May 03, 2022
After a challenging start to the year, U.S. hospitals saw outpatient volumes and revenues rise during March, but significant challenges remain for the rest of 2022, according to Kaufman Hall’s monthly National Hospital Flash Report.
With expenses easing slightly and a return of outpatient care, U.S. hospitals’ median change in operating margin rose 32.7 percent month-over-month, according to the report released this week.
Despite encouraging signs, actual year-to-date hospital operating margins remained negative for a third consecutive month, and supply chain issues, labor costs, and inflation kept expenses above March 2020 and March 2021 levels.
“Hospitals experienced a resurgence in outpatient care and revenues in March, as many patients sought care they delayed during the Omicron surge,” Erik Swanson, Kaufman Hall’s senior vice president of data and analytics, said in a statement. “Declining COVID-19 case rates also meant hospitals had fewer high-acuity patients.”
Here are four insights from the monthly report:
“While the road to recovery remains long for many hospitals, these trends indicate some pressures of the pandemic may be lifting,” Swanson said.
HAP continues to advocate for resources and support to ensure Pennsylvania’s hospitals can continue to provide outstanding care in their communities.
Kaufman Hall’s monthly flash report draws on data from more than 900 hospitals and is available online.
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