{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/26766"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/26766","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"An Empirical Investigation of Joint Ventures Between For-Profit and Tax-Exempt Nonprofit Hospitals","abstract":"This dissertation examines debt ratios, profitability, and commercial activity of the following hospitals: (i) for-profit hospitals [FP hospitals], (ii) nonprofit hospitals engaging in joint ventures [JV NP hospitals], and (iii) nonprofit hospitals that do not engage in joint ventures [Non-JV NP hospitals]. Financial variables are measured using Form 990 tax return data of nonprofit hospitals and audited financial statements of for-profit hospitals. The purpose of the study is to compare: (1) JV NP hospitals versus FP hospitals and (2) JV NP hospitals versus Non-JV NP hospitals. Potential similarities between FP and JV NP hospitals may indicate nonprofit partners are becoming indistinguishable from for-profit entities, which may further call into question the applicability of tax-exempt status for these nonprofit hospitals. Results indicate significant differences exist in debt ratios between FP and JV NP hospitals. A lack of significant differences in profitability lends support to the argument that JV NP hospitals may exhibit similarities in financial characteristics to for-profit hospitals. Regarding comparisons within the nonprofit sector, significant differences were found in profitability and unrelated business income percentages. Differences in debt ratios were not found between the two groups - which fail to support Internal Revenue Service (IRS) arguments that there is something 'special' about JV NP hospitals. JV NP hospitals reported lower profitability on all measures than Non-JV NP hospitals. Findings of lower profitability are consistent with arguments that JV NP hospitals are attempting to improve their financial condition by partnering with for-profit hospitals. Significant differences were not found in contributions received as a percentage of total revenue between the nonprofit hospital groups. This dissertation contributes to existing literature that compares nonprofit and for-profit hospitals through reliance on tax return data of nonprofit hospitals. Tax returns serve as a primary source for the public and IRS to scrutinize a nonprofit organization's financial operations. The IRS uses tax return data to evaluate a hospital's activities, measure its charitable activities and scrutinize the organizations' tax-exempt status. Investigating these differences using actual tax return data provides support to the argument that nonprofit hospitals engaging in joint ventures exhibit similarities to for-profit hospitals.","abstract_html":"This dissertation examines debt ratios, profitability, and commercial activity of the following hospitals: (i) for-profit hospitals [FP hospitals], (ii) nonprofit hospitals engaging in joint ventures [JV NP hospitals], and (iii) nonprofit hospitals that do not engage in joint ventures [Non-JV NP hospitals]. Financial variables are measured using Form 990 tax return data of nonprofit hospitals and audited financial statements of for-profit hospitals. The purpose of the study is to compare: (1) JV NP hospitals versus FP hospitals and (2) JV NP hospitals versus Non-JV NP hospitals. Potential similarities between FP and JV NP hospitals may indicate nonprofit partners are becoming indistinguishable from for-profit entities, which may further call into question the applicability of tax-exempt status for these nonprofit hospitals. Results indicate significant differences exist in debt ratios between FP and JV NP hospitals. A lack of significant differences in profitability lends support to the argument that JV NP hospitals may exhibit similarities in financial characteristics to for-profit hospitals. Regarding comparisons within the nonprofit sector, significant differences were found in profitability and unrelated business income percentages. Differences in debt ratios were not found between the two groups - which fail to support Internal Revenue Service (IRS) arguments that there is something 'special' about JV NP hospitals. JV NP hospitals reported lower profitability on all measures than Non-JV NP hospitals. Findings of lower profitability are consistent with arguments that JV NP hospitals are attempting to improve their financial condition by partnering with for-profit hospitals. Significant differences were not found in contributions received as a percentage of total revenue between the nonprofit hospital groups. This dissertation contributes to existing literature that compares nonprofit and for-profit hospitals through reliance on tax return data of nonprofit hospitals. Tax returns serve as a primary source for the public and IRS to scrutinize a nonprofit organization's financial operations. The IRS uses tax return data to evaluate a hospital's activities, measure its charitable activities and scrutinize the organizations' tax-exempt status. Investigating these differences using actual tax return data provides support to the argument that nonprofit hospitals engaging in joint ventures exhibit similarities to for-profit hospitals.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Smith, Pamela C."],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Ph. D.","degree_level":"doctoral","degree_discipline":"Accounting and Information Systems","degree_department":"Accounting and Information Systems","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Seago, W. Eugene"],"committee_members":["Yardley, James A.","Callihan, Debra S.","Brown, Robert M.","Major, Raymond L."],"year":2001,"date_issued":"2001-04-09","date_published":"2001-04-09","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:20:38Z","subjects":["For-Profit","Joint Venture","Hospitals","Nonprofit"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-04112001-214524"],"render_values":[{"text":"etd-04112001-214524","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/26766","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Seago, W. 