threats. Recognizing that smaller and rural hospitals often face unique resource challenges, the AHA also has partnered with organizations such as Microsoft to expand access to cybersecurity tools, training and support specifically tailored to rural providers.

While no organization can eliminate risk entirely, every organization can improve its preparedness. That starts with conducting regular risk assessments, strengthening defenses and incident response plans, training staff to recognize threats, and leveraging trusted resources and partnerships.

Most importantly, no hospital or health system should face these threats alone. Protecting healthcare from cyber crime requires a whole-of-nation approach that includes collaboration among providers, government agencies, law enforcement and industry partners.

Cybersecurity is now an essential component of patient safety. By remaining vigilant, sharing information and working together, we can strengthen our collective defenses and help ensure that hospitals and health systems continue to provide the care and services our communities depend on every day.

And as always, the AHA stands ready to help. Together, we can meet this challenge and continue our mission of caring for and protecting the patients who entrust us with their health.

For more information, contact John Riggi, AHA national advisor for cybersecurity and risk, at jriggi@aha.org, and Scott Gee, AHA deputy national advisor for cybersecurity and risk, at sgee@aha.org.



August 14, 2026 – Sarasota Memorial’s Women & Children’s Services teams are celebrating a system record after welcoming 434 babies at its Sarasota campus in July — the most babies ever born in a single month at an SMH facility.

The record-setting month included 252 baby boys and 181 baby girls, with 12 sets of twins among them.

The SMH Women & Children’s Services teams provide compassionate, specialized care that supports families across the region, from pregnancy and delivery through newborn and pediatric care and beyond. So far in 2026, Sarasota Memorial has welcomed more than 3,000 babies into the world, including 47 sets of twins between its two hospital campuses.

“We’re incredibly grateful to the families who continue to trust Sarasota Memorial to care for them and their growing families,” said Abby Olsen, Director of Women and Children’s Services at SMH. “Every birth is special, and it’s an honor for our teams to be part of these meaningful moments.”

Sarasota Memorial is the only hospital in Sarasota County providing obstetrics and maternity services, high-risk pregnancy care, a neonatal intensive care unit for premature and critically ill newborns and comprehensive pediatric services. With specialized care for both mothers and babies, Sarasota Memorial is uniquely equipped to support families through every stage of their journey.

About Sarasota Memorial Health Care System

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System is a regional medical center offering Southwest Florida’s greatest breadth and depth of care, with about 2,500 physicians and advanced practice providers, 11,000 employees and 2 million patient visits a year across its network of care. Sarasota County’s largest employer, the community-owned health system includes two full-service hospitals in Sarasota and Venice (and third under construction in North Port), freestanding ERs in North Port and Lakewood Ranch, a rehabilitation hospital, skilled nursing facility and comprehensive network of outpatient centers, urgent care clinics and SMH First Physicians Group primary and specialty care practices. Founded in 1925, SMH’s flagship Sarasota campus also is home to the Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute, Cornell Behavioral Health Pavilion and Kolschowsky Research and Education Institute. Both Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Sarasota and Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Venice have earned the highest 5-Star quality ratings from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The SMH-Sarasota is the only Florida hospital – and one of just 11 in the nation – to earn a perfect 5-Star rating from CMS every year since the federal rating program began in 2016.



HCA Florida Ocala Hospital has welcomed 65 new resident physicians and fellows into the hospital’s Graduate Medical Education program for 2026-27.

August 12, 2026 – In a continual effort to expand access to healthcare for Marion County residents, the University of Central Florida College of Medicine and HCA Florida Ocala Hospital have welcomed 65 new resident physicians and fellows into the hospital’s Graduate Medical Education program for the 2026-27 academic year.

For the second consecutive year, HCA Florida Ocala Hospital introduced a new specialty within Graduate Medical Education by launching the inaugural class of the Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship.

HCA Florida Ocala Hospital is also pleased to announce that six physicians from the 2025-26 class opted to remain in Marion County to practice medicine, bringing to 55 the number of doctors who started their careers in the community since the inception of the Graduate Medical Education program in 2015.

“Training and developing young physicians through our Graduate Medical Education program is important to our mission to improve lives and serve our community,” said Alan Keesee, chief executive officer of HCA Florida Ocala Hospital. “That mission is greatly enhanced when our graduates remain in Marion County because they are now utilizing the skills and knowledge we provided them to give back to the community.”

