There are 920,000 hospital beds in America. Most people don’t have to use them. However, 145 million Americans go to emergency rooms each year, which is where a large percentage of U.S. residents get their only medical treatment. The quality of the care they receive varies widely from hospital to hospital, city to city, and state to state – and the worst state for healthcare is Delaware.
The COVID-19 pandemic changed American healthcare radically. Large numbers of doctors retired or were driven out of business because they could not see patients due to concern about infection. Hospitals had no room for people with serious diseases like heart problems and cancer because beds were occupied by COVID-19 patients. Some nurses left their profession. Others came out of retirement because of the overwhelming need for healthcare staff due to the spread of the virus. (These are the 16 states where hospitals are experiencing the worst workforce shortages.)
The financial situations of many patients and their families changed as well. Treatment for COVID-19 that involved hospitalization could cost tens of thousands of dollars. Some people’s finances buckled under that strain.
Healthcare Transformers, a content hub for executive leaders in healthcare, recently released a study titled “Healthcare Hotspots in the USA”. The study ranked states according to the number of hospitals in each one, residents per hospital, staff per hospital bed, discharges, and patient days as well as gross patient revenue, patient satisfaction survey results, dentists per 100,000 people, infant and maternal mortality rates, life expectancy at birth, and annual healthcare spending per capita. (This is how much your state spends on your health.)
A perfect score from the study would have been 100 points. No state came close, and Delaware held the bottom place with a score of 31.4, followed by Georgia at 32.5 and Arkansas at 33.8.
Click here to see the worst American states for healthcare
The state with the best score was New York at 58.9. The other top three states are all in the Northeast. Connecticut, in second place, received a score of 58.3, followed by Pennsylvania at 57.4 and Massachusetts at 56.1. Interestingly, states with low populations also did well. North Dakota ranked sixth with a score of 55, followed by South Dakota with a score of 54.9.
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1. New York
> Total Index score: 58.9 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 103,763 – 7th most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $9,851 – 5th highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 66% – 5th lowest
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2. Connecticut
> Total Index score: 58.3 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 101,509 – 12th most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $8,076 – 24th lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 71% – 24th highest
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3. Pennsylvania
> Total Index score: 57.4 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 73,166 – 18th fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $7,311 – 11th lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 71% – 24th highest
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4. Massachusetts
> Total Index score: 56.1 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 96,003 – 19th most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $8,871 – 13th highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 73% – 17th highest
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5. Florida
> Total Index score: 55.8 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 100,663 – 13th most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $7,299 – 10th lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 68% – 7th lowest
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6. North Dakota
> Total Index score: 55 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 77,003 – 21st fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $7,627 – 16th lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 77% – 5th highest
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7. South Dakota
> Total Index score: 54.9 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 37,358 – the fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $6,998 – 7th lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 78% – the highest
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8. New Jersey
> Total Index score: 54 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 113,776 – 5th most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $9,778 – 6th highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 66% – 5th lowest
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9. Minnesota
> Total Index score: 50.8 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 103,753 – 8th most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $8,107 – 25th lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 76% – 8th highest
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10. Colorado
> Total Index score: 49.8 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 103,397 – 9th most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $10,254 – 2nd highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 75% – 10th highest
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11. Illinois
> Total Index score: 49.4 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 88,516 – 25th most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $8,200 – 25th highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 69% – 19th lowest
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12. Nevada
> Total Index score: 47.5 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 102,767 – 11th most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $8,859 – 14th highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 64% – the lowest
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13. Kansas
> Total Index score: 46.9 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 53,040 – 6th fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $7,815 – 19th lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 78% – the highest
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14. Utah
> Total Index score: 46.8 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 91,966 – 23rd most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $7,556 – 15th lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 78% – the highest
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15. Ohio
> Total Index score: 46.8 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 78,622 – 22nd fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $8,044 – 22nd lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 72% – 21st highest
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16. Washington
> Total Index score: 46.6 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 127,819 – the most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $8,702 – 16th highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 74% – 15th highest
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17. Wisconsin
> Total Index score: 46.5 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 75,032 – 20th fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $8,222 – 22nd highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 75% – 10th highest
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18. Nebraska
> Total Index score: 46.3 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 72,296 – 16th fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $9,589 – 7th highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 78% – the highest
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19. New Hampshire
> Total Index score: 45.8 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 98,015 – 16th most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $7,214 – 8th lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 74% – 15th highest
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20. California
> Total Index score: 45.8 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 117,200 – 3rd most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $9,859 – 4th highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 69% – 19th lowest
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21. Kentucky
> Total Index score: 45.1 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 61,380 – 12th fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $9,531 – 9th highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 70% – 21st lowest
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22. Iowa
