Health Professionals & Hospitals

Hospitals function either on public or private ownership. Public hospitals are primarily financed by the government, while private hospitals can be either profit-driven or non-profit. In 2021, the U.S. had around 1,397 publicly owned hospitals and 4,732 privately owned hospitals. The share of public and private hospitals varies from one country to another, depending on their health system, government, and income levels.

Despite earlier warnings from organizations, hospitals were unprepared for an emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Countries implemented lockdowns to avoid hospital bed overcapacity, staff shortages, and a lack of supplies and vital medical equipment. The different preparation levels of countries prompted a global discussion. Ultimately, hospital functioning is under increased scrutiny and is bound to evolve to better respond to future scenarios.

In the U.S. hospitals sometimes are involved in an ownership, lease, sponsorship, or contract-management relationship with a central organization. Currently, according to the American Hospital Association, 67% of U.S. hospitals are system-affiliated within 417 health care systems in the U.S. The largest of these health systems is the Hospital Corporation of America, based in Nashville, Tennessee with 184 hospitals.