Number: 289 Topic: For-profit hospitals <desc> Description: How will the emergence of chains of for-profit hospitals affect the hospital industry and the provision of health care? <narr> Narrative: Over the past several years some community hospitals have been forced to close, and others have seen their bed occupancy rate drop to low levels. Entrepreneurs have bought up inefficiently operated hospitals, and have formed them into large chains. The Columbia Healthcare Corporation has been very active in this area, and by October 1993 it had created a chain of 190 hospitals. Critics of these chains argue that they could limit consumer choice and eventually raise costs as the chains became more powerful. They also say that the concentration on the bottom line could have an adverse effect on health care, particularly if doctors are offered an equity stake in the operations. Any item which discusses the formation and management of hospital chains, or which discusses how the chains affect other hospitals or the provision of health care would be relevant.