Becker's Healthcare November 20, 2024
As financial pressures mount and competition intensifies, hospitals and health systems are increasingly pursuing mergers and acquisitions to diversify their portfolios, strengthen bargaining power and pursue economies of scale.
From rural communities to major metropolitan areas, hospital consolidation is expected to gather momentum in the coming quarters. Yet as consolidation accelerates, so too does the debate over its effects on pricing, competition and patient outcomes.
Here are 50 things to know about hospital consolidation and what it means for the future of healthcare:
1. Hospital mergers and acquisitions have increased steadily over the last two decades, and at an accelerated pace since 2010. While the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily slowed hospital consolidation, the trend has rebounded this year...