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WellSpan Health operates several hospitals in central Pennsylvania, including its flagship facility, WellSpan York Hospital. (Photo provided by WellSpan Health).

More hospitals and health systems are using data to address health disparities in minority groups, but WellSpan Health has been doing it for years.

The Pennsylvania health system began taking a closer look at its data before the COVID-19 pandemic, said Mike Seim, WellSpan’s senior vice president and chief quality control officer.

“Even starting in 2018, we started to try and make sure we had an accurate database of our patient population,” Seim said. “We were looking at language of choice, collecting data around race and ethnicity as well, and focusing on making sure that we had a data bank that allowed us to really take every quality metric we had and really assess if we had any disparity in the care we provide.”

WellSpan’s board of directors didn’t just support the effort, Seim said. The board wanted to see improvement.

“Our board of directors is really engaged and they set measurable outcome goals for us around health equity and disparities,” Seim said. “And that’s gone back for five-plus annual plans. It’s not just, ‘Are you doing it?’ It’s, ‘Are you getting results in your equity work?”

WellSpan is seeing progress, and those data-driven efforts on health equity are drawing attention in the hospital industry. WellSpan was named a finalist in 

the American Hospital Association’s Quest for Quality

“We applaud your diligence in digging into the data to drive your health equity and quality improvement efforts,” said Rick Pollack, president of the American Hospital Association. “Congratulations and thank you for providing exceptional care, day in and day out.”

WellSpan appreciated the recognition. “Especially in COVID, you’re just going from one crisis to another,” Seim said. But he said it was heartening to take a look back and assess progress.

 about WellSpan’s use of data, its approach to improving equity in diverse populations, and what healthcare leaders should think about as they try to close disparities in care in underserved communities.

“One of our guiding principles is to improve health through exceptional care for all,” Seim said. “That care for all is really critical as part of our mission to look at all of our patient populations and making sure we’re optimizing their healthcare.”

(Watch excerpts of our conversation with Mike Seim in this video. The story continues after the video.)

WellSpan Health operates seven hospitals and scores of physicians’ offices and care sites across central Pennsylvania. The system’s flagship hospital, with nearly 600 beds, sits in the small city of York. Its sprawling service area includes farmland, small rural towns and growing suburbs.

The system’s diverse population posed challenges in distributing the COVID-19 vaccine. WellSpan’s service area includes rural communities where vaccine hesitancy ran high, along with a significant Amish population that won’t be reached by cellphones or laptops. Some areas also have higher concentrations of Hispanic residents.

WellSpan focused on “partnering with some of the community groups that are well established within our service areas, to help them share the message around vaccination safety,” Seim said.

Teams focused on stressing the safety of the vaccine and debunking concerns that it would lead to sterility or changes in DNA. WellSpan worked at “really directly addressing some of the misinformation, and actually having trusted community members deliver that message is really important,” Seim said.

In the past few years, WellSpan has focused on reducing maternal mortality and morbidity. Seim said the system started strategically, collecting data and examining outcomes.

Over the last year, WellSpan focused on improving breast cancer and colon cancer screenings.

“We didn’t say we're going to improve it. We actually set percentages and goals that we were going to really work for, to achieve,” Seim said.

“So in this last fiscal year, we set a goal of improving breast cancer screening by 1.5% for diverse populations. We actually, we improved it by over 5%,” Seim said.

While they succeeded in boosting screenings in minority groups, WellSpan also recorded a 5% increase in screenings among white patients.

The data shows that improving healthcare in minority populations “is not a zero sum game,” Seim said.

“Some people think that with health equity, if you provide dedicated resources to improve the health of a population, it's at the expense of other segments of the service area or your market,” Seim said. “And by using data, we're able to show that that's not the case, that whenever we put a focus initiative on a health equity, or disparity, we've actually, every single time, seen dramatic increases in the care of all of our patients.”

Using telehealth to improve equity and access

Now, WellSpan is moving toward closing disparities in chronic diseases, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Seim said that will pose a different challenge compared to screenings.

“That's going to take a different skill set for us to learn because it's about frequent checkpoints and touch points with populations,” Seim said.

As opposed to screenings, Seim said, the challenge will be, “How do we manage chronic disease, where you have to touch base once a month, and really making sure that we're creating a system that has accessibility to all of our patient populations?”

