This year's severe flu seasons has been a shot in the arm for U.S. hospital operators' bottom lines, according to an article on the Medscape website.
Hospital operators Tenet Healthcare Corp and LifePoint Health Inc said recently that this flu season boosted patient admissions.
The number of flu-related doctor visits has reached a 20-year high and nearly 100 flu-related pediatric deaths have been reported.
With flu-related hospitalizations continuing to rise and remaining well above other severe flu seasons, the fourth-quarter volume bump for hospitals will likely be more pronounced in the first quarter, Evercore ISI analyst Michael Newshel said.