Here are the 10 largest for-profit hospital chains in the United States based on the number of hospitals and the leaders who guide them.
Initial research from Statista.
Community Health Systems (Franklin, Tenn.): Consisting of 159 affiliated hospitals in 22 states, Community Health Systems includes about 27,000 licensed beds. The health system involves approximately 123,000 employees and 20,000 physicians. The hospitals offer both inpatient and outpatient services. Wayne T. Smith serves as the health system's chairman of the board and CEO.
Hospital Corporation of America (Nashville, Tenn.): Founded in 1968, HCA now encompasses 169 locally managed hospitals and 116 freestanding surgery centers across 20 states and the United Kingdom. Collectively, the hospitals include 233,000 employees, 37,000 physicians and 79,000 nurses. Ranked 63rd in Fortune 500, HCA reports more than 26 million patient visits annually. R. Milton Johnson serves as the chairman and CEO.
Tenet Healthcare (Dallas): Encompassing 79 hospitals, 20 short-stay surgical hospitals and more than 470 outpatient centers, Tenet Healthcare includes 130,000 employees. The health system also has a United Kingdom presence with nine facilities. Tenet offers primary care, chronic care management, urgent care, outpatient surgery, advanced diagnostics, rehabilitation and acute hospital care, among other services. Trevor Fetter serves as Tenet's Chairman and CEO.
LifePoint Health (Brentwood, Tenn.): Founded in 1999, LifePoint Health now includes 72 hospital campuses in 22 states. Additionally, the health system owns and operates more than 40 post-acute service providers and facilities as well as more than 30 outpatient centers. LifePoint has more than 46,000 employees. The health system is committed to providing quality care in non-urban communities around the nation. William F. Carpenter, III, serves as the health system's chairman and CEO.
Prime Healthcare Services (Ontario, Calif.): Founded in 2001, the hospital management company operates 43 acute care hospitals across 14 states. Prime Healthcare acquired most of its hospitals in or near bankruptcy and turned them around. Prime Healthcare includes about 43,000 employees who offer inpatient and outpatient services in the areas of general acute care services, emergency room, general surgery, specialty surgery, critical care, obstetrics, behavioral health, rehabilitation and diagnostic services. The hospital chain ranks as one the of the nation's top five largest for-profit hospital systems. Prem Reddy, MD, serves as chairman, president and CEO.
Universal Health Services (King of Prussia, Pa.): Founded in 1979 by Alan B. Miller, Universal Health Services operates more than 240 acute care hospitals and ambulatory centers in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands as well as the United Kingdom. Over the past three years, the company has invested more than $1 billion into its facilities and more than 46 of the acute care and behavioral health facilities were rated top performers on key quality measures by the Joint Commission. Net revenue from acute care hospitals during the first quarter was up 12 percent. The company’s acute care division provides care at 25 hospitals in California, Florida, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Washington, DC. Mr. Miller continues to lead the company as CEO.
IASIS Healthcare (Franklin, Tenn.): IASIS includes 16 acute care hospitals, one behavioral hospital and 132 physician clinics, multiple outpatient surgical units, imaging centers and urgent care institution investments. The privately-held company was founded in 1998 and acquired Texas Pacific Group in 2004. The company’s business model is focused on acute care expertise and managed care risk with an eye toward population health, integrated delivery and healthcare services payment. IASIS facilities serve around 1.1 million patients annually. The CEO is W. Carl Whitmer.
Ardent Health Services (Nashville, Tenn.): Ardent Health Services has 14 hospitals and three health systems around the country. The company has made investments totaling around $800 million since 2001 and expanded services to include lifesaving technology. The company also includes three physician groups and 350 employed physicians. Last year, Ventas acquired Ardent Health Services for $1.75 billion. David T. Vandewater is the president and CEO.
Capella Healthcare (Franklin, Tenn.): Founded in 2005, Capella Healthcare is focused on operating and developing healthcare facilities. The hospital chain currently has 10 hospitals and launched a clinical affiliation with MUSC Health in South Carolina to build a regional network with two other Capella facilities. The facilities span Arkansas, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina and Washington. The privately-held company is led by President and CEO Mike Wiechart who assumed the role in 2014.
Steward Health Care System (Boston): Steward Health Care System is a community-based healthcare organization with 10 hospital campuses and 24 affiliated urgent care provider locations. The company works with 3,000 physicians as an integrated accountable care organization focused on quality care and cost-effectiveness. The company’s ACO covers 90 percent of its commercial payer lives and 80,000 Medicare members in the Medicare Pioneer ACO. Steward is a for-profit health care system and is one of the five largest employers in Massachusetts. Ralph de la Torre is the CEO.