Community Health Systems struggles to grow amid drop in patients

Over the past several years, hospitals have faced a growing problem because of the recession and a meager recovery — fewer people are visiting the hospital, and those who come are spending less time. That was on display yesterday at the Morgan Stanley Healthcare Conference in New York, which featured a presentation by Franklin-based Community Health Systems, which owns, operates or leases 135 hospitals in 29 states. CHS, like other major hospital companies, is trying to figure out how to continue growing profits amid this slowdown. According to the company's second-quarter 2013 earnings release, for instance, inpatient admissions were down 5.1 percent compared with a year ago.