The American Hospital Association (AHA) has published their 2026 Environmental Scan, a tool for hospital and health system leadership to use for planning purposes, according to an announcement.
The document contains an overview of the industry and how other hospitals and health systems are navigating current issues and advancements. Key trends from the report include:
- The majority of hospitals are community hospitals, and there were 29 fewer community hospitals in the United States in 2023 than there were in 2019. Staffed beds and admissions are also down. However, there were three more hospitals in 2023 than there were in 2019 in the United States.
- According to McKinsey & Company’s March 2025 “Engaging the evolving US healthcare consumer and improving business performance” survey, hospital systems and physicians are the most trusted resources for health information, followed by health information websites. The least trusted resource for health information was government agencies, but 31% of respondents still said they trust them the most.
- The report highlighted at home care as the area that will have the highest growth by 2035.
- Healthcare spending rose to about $14,570 per person in 2023.
- Nearly half of rural hospitals lost money in 2023.
- Cyber incidents are costing hospitals less, but still high.
- Hospital workforce turnover continued to decline in 2024, but less than 10% of RNs were under 30.
- Stress and burnout were the highest reported reasons for nurses leaving the profession, but most said they would stay for financial incentives.
- More hospitals are utilizing technological advancements.
Additional data can be found in the report. Rick Pollack, President and CEO, AHA said, “At the heart of it all is a steadfast commitment to delivering the highest quality care — care that is safe, compassionate and centered on the needs of every patient. That’s the story we must continue to share — not just to inspire, but also to protect access to care and ensure policymakers and the public understand the vital role hospitals and health systems play in advancing health, supporting families and strengthening our communities.”
