
There are several different types of hospitals in the US, including federal and non-federal hospitals. Federal hospitals are funded by the federal government and include Veteran's Administration hospitals and clinics, as well as hospitals run by the Department of Defense and the Department of Health and Human Services. Non-federal hospitals, on the other hand, are not federally funded and can include community hospitals, teaching hospitals, and long-term care hospitals. Community hospitals serve the short-term acute care needs of the general public and are typically run by local leaders. Teaching hospitals are affiliated with medical schools and provide educational opportunities for students studying to become doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals. Long-term care hospitals provide care for chronic illnesses, rehabilitation, or psychiatric care.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Any hospital that is not a federal hospital (such as a VA hospital) |
| Examples | Veteran's Administration hospitals, Department of Defense hospitals, Department of Health and Human Services hospitals |
| Number of non-federal hospitals in the US | 5,886 (out of 6,093 total hospitals in the US) |
| Types | Community hospitals, teaching hospitals, non-teaching hospitals, acute care hospitals, long-term care hospitals |
| Community hospitals | Serve a local community, are run by local leaders, provide financial opportunities for the local economy |
| Teaching hospitals | Affiliated with universities, colleges, medical schools, or nursing schools; provide educational opportunities for students studying to become doctors, nurses, or other medical professionals |
| Non-teaching hospitals | Unaffiliated with medical schools; do not provide educational opportunities for students |
| Acute care hospitals | Provide short-term care for illness, disease, injury, or surgery |
| Long-term care hospitals | Provide care for chronic illness, rehabilitation, or psychiatric care |
| Electronic health record adoption | 96% of non-federal acute care hospitals have a basic EHR with clinician notes |
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What You'll Learn
- Non-federal hospitals include community hospitals serving the short-term acute care needs of the general public
- Non-federal hospitals can be further classified as small, rural, or critical access
- Non-federal hospitals are typically not teaching hospitals, which are affiliated with medical schools
- Non-federal hospitals are often not government-owned, and may be either for-profit or not-for-profit
- Non-federal hospitals include nonfederal long-term care hospitals, such as prison hospitals or school infirmaries

Non-federal hospitals include community hospitals serving the short-term acute care needs of the general public
In the United States, there are 6,093 hospitals, 207 of which are federal hospitals. The remaining hospitals are non-federal and include community hospitals that serve the short-term acute care needs of the general public.
Community hospitals are defined by the American Hospital Association as any hospital that is not a federal hospital, such as a VA hospital. They are typically run by local leaders and serve a local community, providing financial opportunities for the local economy. They can be either rural or urban, with the majority (65%) being urban. Urban community hospitals often serve densely populated areas and may have several competitors. In contrast, rural hospitals are located in non-metropolitan areas.
Acute care hospitals, which account for 88% of hospitals, provide short-term care for illnesses, diseases, injuries, or surgeries. On the other hand, long-term care hospitals cater to patients requiring chronic illness management, rehabilitation, or psychiatric care.
Non-federal acute care hospitals have been adopting electronic health record systems. As of 2015, over 4 out of 5 non-federal acute care hospitals had adopted a basic EHR system with clinician notes. This trend towards electronic health records has continued, with 96% of non-federal acute care hospitals possessing an EHR certified by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as of 2017.
Non-federal community hospitals can be further categorized based on their size and the populations they serve. For example, a small non-federal acute care hospital has fewer than 100 beds, while a critical access hospital has fewer than 25 beds and is located in a rural area, more than 35 miles from any other general or critical access hospital.
Non-federal hospitals also include teaching hospitals, which are affiliated with universities, colleges, medical schools, or nursing schools. These hospitals provide healthcare services while also training future medical professionals. They often treat sicker patients, which can result in lower quality scores compared to non-teaching hospitals.
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Non-federal hospitals can be further classified as small, rural, or critical access
A non-federal hospital is any hospital that is not a federal hospital, such as a VA hospital. Non-federal hospitals can be further classified as small, rural, or critical access.
Small Hospitals
Small hospitals are those with fewer than 50 beds. Most community hospitals are small, non-profit organizations, with excess funds remaining in the hospital. These hospitals are often located in rural areas and are typically not teaching hospitals.
Rural Hospitals
Rural hospitals are located outside of metropolitan areas, in less densely populated regions. They are often community hospitals, serving a local demographic and run by local leaders. Rural hospitals can be further classified as critical access hospitals.
Critical Access Hospitals
Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) are small hospitals with fewer than 25 beds in rural areas. CAHs are often the central hub of health services in their communities, providing primary care, long-term care, physical and occupational therapy, and cardiac rehabilitation. These hospitals receive additional government support and are eligible for various funding opportunities, such as grants and loans. To qualify as a CAH, the hospital must meet specific distance criteria, such as being more than a 35-mile drive on primary roads from another hospital.
