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

Tennessee Hospital Association 2017 Rural Impact Report
Describes hospitals' economic impact on rural Tennessee communities and the effect of hospital closures. Includes county-level statistics on ER visits, births, cost of bad debt and charity care, number of employees, salaries, and total economic impact.
Date: 03/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Hospital Association
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What's Next? Practical Suggestions for Rural Communities Facing a Hospital Closure
Presents alternative healthcare solutions for rural Texas communities that are facing a rural hospital closure. Examines the current state of healthcare delivery and outlines the regulatory and legislative obstacles to maintaining rural hospital services. Appendices provide additional information including maps of rural Texas hospital closures, a list of useful resources, reflections from rural hospital leaders, and more.
Date: 2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: A&M Rural and Community Health Institute, Episcopal Health Foundation
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State Office of Rural Health Roadmap for Working with Vulnerable Hospitals
Toolkit designed to assist State Offices of Rural Health (SORHs) when working with vulnerable hospitals and communities. Outlines the types of technical assistance (TA) that SORHs may provide before and after hospital closures and includes resources to help SORHs facilitate that assistance. Provides a self-assessment to help SORHs determine their capacity and select the appropriate levels of TA, as well as sample Critical Access Hospital needs assessments and benchmarking reports.
Date: 10/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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Trends in Risk of Financial Distress among Rural Hospitals
Illustrates the proportion of rural hospitals, including Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), at high risk of financial distress by Census region and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) payment type for the 2013-2016 period.
Author(s): Brystana G. Kaufman, Randy Randolph, George H. Pink, Mark Holmes
Date: 10/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Why Are Obstetric Units in Rural Hospitals Closing Their Doors?
Examines factors associated with obstetric unit closure based on a mixed methods study of rural hospitals in 9 states between 2010 and 2014. Addresses hospital characteristics such as accreditation, ownership, and Critical Access Hospital status; distance to next closest hospital with obstetric services; and county-level characteristics including health workforce supply.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Katy B. Kozhimannil, Michelle M. Casey, Ira S. Moscovice
Citation: Health Services Research, 51(4), 1546-1560
Date: 08/2016
Type: Document
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APNP Hospitalists: Sustainability of Rural Hospitals
Video of a meeting at Rusk County Memorial Hospital in Ladysmith, Wisconsin. Includes discussion on how Advanced Practice Nurse Prescriber Hospitalists can help to sustain rural hospitals as a solution to workforce challenges. Hosted by Charisse Oland, CEO, Rusk County Memorial Hospital. Length: 3:41:21
Date: 07/2016
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative
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Hospital Closures and the Current Healthcare Climate: The Future of Rural Hospitals in the USA
Discusses impact of Affordable Care Act on rural hospitals, including financial considerations, and explores steps that may be taken in order to ensure that these facilities remain open.
Author(s): Soma Balasubramanian, Erick Jones
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 16(3), 3935
Date: 07/2016
Type: Document
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A Look at Rural Hospital Closures and Implications for Access to Care: Three Case Studies
Presents case studies of three rural hospital closures from 2015 in Kansas, Kentucky, and South Carolina. Explores impact of closures on access to care and the economy of local communities.
Author(s): Jane Wishner, Patricia Solleveld, Robin Rudowitz, Julia Paradise, Larisa Antonisse
Date: 07/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services Meeting Minutes, Beaufort, South Carolina, April 18-20, 2016
Provides a summary of the 79th meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services (NACRHHS), which was held in Beaufort, South Carolina. The meeting focused on two main topics: alternative models to preserving access to emergency care in rural areas in the face of hospital closures and the abuse of prescription painkillers and opioids.
Date: 04/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Alabama General Hospital Closures Since 1980
County-level map showing general hospitals that closed and were not replaced within two years.
Date: 03/2016
Type: Map/Mapping System
Sponsoring organization: Alabama Rural Health Association
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