The AHA and Catholic Health Association of the United States today released a report on the value of benefits nonprofit hospitals and health systems provide for their communities.

Key report findings include:

• Nonprofit hospitals provide numerous community benefits in addition to financial assistance, adapting these services to regulatory changes and communities’ evolving demographics and economic conditions.
• Community benefits vary by hospital characteristics, such as the type of patients the hospital serves, core functions, status as a sole provider in rural or underserved areas, and size.
• Providing care at a loss to low-income patients covered through Medicaid and those in need of financial assistance is an important and related component of community benefit. Shifts in federal and state policy can significantly impact the distribution of community benefits from year to year.

“Advancing the health and wellness of the patients and communities they serve is a foundational mission for all our nation’s hospitals and health systems,” said AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack. “This report shows that hospitals of all kinds — urban and rural, large and small — are demonstrating the value they provide and solidifying their commitment to making their communities healthier in ways that address specific local needs.”