Hospital finances showed signs of stabilizing in May amid slightly improving operating margins, declining expenses and notable increases in outpatient visits, according to Kaufman Hall’s latest “National Flash Hospital Report,” which is based on data from more than 1,300 hospitals.
The median year-to-date operating margin index for hospitals hit 0.3 percent in May, up from 0.1 percent in April and March, according to Kaufman Hall. Although operating margins are slowly moving in the right direction, they remain far below historical norms, Becker’s reports.
Hospitals also saw some downward pressure on labor costs. While labor expenses remain significant, they were well below comparable levels from May 2022, according to the report. Read more.
