Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Closures of healthcare facilities and services
Closed, Converted, Merged, and New Hospitals with Medicare Rural Designations: January 2018-November 2022
Provides an overview of four Medicare rural hospital designations - Critical Access Hospital, Low-Volume Hospital, Medicare Dependent Hospital, and Sole Community Hospital - and factors related to financial distress that these designations are intended to address. Explores the number of rural-designated hospitals that have closed, merged, converted, or opened between January 2018-November 2022 and compares the number of rural-designated hospitals with the number of non-designated hospitals. Outlines considerations for Congress regarding policy options for rural hospitals and access to healthcare services in rural areas.
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of four Medicare rural hospital designations - Critical Access Hospital, Low-Volume Hospital, Medicare Dependent Hospital, and Sole Community Hospital - and factors related to financial distress that these designations are intended to address. Explores the number of rural-designated hospitals that have closed, merged, converted, or opened between January 2018-November 2022 and compares the number of rural-designated hospitals with the number of non-designated hospitals. Outlines considerations for Congress regarding policy options for rural hospitals and access to healthcare services in rural areas.
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Rewards and Frustrations of Rural Surgery Practice
Discusses challenges in rural surgery practice, such as demographic trends, workforce shortages, issues with surgical training, rural hospital closures, and economic pressures. Includes a link to video featuring Michael Sarap and Alisha D. Reiss, of the American College of Surgeons.
Author(s): Michael Sarap, Alisha D. Reiss
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document, Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: American College of Surgeons
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Discusses challenges in rural surgery practice, such as demographic trends, workforce shortages, issues with surgical training, rural hospital closures, and economic pressures. Includes a link to video featuring Michael Sarap and Alisha D. Reiss, of the American College of Surgeons.
Author(s): Michael Sarap, Alisha D. Reiss
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document, Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: American College of Surgeons
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Caitlin Carroll on Rural Hospital Survival
A podcast episode featuring Caitlin Carroll of the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health. Discusses the financial challenges rural hospitals face and common paths for unprofitable hospitals - continuing as-is, closure, or merging with another hospital system.
Date: 04/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Health Affairs
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A podcast episode featuring Caitlin Carroll of the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health. Discusses the financial challenges rural hospitals face and common paths for unprofitable hospitals - continuing as-is, closure, or merging with another hospital system.
Date: 04/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Health Affairs
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Forces Driving Change in Rural North Carolina
Examines major forces driving change in rural North Carolina communities, which influence people, communities, and businesses. Includes sections on rural healthcare inequities, social determinants of health, and the long-term impact of COVID-19 on rural people. Features a county-level map showing health outcome rankings as of 2022, and statistics on the number of healthcare professionals per 10,000 people, with breakdowns by urban, suburban, and rural areas.
Date: 03/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Center
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Examines major forces driving change in rural North Carolina communities, which influence people, communities, and businesses. Includes sections on rural healthcare inequities, social determinants of health, and the long-term impact of COVID-19 on rural people. Features a county-level map showing health outcome rankings as of 2022, and statistics on the number of healthcare professionals per 10,000 people, with breakdowns by urban, suburban, and rural areas.
Date: 03/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Center
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Oversight Hearing – Addressing the Challenges of Rural America
Recording of a March 29, 2023, House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies regarding challenges rural communities face. Discussions include access to healthcare; rural workforce development, including the healthcare workforce; telehealth; and more.
Additional links: Carrie Cochran-McClain, National Rural Health Association - Testimony, Tearsanee Davis, University of Mississippi Medical Center - Testimony, Tom Morris, Federal Office of Rural Health Policy - Testimony
Date: 03/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
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Recording of a March 29, 2023, House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies regarding challenges rural communities face. Discussions include access to healthcare; rural workforce development, including the healthcare workforce; telehealth; and more.
