In this day and age, hospitals are dealing with millions of healthcare dollars and they hardly seem like what one would think of as non-profit. Many think of a church or philanthropic organization when they think of non-profit because theoretically, through their untaxed status, they are able to give back more. How does a non-profit hospital give back and does it differ much from a for-profit hospital? There is a volume-driven component to non-profit hospitals that helps keep them afloat. Your care could be guided by what the hospital needs you to have done. An article by the Orlando Sentinel gives examples of how this happens and details the decisions of the non-profit in an understandable way. Medicare rates hospitals based on patient satisfaction, so the hospital that has the more modern look and patient amenities might win better ratings, and non-profits, while trying to gain dominance over a for-profit hospital, know this. They buy up small clinics and medical practices that lessen the provider options in your area. This article does an excellent job of exposing some of the underbelly of hospital income/motivations. Paragon Orthopedics will follow up with another article on this subject tomorrow. The information is eye-opening.
Are nonprofit hospitals truly not for profit? – Orlando Sentinel
