I read with dismay the article "Growing Number of Catholic-Run Hospitals Raises Concerns" (In the News, December 2019). Has AJN forgotten that the Catholic Church instituted hospitals and is still a world leader in health care? No one is forcing nurses and physicians to work for Catholic institutions or forcing patients to patronize them.

Diana M. L. Newman, EdD, RN

Plymouth, MA

AJN editor-in-chief Shawn Kennedy responds:

This news article does not dispute the value or good work of Catholic health care institutions. It reports on a trend whereby patients may lose access to some services when small community hospitals merge with or are bought by large Catholic-run systems and then must comply with Catholic policies. In rural areas where there may be few options for health care, patients who relied on those services can end up without access to care, and clinicians may lose employment.