What is your opinion on "For Profit Hospitals" - Page 2

I currently work for a for-profit hospital. I worked for 2 non-profit hospitals prior to coming to my current hospital.

I have found, as has already been said, that the quality of equipment and technology is substantially lower at my current for-profit facility than it ever was at either of the non-profit places I worked.

Changes are now being made; we just got a brand new PICU (my unit) and NICU, which are very nice. We've gotten some new, nicer equipment as well, and I think that change is the result of complaints from the communities we serve.

As for the medicaid/uninsured people - my facility used to turn away people without means to pay for their care (unless it was a true emergency), but now I believe there is a law to prevent that? However, a lot of the doctors that contract with my hospital don't accept medicaid or uninsured patients in their offices, so they don't admit a whole lot of medicaid/uninsured patients to our hospital.

While I like my job (even though I'm getting totally burnt out on nursing) sometimes it gives me a pause, thinking of a few people getting rich on the misery of others. Naturally, every business has to make money to stay afloat, but it just seems different to think of all that money being used to better the hospital vs. lining the pockets of a few investors. I opted not to participate in the employee-stock purchase plan because the idea made me feel a little creepy.

Interestingly, there is bill in congress aimed at putting a few curbs on this situation. Now it will not limit CEO pay in anyway. It would just insist that large business give their stockholders a chance to vote on paypackages. The vote would be non binding, it biggest effect would be to get those figures in front of people and get them thinking about what the board of directors it up to. The second part of the bill would limit the size of the tax credit corporations could take as result of the CEOs pay. I support that also because right now if they pay a billion dollars to the CEO they get to deduct that much from their profits before they pay taxes. That means that Jane Q. Taxpayer is helping support these megapayroll days for the people who are all ready rich. If this bill would pass they could continue to pay as much as they please but there would be a limit to the size of the tax credit. I think it is a good bill but big business will be screaming and moaning about like they are being murdered.

I always see people saying that for-profit = hell and non-profit = heaven. I've worked at a non-profit and for-profit health care facilities in the last 5 years, and I've been at a for-profit that had the same problems that everyone complains of about non-profit. Pay freezes, low wages, old equipment, under-staffing, high turnover rate, etc. It depends on each facility. There are good and bad in both. So unless you are planning on working in the business/executive team aspect of the hospital, it shouldn't really matter to you as a nurse in the end what happens to the money. Though I do wonder that if I worked for a public for-profit place like HCA and bought stock in them, would I be more motivated to work harder since I was a partial owner of the company?

having experienced both sides of the coin i truly don't see much difference for those that don't have any investment within the given facility. following this further, when i worked at a profit facility i did see my share of "bonuses" being in the upper management position. undoubtedly, you have raised a question worthy of research if one's willing and motivated enough to follow through

I worked for a for profit LTC just after graduation... The care was sub-standard at best but I loved my job there! The patients were a unique bunch of folks. We had everything...drug addicts, prostitutes, young disabled folks, elderly patients, severely mentally ill patients, etc... We'd see a story on the news and that person would get wheeled into one of our units several weeks later! LOL I miss that crazy place. I miss the staff, the patients, the entertainment...

Mostly, though, I have worked for non-profits... And it hasn't always been heaven! Trust me on this one! Some of them constantly understaff and blame the nurses for it. I last for 7 months at one facility many years ago. They were supposedly an LTC but the care was far more transitional than anything else. They thought nothing of giving me multiple admits in one shift while I had 22 other patients...many of whom would fall all of the time... Other were tube meds multiple times a shift, some were resistant to care... They can hire a new grad for that BS. I adored the patients there and I felt bad for them. They were not getting what had been promised to them.

My not-for-profit hospital network made over $200 million dollars last year. The CEO makes around $2 million a year.

Some things should not have a profit motive. Especially hospitals.

I agree, Bklyn_RN. It's unethical. The for profit hospitals/medical facilities hold the nurses to the highest possible standards while taking the low road themselves... The ironic thing is that any nurse they have deemed as worthy is too good to work for them.

every hospital in the USA wants to make a profit. The status is just for tax purposes. Not-for-profit will not pay as much tax and raise money thru bonds (very political), but if they make a profit they have to re-invest in the company while keeping some for a cushion. Re-investing can be as simple as giving all the directors a bonus. For-profit raise money thru stock, pay taxes and re-invest any profits. Re-investing can be bonuses here too. Obviously, both can re-invest in equipment, capital improvements, etc but both want to make a profit. If the not-for-profit continues to lose money it will be hard to sell bonds next time capital is needed.