Which term describes hospitals that are non-profit and often owned and operated by religious or nonprofit organizations?

• A. Public Hospital
• B. Voluntary Hospitals
• C. Community Hospitals
• D. Essential Hospitals and Health Systems

Answer: (B)

Nonprofit, religiously affiliated hospitals are described as voluntary hospitals. These facilities are organized as nonprofits and are often owned and operated by religious or other charitable organizations, with governance by volunteer boards. Any surplus revenue is reinvested back into the hospital to improve services and expand access, rather than distributed to owners or shareholders. This nonprofit, faith-based origin and governance setup distinguishes them from public hospitals, which are government-owned and funded by taxpayers, and from more general or unfamiliar terms that don’t specifically indicate nonprofit or religious ownership.