List date(s) this work was published or aired.
6-Aug-12
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
This story highlights the growing dependence that hospitals have on revenue from outpatient care — and what it means for M&A, capital investments and even physician staffing.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
Most of the financial data for the story was found in earnings reports or provided by sources interviewed.
Explain types of human sources used.
This story was driven by interviews, and I spoke to a number of hospital executives involved in business development as well as health economics professors and business consultants.
Results:
The articles quantifies just how large an effect outpatient care has had on the bottom lines of hospital systems, both in terms of sheer dollars as well as the ripple effect that was created when hospitals started thinking of “patients” as “consumers.”
Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
Not applicable.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
Always try to find the other side of the story; hospitals may be excited to promote a new area of business — but what does that mean for their acute care model and where are they getting the money to pay it?