Rural Hospitals – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Hospitals.
Nursing Homes in Rural America: A Chartbook
Explores county-level nursing home availability and evaluates the supply of nursing home beds per 1,000 population aged 65 and older. Identifies nursing home availability for counties with and without hospitals with swing beds, and describes the resident and nursing home characteristics including occupancy levels, payer mix, demographics, and healthcare needs. Features statistics with breakdowns by noncore, micropolitan, and metropolitan counties.
Author(s): Hari Sharma, Lili Xu, Fred Ullrich, Clint MacKinney, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
view details
Explores county-level nursing home availability and evaluates the supply of nursing home beds per 1,000 population aged 65 and older. Identifies nursing home availability for counties with and without hospitals with swing beds, and describes the resident and nursing home characteristics including occupancy levels, payer mix, demographics, and healthcare needs. Features statistics with breakdowns by noncore, micropolitan, and metropolitan counties.
Author(s): Hari Sharma, Lili Xu, Fred Ullrich, Clint MacKinney, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
view details
Risk of Closure Among Independent and Multihospital-Affiliated Rural Hospitals
Study examining the risk of rural hospital closure for independent hospitals and hospitals affiliated with other facilities or a health system. Analyzes 2007-2019 data from the American Hospital Association, Irving Levin Associates, and the University of North Carolina Sheps Center representing a national cohort of rural hospitals. Notes financial stability for affiliated and independent hospitals as well as policy interventions to support hospitals at risk of closure.
Author(s): H. Joanna Jiang, Kathryn R. Fingar, Lan Liang, Rachel Mosher Henke
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 3(7), e221835
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
view details
Study examining the risk of rural hospital closure for independent hospitals and hospitals affiliated with other facilities or a health system. Analyzes 2007-2019 data from the American Hospital Association, Irving Levin Associates, and the University of North Carolina Sheps Center representing a national cohort of rural hospitals. Notes financial stability for affiliated and independent hospitals as well as policy interventions to support hospitals at risk of closure.
Author(s): H. Joanna Jiang, Kathryn R. Fingar, Lan Liang, Rachel Mosher Henke
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 3(7), e221835
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
view details
The Economic Effects of Rural Hospital Closures
Examines the impact of a rural hospital closure on local economic outcomes. Compares economic changes in nonmetro counties experiencing a hospital closure between 2001 and 2018 to changes in a control group of nonmetro counties. Presents data on the effects of rural hospital closures on annual income, population size, unemployment, and labor force size overall and by closure type and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) and Prospective Payment System (PPS) status.
Author(s): Tyler L. Malone, Arrianna Marie Planey, Laura B. Bozovich, Kristie W. Thompson, George M. Holmes
Citation: Health Services Research, 57(3), 614-623
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
view details
Examines the impact of a rural hospital closure on local economic outcomes. Compares economic changes in nonmetro counties experiencing a hospital closure between 2001 and 2018 to changes in a control group of nonmetro counties. Presents data on the effects of rural hospital closures on annual income, population size, unemployment, and labor force size overall and by closure type and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) and Prospective Payment System (PPS) status.
Author(s): Tyler L. Malone, Arrianna Marie Planey, Laura B. Bozovich, Kristie W. Thompson, George M. Holmes
Citation: Health Services Research, 57(3), 614-623
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
view details
Higher Electronic Health Record Functionality Is Associated with Lower Operating Costs in Urban—but Not Rural—Hospitals
Explores the relationship between electronic health record (EHR) use and functionality and hospital operating costs. Examines the effects of different categories of EHR functionality on general, inpatient, and outpatient costs. Compares the relationship between EHR functionality and operating costs across urban and rural hospitals.
Author(s): Claudia A. Rhoades, Brian E. Whitacre, Alison F. Davis
Citation: Applied Clinical Informatics, 13(3), 665-676
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
view details
Explores the relationship between electronic health record (EHR) use and functionality and hospital operating costs. Examines the effects of different categories of EHR functionality on general, inpatient, and outpatient costs. Compares the relationship between EHR functionality and operating costs across urban and rural hospitals.
Author(s): Claudia A. Rhoades, Brian E. Whitacre, Alison F. Davis
Citation: Applied Clinical Informatics, 13(3), 665-676
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
view details
Rx for the Rural Healthcare Workforce and Access to Care
Podcast with Tom Morris of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy about trends related to the rural healthcare workforce and efforts to overcome challenges. Discusses the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, rural hospital closures, telehealth, graduate medical education in rural areas, community health workers and community paramedics, funding opportunities to promote healthcare access in rural areas, the opioid crisis, and more.