WellSpan wants to improve communities in its rural communities. Residents in rural communities are more likely to be diagnosed with chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, according to the 

The system will be using telehealth to reach some patients. However, WellSpan also understands virtual visits won’t be an option for some patients.

WellSpan is working to improve healthcare in the region’s Amish and Mennonite communities. WellSpan has a department that works with those communities to provide healthcare services.

“You know, people think about healthcare disparities as race or language, but in our market, religion plays a role in it as well,” Seim said. “So really, how do we meet patients where they're at to try to drive better health care?”

Geisinger's first diversity officer relishes the opportunity

WellSpan’s Ephrata Community Hospital in Lancaster has worked with the Plain communities of the region for years. WellSpan also offers a behavioral health clinic that is sensitive to the values of the Amish and Mennonite populations. They aim to offer care that is “respectful to their religious beliefs,” Seim said.

It’s been “a 20-year journey” to build trust with the Plain communities, Seim said. And healthcare leaders focused on improving equity must realize it’s a commitment that could take years, even decades.

“If I'm going to tell leaders one thing, you can't have a 5-year plan,” Seim said. “You have to have a 20- or 50-year plan, if you're going to make significant, impactful sustainable changes."

“So, you know, as we start to think about, yeah, we can do these one or two projects," he continued. "But over the next 5, 10, 20 years, are they going to build on each other, to really eliminate the overall disparities in health care? And I think if you look at life expectancy, that's a great example where there's inherent disparities between different parts of our communities. So how do we build a sustainable program that spends time trying to close that gap?”

Since health systems are going to spend years on improving equity, they can still work with urgency, but they should focus on improving on specific areas, Seim said.

"Pick one measure," Seim said. "Start with it, figure out how you can make improvements in your health system, and then expand to the next."

“You have to make sure that we're not setting thousands of goals,” Seim said. “But what are one or two goals that we can rally people around? One of the unique things nationally with health equity is that it tends to be something that's popular to work on.”

Health equity isn’t a box that leaders can simply check off after a couple of years. He said leaders should focus on building “a program that will outlive me and my team.”

“You know, honestly, to see the lasting changes, I will be retired,” Seim said. “But I want to make sure that we're building a program that is so entrenched in everything we do, that it will be sustainable.”

 WellSpan’s efforts to provide care to Amish communities

Articles

The Pennsylvania system sets tangible goals and is seeing progress. WellSpan’s Mike Seim spoke with Chief Healthcare Executive about closing disparities. 


WellSpan Health uses data, and builds bridges, to improve health equity

Pipeline Health, a for-profit system that operates seven safety net hospitals in three states, is seeking bankruptcy protection.

The system filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the Southern District of Texas on Oct. 3. Pipeline, based in El Segundo, California, says the move will allow the system’s hospitals to continue providing care for patients as it seeks a sustainable path forward.

Pipeline has been trying to sell two hospitals in Chicago: Weiss Memorial Hospital and West Suburban Medical Center in Chicago. Pipeline had been negotiating a sale of the two Chicago hospitals to Resilience Health for $92 million, but that sale has not closed.

If Resilience Health opts against buying the two hospitals, Pipeline says it will look to find other potential buyers.

 filed in the bankruptcy court, Pipeline said the poor financial performance of the Illinois hospitals is taking a toll. The Chicago facilities lost $69.7 million over the 12-month period that ended in August 2022, according to the court filing.

“Due to the financial state of the Illinois Facilities, Pipeline’s California- and Texas- based healthcare operations have effectively subsidized the Illinois Facilities to avoid operational disruptions,” Russell Perry, Pipeline’s chief transformation officer, wrote in the court filing.

With the sale still in question, Pipeline's financial situation grows more dire. The system's "cash position has continued to deteriorate following the failure to consummate the Illinois Sale," Perry stated in the filing.

In addition to the two Chicago hospitals, Pipeline operates White Rock Medical Center in Dallas; and four hospitals in the Los Angeles area: Memorial Hospital of Gardena, Coast Plaza Hospital, Community Hospital of Huntington Park, and East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital.

 about the filing, Pipeline cited the financial difficulties seen throughout the hospital industry in the COVID-19 pandemic, including 

 and supply costs. Pipeline also pointed to delays in payments from insurers for treatments.

In the court filing, Perry said, “Most acutely, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pipeline’s costs for nurses and other contract labor and medical supplies skyrocketed.”

