| Characteristic | System-affiliated | Independent |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
| - | - | - |
| - | - | - |
| - | - | - |
| - | - | - |
| - | - | - |
| - | - | - |
| - | - | - |
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February 2026
United States
2017-2024
This statistic is compiled from multiple reports from the same source.Â
System is defined by AHA as either a multi-hospital or a diversified single hospital system. A multi-hospital system is two or more hospitals owned, leased, sponsored, or contract managed by a central organization. Single, freestanding hospitals may be categorized as a system by bringing into membership three or more, and at least 25 percent, of their owned or leased non-hospital pre-acute or post-acute health care organizations.
Community hospitals are defined as all nonfederal, short-term general, and other special hospitals. Other special hospitals include obstetrics and gynecology; eye, ear, nose, and throat; long term acute-care; rehabilitation; orthopedic; and other individually described specialty services. Community hospitals include academic medical centers or other teaching hospitals if they are nonfederal short-term hospitals. Excluded are hospitals not accessible by the general public, such as prison hospitals or college infirmaries.









