'The idea of the stand-alone hospital is gone'.

Northwell Health, formerly known as North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, continues to pursue aggressive expansion moves throughout the New York City metropolitan area. CEO Michael Dowling is also stepping up the New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based system's investment in startup firms and innovative technologies that are launched in-house. Dave Barkholz, Modern Healthcare's Southern Bureau chief, caught up with Dowling at last month's J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco. The following is an edited transcript.

'Let's stop complaining about social determinants of health, and let's fix them'.

Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger Health System, an integrated delivery network with 12 hospital campuses, a 1600-physician multispecialty group practice and a 551,000-member health plan, recently completed the acquisition of Commonwealth Medical College in Scranton, Pa. In January, Geisinger announced what it's calling Springboard Health Scranton, a multiyear program aimed at improving community health by promoting healthier eating and lifestyle changes coordinated with chronic care management. Modern Healthcare reporter Dave Barkholz recently spoke with Gelsinger CEO Dr. David Feinberg about these and other developments. The following is an edited transcript.

Kindred, Genesis partner to create virtual network of post-acute facilities.

With value-based payment models driving shorter nursing facility stays, Kindred is dumping its skilled-nursing assets in favor of a "virtual portfolio" of preferred skilled-nursing providers.

As for-profits stumble, regional systems pick up the pieces.

Some regional not-for-profit systems see acquiring the hospital assets of struggling for-profit operators as a way to gain referrals, expand their provider networks and consolidate their regions.

Startups learn from hospital investors.

Benefits of hospitals investing their venture capital in health startups: The startups get more than funds. They get instant feedback on products. Startups can roll out products across a health system rather than marketing door-to-door. Hospitals and systems get first crack at technologies that they have nurtured. Hospitals diversify their investments beyond bonds, stocks and other traditional instruments.

Changing how doctors get paid.

While many hospital systems and large physician practices are moving their employed physicians to bonus plans that reward quality and patient satisfaction as well as productivity, some are doing away with bonuses altogether.

Special report: The Transformation Imperative: Hospital-based venture funds bet big on health startups.

Health systems have muscled into the venture capital space to support innovations that will help them thrive under value-based reimbursement.

'Systems are looking to partner with other players to help them vet these deals'.

Karen Griffith Gryga is a partner and chief investment officer at Dreamit Ventures, one of the nation's largest accelerators for technology startups. The Philadelphia-based company also invests in early-stage health technology firms. A third of Dreamit's 80- plus companies are involved in population health management. Southern Bureau Chief Dave Barkholz interviewed Griffith Gryga. The following is an edited transcript.

Confidence in 'selecting the winners'.

Catholic-sponsored Ascension was among the first health systems to set up a venture capital arm to invest in health technology companies. Since 2001, Ascension Ventures has raised $800 million with hospital partners to nurture startup companies. Today, more than 60 health systems have their own venture capital units. Modern Healthcare Southern Bureau Chief Dave Barkholz spoke with managing director Matt Hermann about the promise and pitfalls awaiting hospital systems just getting into the venture capital game. The following is an edited transcript.

Venture capital's bold move into population health.

Population health management is now one of the top six fields in healthcare attracting new money from venture capital firms, thanks in large part to the aging of the baby boomer population.

Vanderbilt is a case study for the dreaded EHR conversion.

The new Epic system is being tailored for Vanderbilt's needs, butitremains standard enough to receive frequent company upgrades, while allowing clinicians and researchers to use a modern software system that won't feel foreign if they have to work with others outside of Vanderbilt.

Hospital mega-mergers hit fast and furious in 1Q.

The need for scale and space is accelerating tie-ups between hospital giants.

'We don't need to be bigger for the sake of being bigger'.

Kaiser Permanente features basketball star Steph Curry in a new mental-health ad campaign that illustrates how even the Golden State shooting phenom must overcome doubts about his game. Kaiser Permanente, the nation's largest Integrated health system, has made mental-health awareness a priority this year as It seeks to promote the total health of the Individuals and communities It serves, according to Chairman and CEO Bernard Tyson. Earlier this year, Tyson sat down with Southern Bureau Chief Dave Barkholz in San Francisco, just across the bay from Kaiser Permanente's Oakland headquarters, to discuss mental health, the social determinants of health and Kaiser Permanente's always-active expansion strategy. The following is an edited transcript.

Healthuare boards need more diversity, but pace of change is 'glacial'.

Hospital and healthcare boards are adding newcomers at a slow pace, though consumerism and reimbursement changes are demanding new skill sets for trustees.

Patient preferences tug hospital spending toward outpatient facilities.

Hospital systems have begun in earnest to shift more of their capital spending to outpatient facilities to provide more cost-effective and convenient settings for consumers.

Hospitals benefiting from healthy bond market.

The bond market continues to be favorable for hospitals looking to finance projects, growth.