Highlights: Conducting a 12-month comparison, focus utilization metrics for March and April 2026 show only slight fluctuations when compared to March 2025. Observation admissions present the biggest increase in volumes at 6% and 8% over March 2025 utilization for March 2026 and April 2026 respectively. Ambulatory surgery visits decreased 1% in March 2026 compared to March in the prior year and was only 1% higher in April compared to the March 2025 utilization. Psychiatric admissions showed slightly more variation with a 2% increase in March 2026 compared to March 2025 and a 6% decrease in April 2026 when compared to the same 2025 baseline (see Fig. 1 below).

Of note, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Sibley Memorial Hospital and St. Elizabeths Hospital all saw their highest utilization since February 2025 during the month of March 2026. Although MedStar Washington Hospital Center reported their highest level of civil commitments since February 2025 in March 2026, civil commitments show a declining shift overall since October 2025. Additionally, the percent change for average newborn admissions indicates a decline of 12.82% when comparing the most recent three-month period in 2026 (February – April) to the same three-month period in 2025 and a decline of 10.95% when comparing the most recent 12-month average with the prior 12-month period average.

As a note, the last three months and last 12 months percent change comparison for Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center GW Health is marked N/A for data tables throughout the report as Cedar Hill opened in April of 2025.Comparing March 2026 to January 2026 utilization metrics, a considerable increase in volumes is noted for all focus metrics.

For nearly 50 years, the District of Columbia Hospital Association (DCHA) has worked to advance the missions of the hospitals and health systems of the District of Columbia by promoting policies and initiatives that strengthen the system of care, preserve access, and promote better health outcomes for the patients and communities they serve.

The Vice President, Community Investment Programs (VP) is a senior executive leader charged with shaping and driving the impact of DCHA’s community investment strategy. Partnering closely with the CEO, the VP plays a pivotal role in advancing the organization’s social impact agenda and positioning DCHA as a leader in building healthier, more equitable communities. The VP leads bold, forward-looking strategies to address Washington, DC’s most pressing health care needs by directing investments into high-impact priority areas. As the steward of DCHA’s community investment portfolio, the Vice President ensures that grantmaking, partnerships, and initiatives are aligned with DCHA’s strategic priorities and deliver measurable, sustainable improvements in community health and advance health equity.

A skilled collaborator and communicator, the VP translates a bold vision for community impact into actionable, data-informed strategies. The VP serves as the accountable executive, supporting the nonprofit governing board, working closely with the CEO, Board of Directors, DCHA staff, and community stakeholders ensuring strong governance, strategic alignment, and effective decision-making. The VP also leads staff and ensures effective communication, coordination, and engagement with DCHA leadership and teams.

Additionally, the Vice President helps position DCHA as a trusted thought leader and voice, leveraging research, data, and community insights to inform investments, shape strategy, and elevate the role of District hospitals as essential partners in building healthier communities.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: June 19, 2026

The charts and tables in this publication are intended to provide aggregate and comparative data on health care facility utilization in the District of Columbia. The source of the data is from our monthly utilization survey self-reported by individual facilities. Please note, though not annotated on every graphic, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in the Spring of 2020, and the combined closing of United Medical Center and opening of Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center GW Health in April 2025 can be seen in utilization patterns throughout this report.