Samuel N. Hazen
Chief Executive Officer at HCA Healthcare
All right. Thank you, Frank. And good morning to everybody. Thank you for joining today's call. We are pleased with our financial results for the second quarter. The solid results were driven by a good mix of volume with respect to payer mix and acuity, coupled with progress in managing our operating costs.
Although overall demand for our services was not as strong as anticipated when compared to the second quarter of last year, same facility revenue grew 4%. As indicated in our earnings release, same facility inpatient admissions declined 1.2% and adjusted admissions grew 0.5%. COVID admissions declined 18% and represented approximately 3% of total admissions, which is generally consistent with the mix in the prior year. COVID admissions dropped 70% from the first quarter.
Emergency room beds on same facilities basis grew 7.3%, reflecting strong demand for this service. Volumes across most categories exceeded pre-pandemic levels as compared to the second quarter of 2019. Many aspects of our business were positive, considering the challenges we faced with the labor market and other inflationary pressures on costs. Our teams executed well, as they have in the past through other difficult environment. Again, I want to thank them for their dedication and excellent work.
Labor metrics improved in the quarter as compared to the first quarter. Recruitment was up, turnover was down, and throughout the quarter, we lowered contract labor expenses in each successive month with June down 22% as compared to April. Overall, operating cost per adjusted admission improved on a sequential basis as compared to the first quarter. Because of these positive developments, we operated with more available capacity than we did in the first quarter and had solid volume growth sequentially.
Additionally, we continue to expand our network offerings with new ambulatory centers and clinics. We opened three Galen nursing colleges in the quarter and two more are scheduled to open later this year. And lastly, we increased hospital capacity with targeted capital investments.
As we look to the balance of the year, we see volumes returning to pre-pandemic seasonal trends, but we expect growth in inpatient admissions at a more modest level than previously indicated in our guidance and in line with guidance for outpatient categories. We believe our labor and resiliency plans are appropriately responsive to market dynamics and the needs of our business and they should continue to generate improvements in our operations.
So let me close with this. And as I've mentioned this in the past, HCA Healthcare has an outstanding track record of responding to our reality by adjusting our operations in an appropriate manner. That is the manner aligned with our mission to provide high quality care to our patients while also being prudent with our financial management.
With that, I'll turn the call over to Bill for more details on the quarter.