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

Changes in Access to Nearest Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics Among Rural ZIP Codes That Did and Did Not Experience a Hospital Closure, 2006-2018
Findings brief exploring changes in geographic accessibility within rural ZIP codes to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) between 2016-18. Compares changes in access to services within rural counties that experienced the loss of its nearest hospital to changes in access within rural counties that never experienced a hospital closure. Features county-level maps showing changes in distance to nearest FQHCs and RHCs for rural ZIP codes and statistics on estimated percentage point changes in access to FQHCs and RHCs from 2016-2018.
Author(s): Nathaniel Bell, Peiyin Hung, Sylvia Shi, Elizabeth Crouch, Jan M. Eberth
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Next Steps for the Rural Emergency Hospital Model
Blog post discussing rural hospital closures and how the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) model can help financially vulnerable hospitals align their services to the needs of the community. Highlights recommendations to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regarding REH Conditions of Participation and payment.
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Philanthropy, Cross-Collaboration, and the Ecosystem That Is Rural Healthcare Delivery: Q&A with Dr. Shao-Chee Sim
An interview with Shao-Chee Sim, PhD, vice president for research, innovation, and evaluation for the Texas-based Episcopal Health Foundation. Discusses how philanthropic organizations can support community engagement, make research investments, and leverage cross-funder collaboration to impact the rural healthcare delivery system.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Review of Rural U.S. Economic and Health Care Trends
Reviews recent literature and publicly available data to explore important issues at the nexus of healthcare and local economic vibrancy, and explores the economic implications associated with COVID-19. Includes sections on rural hospitals, the rural healthcare workforce, emergency medical services, insurance, and telehealth. Features statistics with breakdowns by 6 levels of population density and county-level maps showing Health Professional Shortage Areas and rural counties without obstetrical services.
Author(s): Alison Davis
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
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Rural Hospital Closures Threaten Access: Solutions to Preserve Care in Local Communities
Provides an overview of rural hospital closures between 2010-2021. Discusses rural demographics and outlines trends affecting rural hospital financial sustainability, including patient volume and health, reimbursement, staffing shortages, COVID-19, new models of care, and more.
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Rural Hospital Closures and Burnout
Webinar describing research on rural nurse job outcomes in rural Texas counties with a recent hospital closure. Describes the impact of closures on healthcare access and outcomes for rural residents. Transcript for video available by clicking three dots under the video.
Date: 08/2022
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: University of Texas at Arlington Center for Rural Health and Nursing
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Update on Rural Independently Owned Pharmacy Closures in the United States, 2003-2021
Provides updated information on independently owned rural pharmacy closures from 2003 to 2021. Compares the annual retail pharmacy counts and percent change in the number of pharmacies by pharmacy type and metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore county status. Builds on past publications from RUPRI regarding rural pharmacy closures.
Author(s): Edmer Lazaro, Fred Ullrich, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 08/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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What Happens When a Hospital Closes?
Podcast episode discussing the impact of rural hospital closures and obstetrics units on their communities. Explores why facilities and units close and the impact of closures on mortality, prenatal care, maternal and infant health outcomes, and access to quality care.
Date: 08/2022
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Freakonomics
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Changes in the Provision of Health Care Services by Rural Critical Access Hospitals and Prospective Payment System Hospitals in 2009 compared to 2017
Findings brief exploring changes in the availability and provision of different health care services among rural Critical Access Hospitals and Prospective Payment System hospitals from 2009 to 2017, using data from the American Hospital Association Annual Survey Database. Features statistics with breakdowns by types of services offered, type of hospital, and percentage-point change from 2009 to 2017.
Author(s): Randall John, Kathleen Knocke, Sharita Thomas, et al.
Date: 08/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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County-Level Availability of Obstetric Care and Economic Implications of Hospital Closures on Obstetric Care
Policy brief providing data on the economic changes in counties that lost obstetric care facilities between 2012-2019. Describes demographic and economic differences between counties with or without obstetric care facilities. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban or rural location and a county-level map with shadings showing availability of obstetric services and hospital closures from 2012-2019.
Author(s): Andrew L. Owen, Alison Davis, Simona Balazs
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
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