An update on safety-net hospitals: coping with the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Recent forces have created new financial stress for hospitals but also some relief. This paper explores hospitals' changing involvement in the safety net between 1996 and 2002. We replicate approaches used in a study of 1990-1997 and thus provide a needed update on the U.S. hospital safety net. Overall, some groups of safety-net hospitals increased uncompensated care, but others did not. Non-safety-net hospitals trimmed certain services commonly used by the indigent; this may point to future reductions in access. We examine the implications of these findings for the future of the safety net.
Bazzoli
Gloria J
GJ
Department of Health Administration, Virginia Commonwealth University, in Richmond, USA. gbazzoli@vcu.edu
Kang
Ray
R
Hasnain-Wynia
Romana
R
Lindrooth
Richard C
RC
D000573:American Hospital Association; D005377:Financial Management, Hospital / Q000639:trends*; D005544:Forecasting; D019981:Health Care Sector / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006291:Health Policy / Q000639:trends*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000639:trends*; D006761:Hospitals / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006777:Hospitals, Proprietary / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D006788:Hospitals, Voluntary / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D010067:Ownership; D011357:Product Line Management; D017664:Uncompensated Care / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States