In summary, non-federal hospitals encompass a diverse range of healthcare facilities, including small, rural, and critical access hospitals, each serving their communities and adapting to the unique challenges and opportunities presented by their geographic locations.
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Non-federal hospitals are typically not teaching hospitals, which are affiliated with medical schools
In contrast, teaching hospitals are typically affiliated with universities, colleges, medical schools, or nursing schools. They provide medical and healthcare services while training future medical professionals. Students, interns, and fellows working in these hospitals are supervised by qualified physicians, teachers, department chairs, and other medical staff.
Teaching hospitals often treat sicker patients, which can result in lower quality scores than non-teaching hospitals. They also tend to treat a disproportionately high number of Medicare, Medicaid, and uninsured patients, adding to the costs of medical education. Non-teaching hospitals, on the other hand, often operate more cost-effectively as they do not bear the costs of educating future medical professionals.
In the United States, there are currently 207 federal hospitals, and 951 public community hospitals, a number that is steadily declining due to financial pressures. Federal hospitals, also known as government hospitals, receive funding from the federal government and typically serve specific populations such as Native Americans and veterans.
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Non-federal hospitals are often not government-owned, and may be either for-profit or not-for-profit
In the United States, non-federal hospitals refer to any hospital that is not a federal hospital, such as a Veteran Affairs (VA) hospital. Non-federal hospitals are often not government-owned, and may be either for-profit or not-for-profit.
Federal hospitals are those that receive funding from the federal government. These hospitals typically handle the healthcare and medical needs of specific populations, such as Native Americans and veterans. Non-federal hospitals, on the other hand, include nonfederal long-term care hospitals and hospital units within institutions like prison hospitals or school infirmaries. Long-term care hospitals are defined by an average length of stay of 30 or more days and focus on chronic illnesses, rehabilitation, or psychiatric care.
Non-federal hospitals can be further categorised into community and non-community hospitals. Community hospitals serve the short-term acute care needs of the general public, while non-community hospitals cater to specific groups, such as veterans or Native Americans. Additionally, non-federal hospitals can be classified as teaching or non-teaching hospitals. Teaching hospitals are affiliated with universities, colleges, or medical schools and provide educational opportunities for students training to become medical professionals. Non-teaching hospitals, on the other hand, are unaffiliated with medical schools and focus solely on providing medical services to their communities.
The ownership structure of non-federal hospitals can vary. While some are owned by local governments, others are privately owned. A significant number of community hospitals are not-for-profit, with excess funds remaining in the hospital. However, a growing number of hospitals are investor-owned, with profits going to shareholders. Despite the different ownership structures, both for-profit and not-for-profit hospitals are evaluated using the same metrics, and quality of care can vary within each category.
In summary, non-federal hospitals in the United States encompass a diverse range of medical facilities, serving various communities and patient populations. Their ownership and operational models can differ, but they all play a crucial role in providing healthcare services to those in need.
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Non-federal hospitals include nonfederal long-term care hospitals, such as prison hospitals or school infirmaries
In the United States, a non-federal hospital is any hospital that is not a federal hospital, such as a VA hospital. Non-federal hospitals include nonfederal long-term care hospitals, such as prison hospitals or school infirmaries. Long-term care hospitals are defined by an average length of stay of 30 or more days, and patients typically receive treatment for chronic illnesses, rehabilitation, or psychiatric care.
Non-federal long-term care hospitals are often part of a larger hospital system, which can be either a multihospital or a diversified single hospital system. A multihospital system involves two or more hospitals owned, leased, sponsored, or contract-managed by a central organization. On the other hand, a single, freestanding hospital can be categorized as a system by partnering with other non-hospital pre-acute or post-acute healthcare organizations.
In contrast, acute care hospitals, which account for the majority of hospitals at 88%short-term care for illnesses, diseases, injuries, or surgeries. Non-profit hospitals, which are distinct from government-owned public hospitals and privately owned for-profit hospitals, are the most common type of hospital in the US. These hospitals are often affiliated with a religious denomination and are exempt from federal income and state and local property taxes.
It is worth noting that the number of public community hospitals in the US is declining due to financial pressures, with many being forced to close or become part of a private system. As of 2022, there were 207 federal hospitals and 5,923 non-federal hospitals in the country.
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Frequently asked questions
Non-federal hospitals are hospitals that are not operated by the federal government. They can be funded by local state or county governments, or they can be privately owned.
Non-federal hospitals include nonfederal long-term care hospitals and hospital units within institutions such as prison hospitals or school infirmaries. They can also be community hospitals that serve the short-term acute care needs of the general public.
Federal hospitals include Veteran's Administration hospitals and clinics, as well as hospitals run by the Department of Defense and the Department of Health and Human Services.























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