Hospital closures and bankruptcies were among the healthcare finance topics that piqued the interest of readers in January.
Here are the five most popular finance stories published by Becker's Hospital Review in January:
1. Missouri hospital abruptly closes, misses payroll
Employees of Pinnacle Regional Hospital in Boonville, Mo., got less than one day's notice before the hospital closed. Pinnacle Regional closed Jan. 15 at 7 p.m., about seven hours after officials first announced the hospital was shutting down. In a statement, hospital officials cited the need for costly repairs as the reason for the closure.
2. Washington hospital closes
Astria Regional Medical Center in Yakima, Wash., closed in late January and laid off its 463 employees.
3. Rates charged by hospitals have soared, study finds
The rates hospitals charge for care, including inpatient, outpatient and emergency services, have skyrocketed, according to a study published in Health Affairs.
4. Bon Secours to close Kentucky hospital, affecting 1,000 employees
Cincinnati-based Bon Secours Mercy Health plans to close its hospital in Eastern Kentucky by the end of September.
5. St. Louis hospital delays payroll after filing for bankruptcy
St. Alexius Hospital in St. Louis distributed payroll late after the 190-bed hospital filed for bankruptcy Dec. 30.