Rural Hospitals – Resources

Changes in Socioeconomic Mix and Health Outcomes in Rural Counties with Hospital Closures, 2005-2018
Explores changes in socioeconomic mix and health outcomes that occurred in micropolitan and noncore counties with and without a complete hospital closure between 2005-2018, using the 2013 National Center for Health Statistics Rural Classification Scheme for Counties. Features statistics on number of counties that experienced hospital closures, percentage of hospital closures by Medicaid expansion status, trends in area unemployment and poverty rates and proportion of non-white residents across counties by closure status, and mortality rates, with breakdowns by micropolitan and noncore areas.
Author(s): Nathaniel Bell, Peiyin Hung, Kewei Shi, et al.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Medicare Covers a Lower Percentage of Outpatient Costs in Hospitals Located in Rural Areas
Policy brief describing differences in Medicare Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) payments between urban and rural hospitals. Features statistics on OPPS payments as a percent of total net patient revenue, as a percent of Medicare outpatient cost by hospital payment classification, and as a percent of Medicare outpatient cost by number of acute beds, with breakdowns by urban and rural location.
Author(s): Pranathi Sana, George H. Pink
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Keeping the Doors Open: Vulnerable Rural Hospitals Benefit from Federally Funded Technical Assistance
Features the work of Texas A&M's Center for Optimizing Rural Health (CORH), which provides technical assistance through a federally funded program for vulnerable hospitals. Highlights the experiences of a participating Oklahoma hospital.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Overview of Operating Room Procedures During Inpatient Stays in U.S. Hospitals, 2018
Report offering statistics on operating room (OR) procedures during 2018 using National Inpatient Sample (NIS) data. Compares OR procedure rates to overall hospital stays, examines patient characteristics including rural and metro location, and ranks the top 20 OR procedures with breakdowns by gender, age, and costliness.
Author(s): Kimberly W. McDermott, Lan Liang
Date: 08/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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State and Regional Differences in Access to Hospital-Based Obstetric Services for Rural Residents, 2018
Highlights a study on rural access to hospital-based obstetric services by state and region. Compares rates regionally and by state across the country and discusses the factors that affect obstetrics access.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Mariana S. Tuttle, Bridget Basile Ibrahim, et al.
Date: 08/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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The Swing Bed Program: Impacting Patients, Providers, and Community
Brief video overview of the swing bed program, which helps rural hospitals provide patient- and community-centric post-acute healthcare. Describes the history, related policy issues, early implementation, and evolution of the program.
Date: 08/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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History of the Swing Bed: A Look Through the Rural Rearview Mirror
Reviews the history of the swing bed program, which helps rural hospitals serve patients and the community through provision of post-acute care. Shares insights from experts who describe early implementation and key program elements that have contributed to the program's success.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 08/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Understanding the Rural Swing Bed: More than Just a Reimbursement Policy
Provides an overview of the swing bed program and its role as a patient-centric post-acute care solution that helps rural hospitals serve their communities. Discusses the impact of the program, reimbursement, quality measures, and more.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 08/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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AHA Future of Rural Health Care Task Force: Final Recommendations
Presents the recommendations of the American Hospital Association Future of Rural Health Care Task Force, including innovation-based solutions and promising practices. Solutions include public-private funding changes for core services, flexible rural hospital infrastructure funding programs, creating a rural design center, and supporting grant writing services. Explores promising rural initiatives such as telemedicine, strategic partnerships, maternal health efforts, broadband investment, and rural philanthropy.
Date: 05/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Changes in Provision of Selected Services by Rural and Urban Hospitals between 2009 and 2017
Examines the increase in number of rural hospitals that have closed or converted to a model eliminating inpatient care, as well as rural hospitals that have reduced or terminated historically essential services including obstetrics, surgery, long-term care, home health, and oncology. Features statistics on the number of hospitals offering various types of healthcare services in 2009 and in 2017, with breakdowns by urban and rural location.
Author(s): Kathleen Knocke, George H. Pink, Kristie W. Thompson, Randy K. Randolph, Mark Holmes
Date: 04/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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