Higher labor costs put pressure on Trinity Health’s margins in the first nine months of fiscal year 2022, according to financial documents released May 20. 

Livonia, Mich.-based Trinity Health posted revenue of $15.13 billion in the nine months ended March 31, up from $15.12 billion in the same period a year earlier. The health system said net patient service revenue was up 3.3 percent year over year, primarily because of increased volume and payment rates. 

“Patient volumes continue to fluctuate with COVID-19 pandemic surge and recovery waves and patient volumes are returning but have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels,” the system said in an earnings release. 

Trinity Health’s operating expenses for the first nine months of fiscal year 2022 increased by 4.8 percent year over year to $15.12 billion. The increase was attributed to a $679.8 million increase in labor costs. Contract labor expenses increased 154.2 percent during the nine-month period. 

Trinity Health reported operating income of $139.7 million in the first nine months of fiscal year 2022, down 79 percent from operating income of $653.9 million in the same period a year earlier. Operating income in the first nine months of the current fiscal year included a $128.7 million gain on the sale of Gateway Health Plan. 

After factoring in investments and nonoperating items, Trinity posted net income of $43 million for the first nine months of fiscal year 2022, down from $3.19 billion in the same period a year earlier.