Study: Hospitals acquired by Catholic health systems unlikely to eliminate obstetrics
Summary
A national study compared over 700 first-time hospital acquisitions between 2009 and 2022 to see how operations change when hospitals are acquired by Catholic vs. non-Catholic systems. The study found that Catholic-system acquisitions are less likely than non-Catholic ones to eliminate obstetrics (labor and delivery) units. Catholic-owned systems also tend to preserve or expand mission-oriented services such as charity care and chaplaincy.
Relevance
This research provides empirical insight into how Catholic health system ownership affects the preservation of essential services in hospitals. It suggests that Catholic acquisitions may offer more protection for obstetric care compared to non-Catholic ones, which could matter greatly for communities at risk of losing maternal health services.