Tax-exempt hospitals and joint ventures: does one jeopardize the other?

As the healthcare environment changes, ways of "doing business" change as well. Tax-exempt hospitals must find alternative methods to raise capital, obtain management expertise, and establish good relations with their medical staffs. By entering into joint ventures, hospitals are attempting to meet these new demands. However, as they do so, hospitals must be aware of the risks involved including possible loss of tax-exempt status or the requirement to pay unrelated business income tax.