The current economic downturn is hurting the patients and communities hospitals serve, according to a survey conducted by the American Hospital Association (AHA) called "The Economic Crisis: Ongoing Monitoring of Impact on Hospitals."
The AHA sent the survey to 4,946 community hospitals in March and received 1,078 responses.
Six out of 10 hospitals nationally are seeing a greater proportion of patients without insurance coming through their emergency departments, the survey found. At the same time, nearly half of the hospitals that participated reported they have cut staff. Forty-three percent of hospitals expect losses in the first quarter of 2009, a dramatic increase from 26% for the same period in 2008.
The majority of hospitals included in the study reported that fewer patients are seeking inpatient and elective services, but many hospitals are seeing more patients covered by Medicaid and other public programs for those in need. Need for hospital-subsidized services such as clinics, screenings, and outreach is increasing even as charitable contributions are down for many hospitals.
Eight out of 10 hospitals included in the survey have stopped, postponed, or scaled back projects such as facility upgrades planned or in progress, the AHA said.
Related Reading
Imaging and the economic crisis: Part 2 -- Recovery and reform, March 24, 2009
Imaging and the economic crisis: Part 1 -- Sudden impact, March 19, 2009
Report: Hospitals hit by capital crunch, February 2, 2009
Survey forecasts drop in capital purchasing, December 18, 2008
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