The Growth of Catholic Healthcare Systems

​Catholic healthcare systems have seen significant growth in the United States, with four out of the ten largest operating in 41 states. These systems are expanding beyond hospitals, with the ten largest overseeing nearly a thousand urgent care centers, approximately 400 ambulatory surgery centers, and close to 300 physician groups.

Upon analyzing hospital data from nearly 20 years of growth by Catholic health systems, it became clear that suitable business practices, such as business partnerships, expansion into new forms of healthcare, and mergers and acquisitions, are extending the reach and impact of Catholic health restrictions across the United States.

In addition to increasing their presence in hospitals and physician practices, Catholic health systems are also expanding into the growing sectors of urgent care, retail health clinics, and ambulatory surgery. Short-term acute care hospitals operating under Catholic health restrictions have grown over time, even though non-Catholic short-term acute care hospitals have dropped by double-digit percentage points.

As a result, more communities are becoming reliant on Catholic short-term acute care hospitals. In at least ten states, at least 30 percent of short-term acute care beds are in Catholic hospitals, and 30 percent or more of all births happen in a Catholic hospital.

Paul Generale

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