Andrei Soran, Pipeline’s CEO, said the bankruptcy filing was a necessary step.

“We intend for the restructuring process to allow our hospitals to remain open and operating in their communities, while putting the hospital system in a more secure and sustainable financial position going forward,” Soran said in the statement. “Our employees and physicians across the organization have a long tradition of caring for patients in their communities, and our goal is for that care to continue.”

Soran also pledged that the system would provide “ongoing and transparent updates on our progress.”

Patients do not need to reschedule appointments, Soran said.

Under a Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the debtor develops a reorganization plan. Creditors that are affected by the plan could choose to accept or reject it, and the court must give its approval.

Hospitals around the country are reporting substantial losses in 2022. 

More than half of all hospitals could finish the year with negative operating margins

, according to an American Hospital Association report released last month. 

Hospitals have higher expenses and lower volumes compared to pre-pandemic levels

, according to Kaufman Hall, a consulting firm for health systems. 

Hospital leaders have scaled back services

 due to their financial challenges and staffing shortages.

 recently revised its outlook for nonprofit hospitals and the health sector as “deteriorating.” Some analysts have expected to see 

some providers shut their doors due to the losses they’ve sustained

, with many rural hospitals projected to be in a particularly precarious situation.

The economic downturn and inflation add to the headaches of hospitals. Many healthcare leaders have said 

they expect the U.S. to enter a recession

, and some expect it to be a lengthy one.

The California-based system cited the financial headwinds of the pandemic and is trying to sell two hospitals in Chicago. Pipeline says all facilities will continue to care for patients. 

With weakening cash flow, Pipeline Health files for bankruptcy protection

One week after Hurricane Ian struck Florida, hospitals are working to recover.

Lee Health, which operates four hospitals in Lee County, said Tuesday afternoon all of its hospitals are again ready to serve the community.  Lee County sustained catastrophic damage from the hurricane. At least 109 people have died nationwide due to Hurricane Ian, and 55 of those deaths have taken place in Lee County, 

Lee Health had to transfer hundreds of patients

 due to a lack of running water at some facilities, although its emergency departments have remained open. 

All 149 children at Golisano Children’s Hospital were evacuated, 

 of Fort Myers reported. Two other hospitals, HealthPark Medical Center and Gulf Coast Medical Center, also evacuated patients. Lee Health said Tuesday the system has now stopped transferring patients.

Lee Health said outpatient facilities were slated to reopen Wednesday. Most of Lee Health’s physician offices have reopened or will be open again this week, the system said.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said healthcare workers from out of state will be assisting hospitals and offering relief for some Florida clinicians who need a break.

NCH Healthcare System, which operates hospitals in Naples, is accepting only emergency patients at its hospitals. NCH Healthcare CEO Paul Hiltz said in a video Sunday that the emergency rooms have been very busy. NCH also accepted some patients from Lee Health.

In the video Sunday, Hiltz asked patients to use urgent care facilities or to go to their primary care doctors for issues that weren’t life threatening. But he said, “If you need healthcare, please don’t stay home. Come to the hospital. We’re ready to take care of people. We’re just trying to use these facilities in the best way possible.” 

NCH is also working with Amwell to offer free telehealth services for two weeks.

HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital in Port Charlotte remains closed after 

the hurricane tore off part of the roof of the building

. HCA Florida Englewood Hospital remains closed as well.

Sarasota Memorial Healthcare System’s freestanding North Port Emergency Room and Outpatient Services are temporarily unable to see patients due to damage from the hurricane. The system hopes to reopen the emergency room as soon as possible.

In addition to damaging and disrupting healthcare systems, hospital employees have suffered heavy losses, including the loss of vehicles and homes due to the storm.

As Brian Solomon, a cardiothoracic surgeon at NCH Heart Institute, wrote on 

, “So proud of my team at NCH for rallying together during #HurricaneIan to provide top quality cardiac care/heart surgery and accept patients from surrounding hospitals, even after many of the staff lost their homes and cars.”

The Florida Hospital Association said it is gathering input from hospital leaders and will share lessons learned in the response to Hurricane Ian.

 continues to seek healthcare workers, including doctors, to help assist with relief efforts. More than 200 shelters are operating around the state to aid displaced residents. 

Florida officials are asking doctors not to deploy on their own but to reach out to the state to go where help is needed most.

Hospitals in Lee County are no longer transferring patients. Emergency rooms have been very busy, and health systems are reopening outpatient facilities and doctors offices.


