Hospital closures and survivals: an analysis of operating characteristics and regulatory mechanisms in three states.

This article examines factors related to hospital closures, using a longitudinal sample of surviving and closed hospitals. The hospitals are drawn from three states with different regulatory programs. Size of hospital and occupancy rate are shown to be related to likelihood of closure, while ownership, length of stay, and expenditures are not. These findings are observed both in the aggregate and within the individual states between 1960 and 1980. The three states--Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Maryland--represent different population trends and regulatory mechanisms and goals. The findings indicate that some programs appear to guarantee survival, whereas others are more neutral.