Already, two not-for-profit hospitals in the region, Deaconess Hospitals and Brown County General Hospital, have considered becoming for-profit or partnering with for-profit companies to remain in business.
Deaconess, which had a net operating loss for 2008 of $13.1 million, announced that it was interested in finding a buyer or partner in March and received responses from both non-profit and for-profit hospitals and management companies.
Brown County General, which is owned by the county, had a $2.5 million operating loss last year. The hospital is also looking for a partner or buyer and is considering for-profits, such as Community Health Systems, Capella Healthcare and Health Management Associates.
According to the report, this openness of hospitals to consider offers from for-profits is a sign of the times in healthcare. Both large and small hospitals are looking for ways of attaining capital to keep their physicians on staff and to keep their facilities up to date.
The American Hospital Association reported 873 investor-owned hospitals in the United States in 2007, a 14 percent increase from 2002, according to the report. Non-profit hospitals were down from 3,025 to 2,913 in that same period. Ohio currently has seven for-profit hospitals.
Read the Business Courier’s report on the increasing trend toward for-profit hospitals.
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