Author(s): Jessica Nicholson
Date: 05/2022
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: The Conference Board
view details
Podcast with Tom Morris of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy about trends related to the rural healthcare workforce and efforts to overcome challenges. Discusses the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, rural hospital closures, telehealth, graduate medical education in rural areas, community health workers and community paramedics, funding opportunities to promote healthcare access in rural areas, the opioid crisis, and more.
Author(s): Jessica Nicholson
Date: 05/2022
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: The Conference Board
view details
Trends in Revenue Sources among Rural Hospitals
Examines outpatient care as a revenue source for rural hospitals between 2011 and 2019 by analyzing Healthcare Cost Report Information System data from 1,866 rural hospitals. Includes data broken down by rural versus urban, inpatient/outpatient revenue, and hospital payment classification, such as Critical Access Hospital, Medicare-Dependent Hospital, Prospective Payment System, Rural Referral Center, and Sole Community Hospital, among other things.
Author(s): Randall John, Tyler Malone, George Pink
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
view details
Examines outpatient care as a revenue source for rural hospitals between 2011 and 2019 by analyzing Healthcare Cost Report Information System data from 1,866 rural hospitals. Includes data broken down by rural versus urban, inpatient/outpatient revenue, and hospital payment classification, such as Critical Access Hospital, Medicare-Dependent Hospital, Prospective Payment System, Rural Referral Center, and Sole Community Hospital, among other things.
Author(s): Randall John, Tyler Malone, George Pink
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
view details
Association Between Rural Hospital Service Changes and Community Demographics
Investigates possible differences in service availability by local demographics and examines the association between proportion of a rural community belonging to an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality-identified priority population and local hospital service changes. Features statistics on changes in healthcare service availability in nonmetro hospitals from 2011-2017, with breakdowns by areas with greater or smaller percentage of the population that is Hispanic/Latino, Black, aged 65 or greater, or in poverty. Also includes statistics on changes in availability of 8 types of services in nonmetro hospitals from 2011-2017.
Author(s): Tyler L. Malone, Kathleen Knocke, George H. Pink, et al.
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
view details
Investigates possible differences in service availability by local demographics and examines the association between proportion of a rural community belonging to an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality-identified priority population and local hospital service changes. Features statistics on changes in healthcare service availability in nonmetro hospitals from 2011-2017, with breakdowns by areas with greater or smaller percentage of the population that is Hispanic/Latino, Black, aged 65 or greater, or in poverty. Also includes statistics on changes in availability of 8 types of services in nonmetro hospitals from 2011-2017.
Author(s): Tyler L. Malone, Kathleen Knocke, George H. Pink, et al.
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
view details
Comparison of Cancer Treatment Services Across Hospitals
Compares the cancer treatment services available at urban hospitals, rural prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals, and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in 2017. Highlights the percentage of rural PPS and CAH hospitals that offered comprehensive oncology services in 2008 and 2017. Examines the odds of hospitals offering oncology services based on the distance to the nearest cancer hospital.
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
view details
Compares the cancer treatment services available at urban hospitals, rural prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals, and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in 2017. Highlights the percentage of rural PPS and CAH hospitals that offered comprehensive oncology services in 2008 and 2017. Examines the odds of hospitals offering oncology services based on the distance to the nearest cancer hospital.
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
view details
COVID-19 and Hospital Financial Viability in the US
Results of a study comparing operating and profit margins from 2016-2019 at 2,163 hospitals across the country to margins during the first year of the pandemic. Features statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan, micropolitan, and rural areas.
Author(s): Yang Wang, Ge Bai, Gerard Anderson
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 3(5)
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
view details
Results of a study comparing operating and profit margins from 2016-2019 at 2,163 hospitals across the country to margins during the first year of the pandemic. Features statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan, micropolitan, and rural areas.
Author(s): Yang Wang, Ge Bai, Gerard Anderson
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 3(5)
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
view details
Strategies for Rural Health Leaders' Success in a Post-COVID-19 World
Playbook for rural hospital leaders to approach COVID-19 response, vaccination, and related public health efforts. Discusses strategies for countering misinformation through partnerships with community institutions, conducting assessments of community vaccination needs, and communications and engagement. Features case studies of hospitals serving rural communities, and offers links to other tools and resources.
Additional links: Webinar: Rural Health Leaders on Strategies for Pandemic and Beyond
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
view details
Playbook for rural hospital leaders to approach COVID-19 response, vaccination, and related public health efforts. Discusses strategies for countering misinformation through partnerships with community institutions, conducting assessments of community vaccination needs, and communications and engagement. Features case studies of hospitals serving rural communities, and offers links to other tools and resources.
Additional links: Webinar: Rural Health Leaders on Strategies for Pandemic and Beyond
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
view details
Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:
Last Updated: 6/10/2024