North Jersey hospitals increasingly ask patients for cash deposits or credit-card imprints before they undergo surgery or high-priced tests. They know it's easier to collect when the patient is in the waiting room, anxious to get a medical problem diagnosed or treated. Under intense financial pressure, hospital financial executives no longer wait months to bill the patient after insurance has paid.
In a social media landscape shaped by hashtags, algorithms, and viral posts, nurse leaders must decide: Will they let the narrative spiral, or can they adapt and join the conversation?
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