Additional links: Carrie Cochran-McClain, National Rural Health Association - Testimony, Tearsanee Davis, University of Mississippi Medical Center - Testimony, Tom Morris, Federal Office of Rural Health Policy - Testimony
Date: 03/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
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VA Health Care: Improved Data, Planning, and Communication Needed for Infrastructure Modernization and Realignment
Describes the Asset and Infrastructure Review Commission and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recommendations to modernize and realign its infrastructure. Examines the data that the VA used to inform its recommendations, any plans that VA has to improve such data, and the extent of the VA's planning to modernize and realign its infrastructure. Discusses rural-specific recommendations and compares data on facility closure and service line change recommendations by rurality.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 03/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Describes the Asset and Infrastructure Review Commission and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recommendations to modernize and realign its infrastructure. Examines the data that the VA used to inform its recommendations, any plans that VA has to improve such data, and the extent of the VA's planning to modernize and realign its infrastructure. Discusses rural-specific recommendations and compares data on facility closure and service line change recommendations by rurality.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 03/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Availability of Hospital-Based Cancer Services Before and After Rural Hospital Closure, 2008–2017
Explores the effect rural hospital closures have had on rural cancer care. Draws from American Hospital Association data from 2008 to 2017 and explores the differing outcomes hospital closures had on oncology care, radiation services, and cancer screening in rural areas.
Author(s): Whitney E. Zahnd, Peiyin Hung, Sylvia Kewei Shi, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(2), 416-425
Date: 03/2023
Type: Document
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Explores the effect rural hospital closures have had on rural cancer care. Draws from American Hospital Association data from 2008 to 2017 and explores the differing outcomes hospital closures had on oncology care, radiation services, and cancer screening in rural areas.
Author(s): Whitney E. Zahnd, Peiyin Hung, Sylvia Kewei Shi, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(2), 416-425
Date: 03/2023
Type: Document
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Leadership Dialogue Series: Strengthening Rural Health Care with Jennifer Havens
Discussion between John Haupert, president and CEO of Grady Health System, and Jennifer Havens, CEO of UnityPoint Health – Grinnell Regional Medical Center (GRMC). Describes challenges facing rural hospitals and health systems, as well as access to maternal health services. Explores how GRMC has addressed these challenges and improved care delivery. Transcript is available by clicking the dots above the video description, then selecting Show Transcript.
Date: 02/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Discussion between John Haupert, president and CEO of Grady Health System, and Jennifer Havens, CEO of UnityPoint Health – Grinnell Regional Medical Center (GRMC). Describes challenges facing rural hospitals and health systems, as well as access to maternal health services. Explores how GRMC has addressed these challenges and improved care delivery. Transcript is available by clicking the dots above the video description, then selecting Show Transcript.
Date: 02/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Rural Hospitals: Community Cornerstones Facing Perilous Threats to Care
Infographic presenting data regarding the importance of rural hospitals to their communities. Includes information on workforce and financial challenges experienced by rural hospitals, as well as the impact of hospital closures on access to care. Provides recommendations on actions to support rural hospitals and communities.
Date: 02/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Infographic presenting data regarding the importance of rural hospitals to their communities. Includes information on workforce and financial challenges experienced by rural hospitals, as well as the impact of hospital closures on access to care. Provides recommendations on actions to support rural hospitals and communities.
Date: 02/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Chartis Center for Rural Health Research & Resources for the 2023 National Rural Health Association's Rural Health Policy Institute Conference
Offers research and analysis of the stability of the rural healthcare safety net. Includes Rural Health Safety Net Under Renewed Pressure as Pandemic Fades and presentation slides on this report from the 2023 National Rural Health Association Policy Institute. Provides links to national and state data tables showing the financial impact of federal policies on rural hospitals.
Date: 02/2023
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Offers research and analysis of the stability of the rural healthcare safety net. Includes Rural Health Safety Net Under Renewed Pressure as Pandemic Fades and presentation slides on this report from the 2023 National Rural Health Association Policy Institute. Provides links to national and state data tables showing the financial impact of federal policies on rural hospitals.
Date: 02/2023
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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