A week after Hurricane Ian, Florida hospitals work to restore services

Penn State Health opened its new Lancaster Medical Center. The new six-story hospital began accepting patients Monday. 

On a raw, gray Monday morning, Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center began accepting patients for the first time.

Penn State Health opened the new $375 million hospital in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, about an hour outside of Philadelphia. For Penn State Health, it’s the system's second new hospital in a year. Penn State Health opened a hospital just outside of Harrisburg, the state capital, in October 2021.

Inside the new, sleek 132-bed hospital a few miles outside the city of Lancaster, Joseph Frank, Penn State Health East Region hospital president, lauded “the enormously capable staff we assembled here.”

Health system executives around the country have talked about 

the difficulties they have had finding and keeping workers

. Frank admitted to having some anxiety a year ago about hiring enough staff for a new hospital.

Penn State Health recruited some experienced leaders, and they helped entice other doctors and nurses to follow, Frank told 

“Everyone thought we’d have a problem with recruiting,” he said. “We didn’t.”

“I think we were very fortunate in that we were able to attract a lot of nursing leaders who had reputations and experience, and lots of other nurses followed them and wanted to be part of this new culture,” he said.

In fact, the hospital has a waiting list for registered nurses. “Other people are waiting to join us,” he said.

“They want to be part of something fresh, something new,” Frank said.

Frank stressed that they haven’t just filled staff openings but recruited a team of people with years, even decades, in healthcare.

“We’ve got lots of seasoned people here,” Frank said. “When you start up a new hospital, you need experienced people.” 

(See excerpts of our conversation with Joe Frank about the new hospital. The story continues below the video.)

Joseph Cacchione plans to take Jefferson Health ‘to a new level’

The Lancaster Medical Center sits in a rapidly growing county, and the new facility is about 30 minutes from Penn State Health’s flagship campus in Hershey. Lancaster County is well known for its Amish community and the hospital offers parking for Amish families’ horses and buggies. Beyond the Amish and rolling farmland, Lancaster County is home to a diverse mix of businesses.

Lancaster General Hospital, operated by Penn Medicine, has served the region for more than a century. UPMC also operates a hospital in the county. 

Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center will take some of the burden from Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, which is typically filled to capacity, Frank said. The Lancaster Medical Center also offers outpatient services and physician practices. Frank anticipates cardiology is going to be a strength.

The new hospital has room for growth. The building can be expanded up to 153 beds. Penn State Health also owns a tract across the road from the hospital and Frank envisions more doctors offices will be built there at some point. “We’ve come in with a very modest footprint,” he said.

At the same time, health systems are increasingly looking 

to deliver care outside of the hospital and in the home

. The changing nature of healthcare played a role in deciding the size of the new hospital.

“Home care is going to be really big,” he said. “We didn’t need to build 400 beds here.”

The new hospital includes an emergency department with over 30 beds, including separate beds for patients with mental health needs.

The emergency department includes a room reserved for victims of sexual assault, offering them more privacy so they can receive treatment and talk more openly without being heard by other patients and staff.

Michael Reihart, the director of the hospital’s emergency services, is a well-known figure in the area’s medical community. Reihart helped build a strong team, Frank said.

“Our emergency room here is going to be outstanding,” Frank said.

Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center is offering large, spacious rooms in its maternity unit. The new hospital began accepting patients Monday, Oct. 3, but the women's services is slated to open in November.

The women’s service unit, which is slated to open next month, also will draw patients to the medical center, Frank said. Patients having babies will stay in spacious rooms, with plenty of space for partners, a large tub and an expansive bathroom.

“One of the unique features of the hospital here is our women services program and our birthing center that we’re going to be opening,” Frank said. “It’s staffed by a remarkable group of physicians, midwives, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and support staff. Very dynamic people, very capable people, very experienced people, and they are going to be opening their department in a way that creates a completely different feel than what’s currently available in the community.”

Carol Newsom, director of women’s services at Penn State Health, said the goal is to treat patients and their families holistically. Her team is going to work to engage with patients with warmth to ensure they have the best possible experience.

She also said the maternity unit will offer little luxury touches, including toiletries from local spas. “We’re going to pamper them a little bit,” Newsom said.

Katie Galbraith talks about jump from Duke hospital to Lankenau Medical Center

Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center offers outpatient services. The new hospital began accepting patients Monday, Oct. 3.

