As of 2022, there were a total of 640 health systems in the United States, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The AHRQ's definition of a health system is quite stringent and requires it to include at least one non-Federal acute care hospital, in total at least 50 physicians, and at least 10 primary care physicians.
While the total number of health systems each year did not changed much in the recorded time period, there were slight changes due to a number of reasons, such as mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and an increase in physicians (thus meeting requirements of a health system), among others.
Total number of healthcare systems in the U.S. from 2016 to 2022
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) uses the following definition of a health system for the Compendium: A health system includes at least one hospital and at least one group of physicians that provides comprehensive care (including primary and specialty care) who are connected with each other and with the hospital through common ownership or joint management.
This definition is further operationalized as requiring that a health system:
Include at least one non-Federal acute care hospital,
Include, in total, at least 50 physicians, and
Include at least 10 primary care physicians.
While the requirement that a system include an acute care hospital excludes provider organizations that nonetheless provide comprehensive management of their patient populations, this definition is consistent with those used in the source data provided by IQVIA and the American Hospital Association (AHA).
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AHRQ. (February 1, 2024). Total number of healthcare systems in the U.S. from 2016 to 2022 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 02, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1206591/total-us-health-systems/
AHRQ. "Total number of healthcare systems in the U.S. from 2016 to 2022." Chart. February 1, 2024. Statista. Accessed October 02, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1206591/total-us-health-systems/
AHRQ. (2024). Total number of healthcare systems in the U.S. from 2016 to 2022. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: October 02, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1206591/total-us-health-systems/
AHRQ. "Total Number of Healthcare Systems in The U.S. from 2016 to 2022." Statista, Statista Inc., 1 Feb 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1206591/total-us-health-systems/
AHRQ, Total number of healthcare systems in the U.S. from 2016 to 2022 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1206591/total-us-health-systems/ (last visited October 02, 2024)
Total number of healthcare systems in the U.S. from 2016 to 2022 [Graph], AHRQ, February 1, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1206591/total-us-health-systems/
