Vigorous recovery for Boston's Floating Hospital

Seven years ago, Boston's Floating Hospital for Children was in sad shape: It was losing patients and money - a perilous $1 million a month - and was facing possible closure as it struggled to compete with Harvard's two renowned pediatric hospitals. Now, fueled in part by growing alarm over high health care costs, the Boston hospital is experiencing a renaissance. The number of patients checking into the cherished Boston institution, which began 117 years ago as a hospital ship sailing Boston Harbor, has risen 27% over three years. Thirty-five new physicians have taken jobs there, and it is expanding by winning agreements with six community hospitals to help run neonatal and pediatric services.