In addition to the medical center, Penn State Health opened a new pediatric center in Lancaster County in the summer. While Penn State health is undoubtedly expanding its presence in the county, system leaders point out they have been serving the community for years.

Lancaster County, home to more than 550,000 residents, sits as a logical place for expansion for several reasons, Frank said. It’s one of Pennsylvania’s fastest growing counties. The county is also gaining more popularity as a place to retire. The Lancaster area has a large population of seniors, and they will need more medical services.

“We’ve spent years planning and designing this facility. So we know our growth here will be very deliberate, very sort of purposeful in terms of how we add capacity going forward,” Frank said. “It’s clear that in three to four years, we will be expanding our ability here to continue to take care of more people. Lancaster County is growing, and the population has a high percentage of people who are over 65, who utilize healthcare at higher rates, and we’re prepared to make those accommodations.”

While he talks about the hospital’s growth in the future, Frank clearly takes immense pride in what has already been built.

“We’ve got all this great momentum,” Frank said.

Walking throughout the hospital, Frank points at different paintings from artists living in Lancaster County. The hospital features hundreds of pieces of art from local artists. One painting of a rural landscape was contributed by a local artist whose son was successfully treated for cancer at Penn State Children’s Hospital, Frank said.

He repeatedly spoke about the staff and how they’re going to engage patients. “They’re going to deliver those high patient satisfaction scores,” he said.

“The patient experience here is going to definitely be our brand,” Frank said. “People are going to quickly differentiate that this is a wonderful place to get care provided by very experienced, dynamic people.”

When asked what he’s most excited about, Frank said it’s “the culture that we’ve created here and the team that we’ve assembled.”

“We’re very focused on creating a very unique experience here for patients and also for the staff that works here,” Frank said. “It feeds on each other: a dynamic staff delivering dynamic care for our friends and neighbors.”

It’s Penn State Health’s second new hospital in a year. Joseph Frank of Penn State Health talked with Chief Healthcare Executive about building a staff and planning for growth. 


Penn State Health opens new $375M hospital in Lancaster County

With more doctors being assaulted and targeted, three major health groups are urging the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the threats of violence aimed at physicians and children's hospitals.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, and Children’s Hospital Association sent a 

 Monday to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland. They urged the attorney general to take action to stop the disturbing rise in threats and violence aimed at doctors, hospitals and families for providing and seeking gender-affirming healthcare.

“We write to urge you to investigate the organizations, individuals, and entities coordinating, provoking, and carrying out bomb threats and threats of personal violence against children’s hospitals and physicians across the U.S.,” the letter states.

The health groups are also pressing social media platforms to stop the spread of misinformation and rhetoric that incites threats of violence aimed at children’s hospitals and physicians. They called on Twitter, TikTok and Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, to take steps to stop the coordinated spread of disinformation.

Moira Szilagyi, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, implored federal authorities to take action.

“Whether it’s newborns receiving intensive care, children getting cancer treatments or families accessing compassionate care for their transgender adolescents, all patients seeking treatment deserve to get the care they need without fear for their personal safety,” Szilagyi said in a statement. 

“We cannot stand by as threats of violence against our members and their patients proliferate with little consequence," she said.

Amy Wimpey Knight, president of the Children’s Hospital Association, said the group is seeking “to prevent misleading and inflammatory comments that result in threats to those caring for patients.”

“We are committed to providing safe, supportive and inclusive health care environments for each and every child and family, and the clinicians and staff who are dedicated to caring for children,” Knight said in the statement. “Threats and acts of violence are not a solution, nor a substitute, for civil dialogue about issues of a child or teen’s health and wellbeing.”

The health groups state that the attacks are disrupting patient care. 

Threats aimed at Boston Children’s Hospital

 have drawn national attention, but the organizations said these attacks, fueled by disinformation on social media, are occurring around the country.

“From Boston to Akron to Nashville to Seattle, children's hospitals, academic health systems, and physicians are being targeted and threatened for providing evidence-based health care,” the letter stated. “These attacks have not only made it difficult and dangerous for institutions and practices to provide this care, they have also disrupted many other services to families seeking care.”

“Children’s hospitals and their medical staffs continue to face increased threats via social media – including to their personal accounts. Coupled with harassing emails, phone calls, and protestors at health care sites, there is elevated and justifiable fear among families, patients, and staff,” the letter stated.

