Rural Hospitals – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Hospitals.
Rural Health Research Recap: Maternal Health Disparities: An Intersection of Race and Rurality
Summarizes recent research from Rural Health Research Centers examining the loss of hospital-based obstetric services and racial/ethnic disparities surrounding maternal and infant health. Features statistics on percent of counties which lost obstetric services from 2014-2018 with breakdowns by 4 levels of population density, annual births at hospitals providing obstetric services from 2010-2018 by rurality, percent of rural counties without obstetric services in 2019, and rates of preterm birth by race/ethnicity and rurality from 2012-2018.
Author(s): Per Ostmo, Jessica Rosencrans
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
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Summarizes recent research from Rural Health Research Centers examining the loss of hospital-based obstetric services and racial/ethnic disparities surrounding maternal and infant health. Features statistics on percent of counties which lost obstetric services from 2014-2018 with breakdowns by 4 levels of population density, annual births at hospitals providing obstetric services from 2010-2018 by rurality, percent of rural counties without obstetric services in 2019, and rates of preterm birth by race/ethnicity and rurality from 2012-2018.
Author(s): Per Ostmo, Jessica Rosencrans
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
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Maternal Health: Availability of Hospital-Based Obstetric Care in Rural Areas
Explores the availability of hospital-based obstetric services in rural areas. Summarizes stakeholder perspectives on the factors affecting the availability of these services and on the efforts federal agencies, states, and others could take to increase the access to obstetric care. Highlights six programs identified by researchers and provider associations as effective at increasing obstetric care in rural areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Explores the availability of hospital-based obstetric services in rural areas. Summarizes stakeholder perspectives on the factors affecting the availability of these services and on the efforts federal agencies, states, and others could take to increase the access to obstetric care. Highlights six programs identified by researchers and provider associations as effective at increasing obstetric care in rural areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Key Considerations for a Rural Hospital Assessing Conversion to Rural Emergency Hospital
Offers a conceptual framework of key considerations for rural hospitals contemplating conversion to a rural emergency hospital (REH). Covers financial feasibility, workforce, community impact, partnerships, and regulatory considerations.
Author(s): Kristin Reiter, TJ Grant, Susie Gurzenda, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Offers a conceptual framework of key considerations for rural hospitals contemplating conversion to a rural emergency hospital (REH). Covers financial feasibility, workforce, community impact, partnerships, and regulatory considerations.
Author(s): Kristin Reiter, TJ Grant, Susie Gurzenda, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Use of Leading Practices in US Hospital Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs
Highlights a study exploring the portion of acute-care hospitals that have implemented best practices in their antimicrobial stewardship programs. Features data compiled from electronic questionnaires to program leaders on the implementation of 6 leading antimicrobial practices. Breaks down data by hospital size, teaching status, and whether the hospital is located in a rural or urban location, among other measures.
Author(s): Edward A. Stenehjem, Barbara I. Braun, Salome O. Chitavi, et al.
Citation: Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 1-8
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
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Highlights a study exploring the portion of acute-care hospitals that have implemented best practices in their antimicrobial stewardship programs. Features data compiled from electronic questionnaires to program leaders on the implementation of 6 leading antimicrobial practices. Breaks down data by hospital size, teaching status, and whether the hospital is located in a rural or urban location, among other measures.
Author(s): Edward A. Stenehjem, Barbara I. Braun, Salome O. Chitavi, et al.
Citation: Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 1-8
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
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Small Rural Hospitals with Low-Volume Emergency Departments that May Convert to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH)
Explores a variety of characteristics of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural hospitals eligible to convert to the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation, including patient volume, services and technology, EMS, and clinical staffing characteristics. Compares eligible hospitals by emergency department volume in 2019. Summarizes observations made by emergency department physician advisers regarding this data and REH implementation concerns.
Author(s): Margaret Greenwood-Ericksen, TJ Grant, Susie Gurzenda, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Explores a variety of characteristics of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural hospitals eligible to convert to the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation, including patient volume, services and technology, EMS, and clinical staffing characteristics. Compares eligible hospitals by emergency department volume in 2019. Summarizes observations made by emergency department physician advisers regarding this data and REH implementation concerns.
Author(s): Margaret Greenwood-Ericksen, TJ Grant, Susie Gurzenda, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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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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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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Suicide and Self-Harm in Youth Presenting to a US Rural Hospital During COVID-19
Presents a study on rural emergency department utilization and hospital admission for suicide or self-harm in children ages 5 to 17 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzes hospital data from January, 2017 to May 2021. Breaks down data by demographic factors, such as race, gender, and rurality, as well as length of stay and visit type, among other measures.
Author(s): Mary Arakelyan, Jennifer A. Emond, JoAnna K. Leyenaar
Citation: Hospital Pediatrics, 12(10), e336–e342
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
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Presents a study on rural emergency department utilization and hospital admission for suicide or self-harm in children ages 5 to 17 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzes hospital data from January, 2017 to May 2021. Breaks down data by demographic factors, such as race, gender, and rurality, as well as length of stay and visit type, among other measures.
Author(s): Mary Arakelyan, Jennifer A. Emond, JoAnna K. Leyenaar
Citation: Hospital Pediatrics, 12(10), e336–e342
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
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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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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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Availability of Hospital-Based Emergency Department and Trauma Services in Minoritized Racial/Ethnic Group Areas
Explores the availability of hospital-based emergency department and trauma services nationwide across ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) categorized by rurality and racial and ethnic composition. Provides data on the median distance to the nearest emergency department and trauma service by rurality in minoritized and non-minoritized ZCTA and the percent of ZCTAs more than 30 miles from emergency department and trauma services by Census region.
Author(s): Nabil Natafgi, Peiyin Hung, Whitney E. Zahnd, et al.
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Explores the availability of hospital-based emergency department and trauma services nationwide across ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) categorized by rurality and racial and ethnic composition. Provides data on the median distance to the nearest emergency department and trauma service by rurality in minoritized and non-minoritized ZCTA and the percent of ZCTAs more than 30 miles from emergency department and trauma services by Census region.
Author(s): Nabil Natafgi, Peiyin Hung, Whitney E. Zahnd, et al.
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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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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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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Last Updated: 3/20/2024