Top healthcare systems by hospital beds (2024)

Fig. 1 Data is from the Definitive Healthcare HospitalViewproduct and obtained from a variety of sources including the Medicare Cost Report and proprietary research. Accessed February2024.

Which healthcare system has the mostbeds?

HCA Healthcare hospitals have more than 41,600 beds in total making it the largest health system in the U.S. by bed size. It is also the largest health system by total number of hospitals and net patient revenue. It has about 16,400 more beds than the second largest U.S. healthsystem.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is the second largest healthcare system in the country with more than 25,200 beds across itshospitals.

The top 10 healthcare systems cover 1,210 hospitals and more than 185,000 hospitalbeds.

Here are some quick facts and figures about the top five largest IDNs by bed count in the U.S. in descendingorder:

5. AscensionHealth

Ascension Health, based in St. Louis, Missouri is the fifth largest U.S. healthcare system with 17,286 staffed member hospital beds. The faith-based organization has facilities in 12 states and Washington D.C., with facilities concentrated in the Midwest, Southeast, andSouth.

Fastfacts:

• 17,286 staffedbeds
• 129hospitals
• 740facilities
• 695,096discharges
• $22.6 billion net patientrevenue

4. CommonSpiritHealth

Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health merged in 2019 to form CommonSpirit Health, now the fourth largest healthcare system by bed size. The organization has 19,405 staffed beds and 157 hospitals across 18 states. Some of the states with the most CommonSpirit Health hospitals are located in the western U.S. including California, Colorado, Arizona, and Washington.

Fastfacts:

• 19,405 staffedbeds
• 157hospitals
• 797facilities
• 809,039discharges
• $30.6 billion net patientrevenue

3. Universal HealthServices

Universal Health Services ranks third for total hospital beds among U.S. healthcare systems, with more than 21,000 staffed beds. . The health system is headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania and its facilities are found in 40 states including Texas, Florida, andNevada.

Fastfacts:

• 21,201 staffedbeds
• 182hospitals
• 316facilities
• 702,099discharges
• $10.4 billion net patientrevenue

2. Department of Veterans Affairs(VA)

VA hospitals provide healthcare services to nine million veterans that served in the U.S. military. It is the second largest healthcare system in the U.S. by hospital bed count with more than 25,000 beds and 161 hospitals. VA hospitals cover all 50 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. VA hospitals are government run and do not report financialfigures.

Fastfacts:

• 25,260 staffedbeds
• 161hospitals
• 544facilities
• 2.2 million ERvisits
• 18 Veterans Integrated Services Networks(VISNs)

1. HCAHealthcare

Ranked as the largest U.S. healthcare system by total member hospital beds is HCA Healthcare with over 41,000 staffed beds. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, its facilities cover 18 states, with the most hospitals in Texas, Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia.

Fastfacts:

• 41,694 staffedbeds
• 219hospitals
• 1,245facilities
• 1,943,582discharges
• $50.5 billion net patientrevenue

HCA Healthcare has remained the largest IDN in the country for a number of years and has continued to grow. Compared to historical HospitalView data, HCA’s bed count increased by 10% from 2019 to2024.

Learnmore

IDNs provide an array of healthcare services, from outpatient surgical centers and imaging facilities to specialized cancer centers and children’s hospitals. They grow their coverage by adding to their service offerings, building new healthcare facilities, and through mergers and acquisitions. Large health systems aim to retain as many patients as possible in network while providing qualitycare.

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