How are Oklahoma hospitals doing financially?

80 of 119 Oklahoma hospitals (67%) reported a loss on patient care in their latest full-year Medicare cost report, compared with 55% nationwide. The median operating margin was -5.6%, lower than the U.S. median of -1.6%. The operating margin leaves out donations, investment income and grants, so some of these hospitals still end the year in the black.

Oklahoma hospitals reported $392.5 million in charity care (the cost of free or discounted care for patients who qualify) in their latest full-year reports. The largest amounts came from O U Medical Center ($109.0 million), Saint Francis Hospital, INC ($50.1 million), Integris Baptist Medical Center ($27.7 million), St John Medical Center, INC ($24.7 million), Mercy Health Center, INC ($21.4 million).

Oklahoma ranks 37 of 50 states by the median operating margin of its hospitals (1 = highest). A larger share of its hospitals lost money on patient care than the U.S. as a whole (67% vs 55%).

O U Medical Center in Oklahoma City reported the most net patient revenue: $2.4 billion in its latest full-year cost report, with 853 beds and an operating margin of 4.9%.

It is how much a hospital keeps from patient care after paying its operating costs, as a share of its patient revenue. A margin of 5% means the hospital kept 5 cents of every dollar it earned from patients; a negative margin means patient care cost more than it brought in. It excludes donations, investment income and grants.