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Financial variables are measured using Form 990 tax return data of nonprofit hospitals and audited financial statements of for-profit hospitals. The purpose of the study is to compare: (1) JV NP hospitals versus FP hospitals and (2) JV NP hospitals versus Non-JV NP hospitals. Potential similarities between FP and JV NP hospitals may indicate nonprofit partners are becoming indistinguishable from for-profit entities, which may further call into question the applicability of tax-exempt status for these nonprofit hospitals. Results indicate significant differences exist in debt ratios between FP and JV NP hospitals. A lack of significant differences in profitability lends support to the argument that JV NP hospitals may exhibit similarities in financial characteristics to for-profit hospitals. Regarding comparisons within the nonprofit sector, significant differences were found in profitability and unrelated business income percentages. Differences in debt ratios were not found between the two groups - which fail to support Internal Revenue Service (IRS) arguments that there is something 'special' about JV NP hospitals. JV NP hospitals reported lower profitability on all measures than Non-JV NP hospitals. Findings of lower profitability are consistent with arguments that JV NP hospitals are attempting to improve their financial condition by partnering with for-profit hospitals. Significant differences were not found in contributions received as a percentage of total revenue between the nonprofit hospital groups. This dissertation contributes to existing literature that compares nonprofit and for-profit hospitals through reliance on tax return data of nonprofit hospitals. Tax returns serve as a primary source for the public and IRS to scrutinize a nonprofit organization's financial operations. The IRS uses tax return data to evaluate a hospital's activities, measure its charitable activities and scrutinize the organizations' tax-exempt status. Investigating these differences using actual tax return data provides support to the argument that nonprofit hospitals engaging in joint ventures exhibit similarities to for-profit hospitals."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Ph. D."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["An Empirical Investigation of Joint Ventures Between For-Profit and Tax-Exempt Nonprofit Hospitals"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Seago, W. Eugene"],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Yardley, James A.","Callihan, Debra S.","Brown, Robert M.","Major, Raymond L."],"dc:contributor.department":["Accounting and Information Systems"],"dc:creator":["Smith, Pamela C."],"dc:date.accessioned":["2014-03-14T20:09:20Z"],"dc:date.available":["2014-03-14T20:09:20Z","2002-04-16"],"dc:date.issued":["2001-04-09"],"dc:description.abstract":["This dissertation examines debt ratios, profitability, and commercial activity of the following hospitals: (i) for-profit hospitals [FP hospitals], (ii) nonprofit hospitals engaging in joint ventures [JV NP hospitals], and (iii) nonprofit hospitals that do not engage in joint ventures [Non-JV NP hospitals]. Financial variables are measured using Form 990 tax return data of nonprofit hospitals and audited financial statements of for-profit hospitals. The purpose of the study is to compare: (1) JV NP hospitals versus FP hospitals and (2) JV NP hospitals versus Non-JV NP hospitals. Potential similarities between FP and JV NP hospitals may indicate nonprofit partners are becoming indistinguishable from for-profit entities, which may further call into question the applicability of tax-exempt status for these nonprofit hospitals. Results indicate significant differences exist in debt ratios between FP and JV NP hospitals. A lack of significant differences in profitability lends support to the argument that JV NP hospitals may exhibit similarities in financial characteristics to for-profit hospitals. Regarding comparisons within the nonprofit sector, significant differences were found in profitability and unrelated business income percentages. Differences in debt ratios were not found between the two groups - which fail to support Internal Revenue Service (IRS) arguments that there is something 'special' about JV NP hospitals. JV NP hospitals reported lower profitability on all measures than Non-JV NP hospitals. Findings of lower profitability are consistent with arguments that JV NP hospitals are attempting to improve their financial condition by partnering with for-profit hospitals. Significant differences were not found in contributions received as a percentage of total revenue between the nonprofit hospital groups. This dissertation contributes to existing literature that compares nonprofit and for-profit hospitals through reliance on tax return data of nonprofit hospitals. Tax returns serve as a primary source for the public and IRS to scrutinize a nonprofit organization's financial operations. The IRS uses tax return data to evaluate a hospital's activities, measure its charitable activities and scrutinize the organizations' tax-exempt status. Investigating these differences using actual tax return data provides support to the argument that nonprofit hospitals engaging in joint ventures exhibit similarities to for-profit hospitals."],"dc:description.degree":["Ph. D."],"dc:identifier.other":["etd-04112001-214524"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/26766"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":["For-Profit","Joint Venture","Hospitals","Nonprofit"],"dc:title":["An Empirical Investigation of Joint Ventures Between For-Profit and Tax-Exempt Nonprofit Hospitals"],"dc:type":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Accounting and Information Systems"],"thesis:degree_level":["doctoral"],"thesis:degree_name":["Ph. D."],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:20:38Z"}