HCA Florida Ocala Hospital is part of the University of Central Florida–HCA Florida Healthcare Graduate Medical Education Consortium. The hospital now has 181 residents and fellows enrolled in high-demand specialties, including anesthesiology, cardiology, emergency medicine, family medicine, general surgery, internal medicine, orthopedic surgery, pulmonary critical care, surgical critical care and a transitional year program – a one-year program that provides broad clinical training before physicians enter a specialized residency.

Throughout their training, residents and fellows will care for patients under the guidance of experienced physician faculty while gaining hands-on experience with advanced technologies, evidence-based medicine and multidisciplinary care teams. Their training helps ensure patients receive high-quality, compassionate care while preparing physicians to practice their chosen specialties.

Dr. Lindsey Ferko, a 2025 graduate of HCA Florida Ocala Hospital’s Graduate Medical Education program, was among those who chose to start her career in Ocala. Ferko is a hospitalist at HCA Florida Ocala Hospital. She and her husband, an Ocala native, now have two young children.

“I knew that this is where I wanted to be. Ocala has been such a great place to raise our family because of the great support system we have here but also because of the actual city itself — the area, the people, and the team at the hospital and how accommodating they are, allowing me to be a doctor and a mom. That’s not something you get everywhere, so staying in Ocala was a no-brainer,” said Ferko. “It’s a really nice town to live in and be close to other major cities but not have those challenges. Ocala’s growing and there’s everything you need, but it still has that small town feel. It’s the perfect balance.”

“Our graduates choose to stay because they develop a strong connection with both the community and the people they work alongside. They receive excellent clinical training, build meaningful relationships with faculty, staff, and patients, and experience a collaborative culture where they feel supported and valued,” said Dr. Chandan Mitra, director of the Internal Medicine Residency at HCA Florida Ocala Hospital.

“Many also appreciate the opportunity to begin their careers in a growing healthcare system while enjoying the quality of life that Ocala and Marion County offer,” Mitra added. “When our graduates remain in the community, everyone benefits. This helps improve access to care, strengthens continuity for patients, and contributes to a stable, highly trained physician workforce dedicated to serving our community for years to come.”

The UCF-HCA Graduate Medical Education Consortium is the fastest growing residency and fellowship program in Florida, and as of this summer, is training more than 800 physicians in Greater Orlando, Sanford, Tallahassee, Gainesville, Ocala, Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach.

“HCA Florida Healthcare is committed to developing tomorrow’s physician leaders,” said HCA Healthcare North Florida Division vice president of graduate medical education Cheryll Albold, Ph.D. “By investing in graduate medical education, we’re not only training exceptional physicians, we are also strengthening the future of healthcare across North Florida.”

HCA Florida Healthcare’s graduate medical education programs train more new doctors than any other program in the state. With 153 GME programs across 29 teaching hospitals, HCA Florida Healthcare’s 2,580 residents and fellows are the next generation of doctors local communities will depend on for care.

Learn more about  healthcare services near you at HCA Florida Healthcare.



The new hospital will expand access to the City of Cape Coral and surrounding communities.

August 14, 2026 – Cape Coral, FL  — HCA Florida Healthcare and the City of Cape Coral today announced plans to build HCA Florida Cape Coral Hospital, a new full-service hospital that will expand access to high-quality healthcare services for residents of Cape Coral and surrounding communities.

The planned hospital will be located at 322 SW Pine Island Road, where HCA Florida Cape Coral Emergency currently operates. The project will expand the existing emergency care site into a hospital with inpatient and outpatient services to bring care closer to home.

The project represents an estimated $300 million investment in Cape Coral. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the hospital anticipated to open in 2029. Once complete, the new facility will be the 19th hospital in HCA Healthcare West Florida Division.

“Building HCA Florida Cape Coral Hospital is an important step in HCA Florida Healthcare’s broader strategy to expand access to care in Lee County,” said Jyric Sims, Ph.D., president of HCA Healthcare West Florida Division. “With our acquisition of HCA Florida Lehigh Hospital, the opening of HCA Florida West Fort Myers Emergency and the construction of HCA Florida Alico Emergency, planned to open in late 2026, we are building a more connected network to meet the growing healthcare needs of the region. Our Cape Coral freestanding emergency room was an important step in expanding access to care in this community, and the addition of a new hospital represents the next step in building an even stronger network to meet the growing healthcare needs of Cape Coral and the surrounding area.”