Jack Resneck Jr., president of the AMA, said the organization will work with federal authorities to protect doctors.

“Individuals in all workplaces have the right to a safe environment, out of harm’s way and free of intimidation or reprisal,” Resneck said in a statement. “As physicians, we condemn groups that promote hate-motivated intolerance and toxic misinformation that can lead to grave real-world violence and extremism and jeopardize patients' health outcomes.”

The groups represent more than 270,000 doctors and more than 220 children’s hospitals.

Children’s hospitals are being forced to increase security measures, the groups said.

Doctors and hospital leaders have denounced the rise in violence aimed at physicians, which they say has risen during the pandemic.

Most emergency doctors have reported rising violence

, and they say the attacks are driving doctors and nurses out of emergency medicine. They also say it is impeding their ability to care for patients. When hospital staff must subdue an attacker, wait times in the emergency department grow longer.

They want Attorney General Merrick Garland to stop threats targeting providers of gender-affirming healthcare. Social media platforms also must curb the rhetoric that incites threats and attacks, they said.

Health groups press Justice Department to stop attacks aimed at children's hospitals, doctors

Hospital performance improved in August, but health systems are still in negative territory, Kaufman Hall said in its new report.

The median Kaufman Hall Year-To-Date (YTD) Operating Margin Index was -0.3% through August, the consulting firm said in its new monthly report, which came out Monday. The index has been in negative territory for all of 2022 so far.

“Nine months into a challenging year, margins have fluctuated wildly,” the report states. “Although most metrics improved from July to August, organizations are still operating with negative margins and well below pre-pandemic levels.”

Even with hospitals making gains in some areas, “organizations are still in poor shape, with a negative median operating margin,” Kaufman Hall stated. Hospitals have higher expenses and lower volume compared to the levels before the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Hospitals are losing billions of dollars this year. Kaufman Hall prepared a report on hospital performance for the American Hospital Association last month. Its stark conclusion: 

More than half of all hospitals are projected to have negative margins for the rest of the year

Hospital leaders describe cuts in services due to financial crunch

Hospitals are seeing some improvement, but they are also seeing more competition in the form of urgent care centers and surgery centers, said Erik Swanson, senior vice president of data and analytics with Kaufman Hall.

“August was a better month for hospital patient volumes with both elective surgeries and discharges up, which combined to improve revenues,” Swanson said in a statement.

“Despite the short-term improvements, though, overall hospital performance is still well below pre-pandemic levels,” he said. “In addition, hospitals need to reckon with new market entrants, like urgent care centers and free-standing surgery centers, that are chipping away at hospital outpatient revenues and overall margins.”

As part of their long-term planning, health system executives should be considering ways to provide care outside the hospital, Kaufman Hall suggests.

As hospitals face economic downturn, leaders must think strategically

The latest report isn’t as dreary as some of Kaufman Hall’s other reports this year. Hospitals brought in more revenue, largely as they treated more patients.

Some patients returned to hospitals for elective procedures, the report suggests. 

Operating room minutes frose 13.6% from July to August and were up 5.5% year over year. Patient days rose slightly from July (0.7%), but are down 7.9% compared to August 2021. Emergency department visits increased 1.1% from July, but they are down 2.4% compared to August 2021.

Adjusted discharges rose 7% from July to August and were up 5.4% compared to August 2021.

The average length of stay in hospitals dropped a bit in August, falling 2.1% compared to July. In recent months, 

hospital leaders have said they are seeing patients who deferred care during the pandemic and are now sicker

, requiring longer and more expensive stays.

Congress gives rural hospitals a reprieve, for now

Gross operating revenue jumped 9.1% from July and is 5.5% higher than in August 2021. Outpatient revenue rose 10.9% from July and is up 7.8% year-to-date. Inpatient revenue rose 4.9% from July to August, and is up 2.3% year-to-date.

Total expenses rose 3.3% from July to August and are 6% higher than August 2021. Total expenses are up 8.9% so far in 2022. Hospitals paid more for supplies in August, with supply costs rising 10.7% compared to July.

Labor expenses rose 1.3% from July to August, but have jumped 10.6% since January.

The number of full-time employees per bed dropped 3.3% in August, compared to July. Kaufman Hall said that indicates “the labor shortage is still very much in effect.”

Despite some revenue growth, many hospitals are likely to finish the year in negative territory, Kaufman Hall said in its latest report. 
