BOSTON — A financial crisis at Steward Health Care has rendered the for-profit system as one of the biggest boogeymen in state government circles, but a pair of leaders at Steward hospitals told lawmakers Wednesday that they face many of the same challenges as their peers in nonprofit settings.

Sharp increases in patient demand pushing hospital capacity to its limits emerged as a common theme affecting providers as senators placed a magnifying glass on the state of health care in southeastern Massachusetts.

Several hospital CEOs said they continue to struggle with tight operating margins, especially among those who serve a higher share of the significant number of publicly insured patients, and face strain trying to serve everyone in need. In some cases, the capacity crunch coincides with — or is exacerbated by — staffing shortages and hiring challenges, they said.

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