The planned three-story hospital is slated to include approximately 200,000 square feet. Phase one is expected to include up to 100 acute care beds, an emergency department, operating rooms and a cardiac catheterization lab, with future capacity to expand as community needs grow. Planned services include emergency care, surgical services, cardiovascular services, inpatient care, outpatient services and imaging.

Cape Coral has experienced significant growth, increasing the need for additional healthcare access and patient choice. The new hospital is designed to help meet current and future demand while supporting the City’s long-term economic development priorities.

“One of my priorities as Mayor has been the importance of expanding healthcare in Cape Coral. More specifically, my goal has been to bring a second hospital to our community. My focus has been on developing a partnership, establishing economic development opportunities and jobs, while finding a solution to broaden our emergency and acute care for our residents. Partnering with HCA Florida will allow us to achieve those goals and serve our community well in the future. I would personally like to thank HCA Florida for their commitment to Cape Coral as their next healthcare investment in Southwest Florida,” said Mayor John Gunter.

HCA Florida Cape Coral Hospital will be connected to HCA Florida Healthcare’s broader network of care across the state, helping patients access services, specialists and clinical resources when and where they need them.



August 13, 2026 – Board-certified and fellowship-trained endovascular neurologist Ehizele Osehobo, M.D., has joined Marcus Neuroscience Institute, part of Baptist Health Brain & Spine Care. He specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of complex cerebrovascular conditions, including ischemic stroke, brain hemorrhages caused by ruptured aneurysms and other disorders affecting the blood vessels of the brain.

Dr. Osehobo completed fellowship training in endovascular neurology at Semmes-Murphey Clinic/University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. Prior to that, he completed both a vascular neurology fellowship and neurology residency at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, where he served as chief resident. He earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, a Master of Science in Pre-Clinical Sciences from Mercer University School of Medicine and a Bachelor of Science in Neurosciences from Duke University.

“We are pleased to welcome Dr. Osehobo to Marcus Neuroscience Institute,” said Warren Selman, M.D., chief medical executive at Marcus Neuroscience Institute. “His expertise in endovascular neurology and commitment to patient-centered care will strengthen our comprehensive stroke and neurovascular program. We look forward to the impact he will have on our patients and community.”

Dr. Osehobo has received numerous honors throughout his training, including the Housestaff Organization Professionalism Excellence Award and Fellow Teacher of the Year Award from Emory University School of Medicine. He is also the recipient of the Bernard J. Tyson Career Development Award from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. In addition to his clinical work, he has authored multiple peer-reviewed research publications and delivered presentations focused on stroke prevention, carotid web disease, and neurointerventional procedures.

Professionally, Dr. Osehobo is passionate about education, mentorship and encouraging future generations to pursue careers in healthcare. He is particularly interested in supporting students and trainees from backgrounds that remain underrepresented in medicine. Looking ahead, he hopes to contribute to research exploring emerging neuroendovascular treatments for conditions such as chronic migraine, idiopathic intracranial hypertension and cancer-related disorders.

“When patients experience a stroke or other neurological emergency, their lives change in an instant,” said Dr. Osehobo. “My primary goal is to restore function and independence to my patients, but also to support their loved ones who suddenly find themselves navigating uncharted waters. I believe patients and families achieve the best outcomes when they feel informed, supported and involved in every step of the journey.”

Fluent in English and conversational in French and Spanish, Dr. Osehobo will see patients at Marcus Neuroscience Institute, 800 Meadows Rd., Boca Raton, Florida.

 

About Baptist Health

Baptist Health is the largest healthcare organization in the region, with 12 hospitals, more than 29,000 employees, 4,000 physicians and 200 outpatient centers, urgent care facilities and physician practices spanning across Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Baptist Health has internationally renowned institutes specializing in cancer care, brain and spine care, heart and vascular care and orthopedic care. In addition, it includes Baptist Health Medical Group; Baptist Health Quality Network; and The Baptist Health PineApp, a virtual health platform. Baptist Health South Florida is an academic and clinical affiliate of Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. A not-for-profit organization supported by philanthropy and committed to its faith-based charitable mission of medical excellence, Baptist Health has been recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America and is the most awarded healthcare system in South Florida by U.S. News and World Report. For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net/Newsroom and connect with us on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.