> Total Index score: 44.1 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 79,199 – 24th fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $8,004 – 21st lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 76% – 8th highest
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23. Rhode Island
> Total Index score: 43.9 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 96,501 – 18th most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $8,933 – 12th highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 73% – 17th highest
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24. Alaska
> Total Index score: 43.9 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 72,436 – 17th fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $7,408 – 13th lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 71% – 24th highest
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25. Tennessee
> Total Index score: 43 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 70,860 – 14th fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $5,982 – the lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 69% – 19th lowest
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26. Arizona
> Total Index score: 42.4 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 97,664 – 17th most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $7,549 – 14th lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 69% – 19th lowest
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27. Oklahoma
> Total Index score: 42.1 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 44,338 – 5th fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $9,258 – 11th highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 73% – 17th highest
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28. Michigan
> Total Index score: 42.1 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 94,268 – 22nd most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $7,646 – 17th lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 71% – 24th highest
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29. Louisiana
> Total Index score: 41.4 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 42,064 – 3rd fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $8,602 – 17th highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 75% – 10th highest
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30. Hawaii
> Total Index score: 41 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 100,459 – 14th most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $8,262 – 21st highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 69% – 19th lowest
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31. West Virginia
> Total Index score: 40.8 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 53,571 – 7th fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $8,320 – 19th highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 71% – 24th highest
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32. Oregon
> Total Index score: 41 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 115,931 – 4th most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $9,551 – 8th highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 75% – 10th highest
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33. Indiana
> Total Index score: 40.6 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 66,722 – 13th fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $7,651 – 18th lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 72% – 21st highest
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34. Texas
> Total Index score: 40.4 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 81,009 – 25th fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $10,190 – 3rd highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 73% – 17th highest
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35. Virginia
> Total Index score: 40 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 95,600 – 21st most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $9,462 – 10th highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 69% – 19th lowest
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36. Missouri
> Total Index score: 40 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 74,326 – 19th fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $8,412 – 18th highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 69% – 19th lowest
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37. Alabama
> Total Index score: 40 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 54,824 – 8th fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $6,452 – 2nd lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 68% – 7th lowest
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38. Mississippi
> Total Index score: 38.9 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 42,377 – 4th fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $8,221 – 24th highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 71% – 24th highest
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39. Montana
> Total Index score: 38.8 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 60,278 – 11th fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $6,714 – 4th lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 72% – 21st highest
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40. Idaho
> Total Index score: 38 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 103,340 – 10th most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $8,300 – 20th highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 77% – 5th highest
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41. Maine
> Total Index score: 37.3 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 71,291 – 15th fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $10,559 – the highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 77% – 5th highest
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42. Vermont
> Total Index score: 36.6 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 89,036 – 24th most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $7,913 – 20th lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 75% – 10th highest
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
43. South Carolina
> Total Index score: 35.8 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 78,774 – 23rd fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $7,372 – 12th lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 69% – 19th lowest
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
44. New Mexico
> Total Index score: 34.1 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 58,472 – 10th fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $7,264 – 9th lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 66% – 5th lowest
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Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
45. Maryland
> Total Index score: 34.1 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 112,323 – 6th most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $8,055 – 23rd lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 66% – 5th lowest
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46. Wyoming
> Total Index score: 33.9 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 41,505 – 2nd fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $8,222 – 22nd highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 70% – 21st lowest
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47. North Carolina
> Total Index score: 33.8 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 99,084 – 15th most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $8,712 – 15th highest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 69% – 19th lowest
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48. Arkansas
> Total Index score: 33.8 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 58,345 – 9th fewest
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $6,804 – 5th lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 69% – 19th lowest
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
49. Georgia
> Total Index score: 32.5 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 95,841 – 20th most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $6,927 – 6th lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 69% – 19th lowest
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50. Delaware
> Total Index score: 31.4 out of 100
> State residents per hospital: 123,792 – 2nd most
> Annual healthcare spending per capita: $6,587 – 3rd lowest
> People satisfied with hospital service: 69% – 19th lowest
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