Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Closures of healthcare facilities and services

Jun 18, 2024 - Discusses how new funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will be used to expand the rural OBGYN residency track at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health. Explores factors contributing to recent closures of rural Wisconsin obstetrics services, including provider shortages, low volume of deliveries, and declining local birth rates.
Source: Wisconsin Public Radio
Jun 17, 2024 - Presents overview of health disparities and barriers to healthcare access in rural and tribal communities in South Dakota. Describes a variety of efforts to improve access and lessen disparities, including mobile clinics, programs that offer financial incentives to rural providers, and efforts to address the social determinants of health.
Source: South Dakota News Watch
Jun 6, 2024 - Features the perspective of the leadership of Mississippi hospitals who participate in the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) Program, which launched in January 2023. Notes that REH conversion has led to pushback from some communities due to the loss of maternal care and other inpatient services. Explores additional considerations for hospital leadership, including loss of eligibility for the 340B Drug Pricing Program.
Source: Stateline
May 29, 2024 - Highlights new research which found lower mammography rates among women in rural Texas. Notes particularly low rates among Hispanic and Black women. Explores possible contributing factors including rural hospital closures and lack of health insurance.
Source: Medical Xpress