The Growth of Hospitals: An Economic History in Baltimore

摘要

The approach taken in this study is to trace the development of the modern hospital sector for what light it can shed on contemporary phenomena. It begins with an overview of the differences between traditional charity and modern voluntary hospitals. Then it examines in detail the historical developments which came to distinguish these two kinds of hospitals. First, the study analyzes the rapid growth of hospitals between 1873 and 1928. Second it analyzes the transition of Baltimore's voluntary hospitals from charities to competitive service corporations. Third, it describes the contemporary three-tier structure of Baltimore's hospital sector, consisting of university, community, and public hospitals. Fourth, it examines the creation of hospital prepayment plans during the Depression.