Top 10 Busiest Hospitals in America

At times, every hospital feels like the busiest hospital in the country. Inpatient, outpatient, and emergency cases crisscross the hallways as nurses and doctors run past one another. Which hospitals, though, are actually the busiest in the nation?

Healthcare Finance used CMS data to compile the top 10 busiest hospitals, based on average daily census. They did not count newborns. There are a few surprises, but as you’d expect, all 10 hospitals are among the 15 largest institutions in the nation. Also, the top four slots are occupied by hospitals in just two cities.

The only question left is which gift shop does the most business!

10. Norton Hospital — Louisville, KY

Average Daily Census: 936

The smallest hospital on the list—15^th largest in the nation—Norton Hospital in Louisville does everything from genetic counseling to emergency surgery to weight management and psychiatric rehabilitation. The 1,150 bed facility logged more than 347,000 patient days last year, according to Billian’s HealthDATA.

9. Methodist University Hospital — Memphis, TN

Average Daily Census: 944

This teaching hospital is the largest among the Methodist Healthcare system, with 1,273 beds. Located in the middle of the city, it’s part of a group of hospitals that saw 123,000 emergency room visits in 2012—more than 38,000 occurring at Methodist University Hospital. Notable programs include a transplant institute, a neuroscience institute and a level IV epilepsy center.

8. IU Health Methodist Hospital — Indianapolis, IN

Average Daily Census: 962

Located near the campus of Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis, IU Health Methodist is the fifth-largest hospital in the nation, with 1,450 beds. A true research facility, the International Kidney Stone Institution, the Fairbanks Center for Medical Ethics and the IU Methodist Hospital Research Institute are all home on the campus. IU Health Methodist Hospital is also home to the only level I trauma center in the State of Indiana.

7. Cleveland Clinic — Cleveland, OH

Average Daily Census: 976

In 2013, the Cleveland Clinic and its 10 affiliates handled 5.5 million patients. The main facility in Cleveland covers 167 acres and 44 buildings. There, you’ll find 1,440 beds, a medical school, a research institute and state-of the-art buildings for cancer, eye, heart and urologic care. In addition to all of the patients, there are more than 3,000 physicians and scientists on campus with more than 1,700 med students. How many of those 167 acres are dedicated to parking?

6. UPMC Presbyterian — Pittsburgh, PA

Average Daily Census: 999

The stroke center, trauma center, and organ transplant center on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center are 3 of the reasons the fourth-largest hospital in the nation remains so busy. The hospital is the largest non-government employer in the state of Pennsylvania, with more than 62,000 employees. Also, the UPMC system was one of the innovators of the payer-provider model, offering its own health insurance plan that now has 2.3 million members.

5. Methodist Hospital — San Antonio, TX

Average Daily Census: 1,015

Serving as a regional referral center for South Texas, Methodist Hospital in San Antonio keeps its 1,414 beds mostly filled. With more than 2,000 affiliated physicians in addition to 2,500 employees, the hospital has a relationship with a large percentage of the local population. The hospital is also at the beginning of a 3-year expansion plan, focusing on cancer and heart services, obstetrics, general surgery, neurosurgery, emergency care and pediatric services.

4. Orlando Regional Medical Center — Orlando, FL

Average Daily Census: 1,097

A major teaching hospital as well as a trauma center, ORMC specializes in critical care, emergency care, cardiology, orthopedics and neurosciences. Despite other large medical centers in the city, Orlando Regional is the only level I trauma center in Florida. The hospital averages more than 156,000 emergency room visits per year, fifth most in the nation.

3. Montefiore Medical Center — Bronx, NY

Average Daily Census: 1,278

In the city that never sleeps, Montefiore fits right in. The non-profit hospital keeps its 1,427 beds filled with distinguished centers for cardiovascular care, cancer care and children’s health. Montefiore also has the second-largest residency program in the nation, with 1,251 residents practicing in 89 disciplines.

2. New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center — New York, New York

Average Daily Census: 1,647

It makes sense that the nation’s largest hospital, in the nation’s largest city, is also one of the busiest hospitals in the country. With a renowned cancer department, a level I trauma center and the city’s burn center, there are plenty of specialties that draw patients to the hospital. In 2013, the hospital had more than 2 million inpatient and outpatient visits at six centers. It’s also affiliated with Weill Cornell Medical College, bringing Ivy League-level research and residents to the campus.

1. Florida Hospital Orlando — Orlando, FL

Average Daily Census: 1,657

The hospital that treats more patients than any other hospital in the US is just one of 22 distinct campuses in the Florida Hospital system, part of Adventist Health System. The hospital says it “treats more cardiology, neurology and vascular surgery inpatients than any other nationally recognized hospital.” It operates as a tertiary hospital not just for Florida residents, but for much of the Southern U.S. as well as the Caribbean. With more than 2,000 licensed beds, the hospital is also the second-largest in the nation. In a city known for its theme parks, it sounds like its hospitals are also regularly a top attraction.