Citing inflation and labor cost pressures, Renton, Wash.-based Providence recorded an operating loss of $510.16 million in the first quarter of 2022, according to financial documents released May 13. In the same quarter one year prior, Providence posted an operating loss of $221.91 million.
In the quarter ended March 31, the 51-hospital health system saw its operating revenue hit $6.29 billion. In the same quarter one year prior, Providence recorded operating revenue of $6.44 billion.
Providence's expenses grew about 2 percent year over year to $6.8 billion. In the comparable quarter in 2021, Providence recorded expenses of $6.67 billion. Providence attributed the expense increase to added costs of agency staff, overtime, retention and wage increases, as well as supply cost boosts.
Providence also said that excluding from the 2021 comparison the assets of Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach, Calif. — which split from Providence in January — the health system's expenses grew 9 percent year over year.
After factoring in nonoperating items, including investment losses of $359 million and a $3.41 billion disaffiliation cost tied to the Hoag Memorial split, Providence recorded a net loss of $4.25 billion in the first quarter of 2022.
"With the pandemic, the last two years were challenging for many in healthcare. However, 2022 may be the biggest challenge yet," Providence CFO Greg Hoffman said. "Rising costs due to inflation and the health care labor crisis are putting significant pressure on major U.S. health systems, some of whom have reported significant operating losses this quarter."