Research and Trends

Making Our Case

AHA studies support the advocacy efforts of the association and its member hospitals as they work to provide health care services to communities around the country. This section of the AHA website will provide you with the latest research and analysis of important and emerging trends in the hospital and health care field.  AHA sponsors or conducts policy research in the areas of provider payment, limited-service hospitals, the cost of health care, information technology and other topics to assist members and policy makers in understanding issues critical to America’s hospitals.

Health and Hospital Trends

Every year AHA releases a series of reports that provide up to date information on both health and hospital trends.  Data from various sources including the AHA Annual Survey is compiled and made available through our TrendWatch Chartbook.  Other reports and surveys of hospital leaders are released throughout the year and provide a snapshot of issues like the workforce shortage, ED diversion, health care costs, disaster preparedness and other topics of interest to hospital members, policy makers and the media.

AHA Policy Research

AHA research reports examine key issues to inform the policy making process.  These include the TrendWatch series, a periodic AHA publication that reports on the latest trends affecting hospitals and the health care system (now conducted in collaboration with Avalere Health* www.avalerehealth.net), as well as other AHA sponsored studies. 

Featured Reports

Hospital & Physician Cost Shift: Payment Level Comparison of Medicare, Medicare, Medicaid, and Commercial Payers, December 2008

Low Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements to hospitals and physicians lead to significantly higher health insurance costs for consumers and employers, according to a study released by Milliman Inc.  The report found that annual health care spending for an average family of four is $1,788 higher than it would be if Medicare, Medicaid and private employers paid hospitals and physicians similar rates, with total provider reimbursement unchanged. 

Press Release (pdf)
Chartpack (ppt)
Supporting Statement by U.S. Chamber of Commerce (pdf)

Report on the Economic Crisis:
Initial Impact on Hospitals, November 2008

With our nation's economic troubles, fewer patients are seeking hospital care while at the same time a growing proportion of patients need help paying for care, according to the study, Report on the Economic Crisis: Initial Impact on Hospitals. This report is based on survey results from 736 hospitals and information from DATABANK, a web-based reporting system used in 30 states to track key hospital trends.

Chartpack (ppt)
Full Survey Results (pdf)
Press Release (pdf)

*Avalere Health provides objective analysis to support AHA policy development. As a research and consulting organization, Avalere does not advocate for or endorse positions on specific policy issues.