Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems, one of the largest for-profit health systems in the country, reported $179 million net income in 2022, a 51.4 percent drop from the $368 million net income reported the prior year.
The drop was driven by a decline in net operating revenues, fewer inpatient admissions and what CHS termed "unfavorable changes" in payer mix.
Total operating costs and expenses for the year ended Dec. 31 were $11.4 billion, up from $11 billion in 2021. Net operating revenues were $12.2 billion in 2022, down slightly from $12.4 billion the prior year.
Net income in the final three months of the year totaled $446 million compared with $223 million in the same period in 2021.
"We were pleased with our progress during the final quarter of the year, including solid volume growth in admissions, adjusted admissions and surgeries," CEO Tim Hingtgen said in a statement. "We also significantly reduced contract labor from its peak in early 2022 while improving overall employee recruitment and retention levels."
CHS, which owns or leases 79 affiliated hospitals with approximately 13,000 beds and operates more than 1,000 sites of care, also released guidance for 2023, predicting annual revenues of between $12.2 billion and $12.6 billion. Such figures compare with $12.2 billion in 2022.
The system, which is also predicting a net loss in 2023 between 0.05 and 0.65 a share, recorded long-term debt of $11.6 billion as of Dec. 31 compared with $12.1 billion at the same time in 2021.