New Hampshire hospitals hurting
Eighty-five percent of New Hampshire hospitals are experiencing declining financial health as a result of the recession, despite implementing cost-saving measures such as reducing administrative expenses and cutting staff.
According to a survey by the New Hampshire Hospital Association, a majority of the state’s hospitals reported increases in the number of uninsured patient visits to their emergency departments (60 percent), uncompensated care (70 percent) and the number of patients covered by Medicaid or other public programs for low-income populations (53 percent).
Forty-three percent of hospitals reported that their ability to access capital to make facility upgrades and clinical and information technology improvements has not improved, while 48 percent said it's getting worse.
“Hospitals face a difficult challenge trying to balance the growing needs of their communities with today’s economic circumstances,” said NHHA president Steve Ahnen.
See the video below, posted to YouTube by the American Hospital Association, for Ahnen's full commentary on the situation.
