differences between for-profit and not-for-profit

1 Are there any differences in work environment or how these two hospitals operate?
It depends on the hospital or clinic or department you work in. I don't think you will find an across the board difference based on how they cook the books.

I've worked at both...didn't notice a difference as far as nursing was concerned - don't know about any other departments

every system is out to make a profit; the difference in the "for" vs "not-for" is what happens after the profit is made. "for profits" are responsible to investors first then reinvest into the system, whereas "not-for" will reinvest (sometimes) into the system. reinvest can mean anything - new equipment, research, raises and benefits.

Quote from Ms.RNAre there any differences in work environment or how these two hospitals operate?

there was recently a post about this that had some good info on it. from what i've seen/read, non profits take the profit and reinvest it into the hospital to make a better hospital- new equipment, education, more staff, etc. as wolfpackred said, the for profits take the profit and pay out to the investors and company shareholders. where i live, the non-profit hospitals are much nicer, cleaner, have the newest technology, and the nurses seem happier. the for-profits are very outdated, old equipment, and seem to have a higher ratio of patients per nurse. people in my area avoid those hospitals (as patients).

I've never understood anything about finances, taxes, for profit or not for profit. I worked for a county (not for profit) hospital so our funding was from taxes, and ??? state, government grants, most patients were medically indigent or on medi-cal, medi-care, etc. I loved working there but as with any job there are wonderful people and rotten apples. I loved the feeling that I was helping people who truly needed help.The ? for profit ? hospital 5 miles across town was more prestigeous. Even though it was supported with tax payers dollars (I don't even understand that but I know it is true). The privately insured public preferred to go there.Once I pre-opped a young medically indigant man who had broken his arm. He had orginally been taken to the for profit hospital ER and had it cared for, set, etc. Then was told to come to our hospital for surgery. Our utilization review nurse got on top of this wrong picture. He was treated at that hospital and there was absolutely no reason legally, ethically, financially, etc. they should not have done his follow up surgery. She sent him back to that hospital! They just wanted to pass the buck!!! I won't go into mentioning the different ethnicity of most of our patients!!!!I met a doctor who travelled around the state helping set up ER's. I mentioned my prior job at this county hospital. He told me he worked with the for profit hospital to revise its ER. He said that hospital INTENTIONALLY did NOT want to have a big improved fancy ER because they were afraid it would attract more of the poor indigant clients who traditionally came to our ER!!!!Also working for this county hospital I was part of Public Employees Retirement System. It meant nothing to me as a new young nurse. But now I greatly appreciate my retirement package.

Quote from fromtheseathere was recently a post about this that had some good info on it. from what i've seen/read, non profits take the profit and reinvest it into the hospital to make a better hospital- new equipment, education, more staff, etc. as wolfpackred said, the for profits take the profit and pay out to the investors and company shareholders. where i live, the non-profit hospitals are much nicer, cleaner, have the newest technology, and the nurses seem happier. the for-profits are very outdated, old equipment, and seem to have a higher ratio of patients per nurse. people in my area avoid those hospitals (as patients).

Quote from WolfpackRedevery system is out to make a profit; the difference in the "for" vs "not-for" is what happens after the profit is made. "for profits" are responsible to investors first then reinvest into the system, whereas "not-for" will reinvest (sometimes) into the system. reinvest can mean anything - new equipment, research, raises and benefits.

Quote from karmykOut of curiousity, in the "not-for" case, are hospital administrators (like CEO's) allowed to reinvest it into their own raises/bonuses?

Quote from karmykOut of curiousity, in the "not-for" case, are hospital administrators (like CEO's) allowed to reinvest it into their own raises/bonuses?

To be honest, worked for both. Both are about making money and keeping the rich rich....Actually, my -not for -profit experience was the worst. The not-for profit hospitals (2 prestigious teaching hospitals) were still all about making money---"Get them in---get them out." In the time that I have worked at the last not -for- profit, I had the pleasure of taking care of two high up board members. I never saw so many people hit the floor at 0740, inculding the president, chief medical officer, and chief nursing officer. I was told to treat them "extra special." No getting them "in and out" in this situation. Basically asked to cater to them at the expense of my "common" patients. Asked to solve a management problem because said physician (known to take hours to call back) did not reply fast enough to board members request. I let management handle that and took care of the rest of my patients. They were not happy. If I were a board member, I would not announce who I was. I would sit back and watch how patients are actually treated--"real" patients, "everyday" patients who supply your private jet. This may sound extreme, not.

The only consistent difference is that for-profits have stockholders, which in some ways makes them more transparent. Not-for-profits can still turn a huge profit and pass that on to their administration in the form of salary and bonuses. I work for a catholic non-profit which is extremely aggressive in terms of takeovers of other companies and our CEO made 1.2 million last year in salary and bonuses, while much of the lower end staff received pay cuts.