Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Closures of healthcare facilities and services
The Problem Of The Color Line: Spatial Access To Hospital Services For Minoritized Racial And Ethnic Groups
Study examining healthcare access by race and geography, covering distances to hospital services for minoritized ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZTCAs). Discusses factors that lead to disparities in access for rural minority communities, including policy, rural hospital closures, and safety-net program issues.
Additional links: Story Map: The Problem Of The Color Line
Author(s): Jan M. Eberth, Peiyin Hung, Gabriel A. Benavidez, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs, 41(2), 237-246
Date: 02/2022
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Study examining healthcare access by race and geography, covering distances to hospital services for minoritized ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZTCAs). Discusses factors that lead to disparities in access for rural minority communities, including policy, rural hospital closures, and safety-net program issues.
Additional links: Story Map: The Problem Of The Color Line
Author(s): Jan M. Eberth, Peiyin Hung, Gabriel A. Benavidez, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs, 41(2), 237-246
Date: 02/2022
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Rural Hospitals that Closed between 2017‐20: Profitability and Liquidity in the Year Before Closure
Examines the pre-closure profitability and liquidity performance of 56 rural hospitals that closed between January 2017 and August 2020. Compares this data to the median performance of rural hospitals that remained open each year.
Author(s): Andrew S. Osgood, George H. Pink
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Examines the pre-closure profitability and liquidity performance of 56 rural hospitals that closed between January 2017 and August 2020. Compares this data to the median performance of rural hospitals that remained open each year.
Author(s): Andrew S. Osgood, George H. Pink
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Provider and Patient Perspectives on Labor and Delivery Unit Closures in Rural New Hampshire
Explores how the closure of labor and delivery units in New Hampshire has impacted the providers and patients in the affected communities. Describes the top reasons for labor and delivery unit closures among five hospitals, staffing challenges, and the effect of closures on prenatal and postpartum care for women in the community. Presents recommendations to ensure access to safe and secure pregnancies and deliveries after closures.
Author(s): Sarah Benatar, Stacey McMorrow, Timothy J. Fisher
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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Explores how the closure of labor and delivery units in New Hampshire has impacted the providers and patients in the affected communities. Describes the top reasons for labor and delivery unit closures among five hospitals, staffing challenges, and the effect of closures on prenatal and postpartum care for women in the community. Presents recommendations to ensure access to safe and secure pregnancies and deliveries after closures.
Author(s): Sarah Benatar, Stacey McMorrow, Timothy J. Fisher
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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For-profit Hospitals as Anchor Institutions in the United States: A Study of Organizational Stability
Examines whether for-profit hospitals are stable enough to fulfill the role of long-standing anchor institutions through a long-term presence in communities. Analyzes if for-profit hospitals had higher odds of closing and merging, and discusses the potential economic contributions of for-profit anchor institution hospitals to the surrounding community. Includes statistics by hospital characteristics, including rural location, and a discussion of rural hospital closures.
Author(s): Berkeley Franz, Cory E. Cronin, Vanessa Rodriguez, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 21
Date: 12/2021
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Examines whether for-profit hospitals are stable enough to fulfill the role of long-standing anchor institutions through a long-term presence in communities. Analyzes if for-profit hospitals had higher odds of closing and merging, and discusses the potential economic contributions of for-profit anchor institution hospitals to the surrounding community. Includes statistics by hospital characteristics, including rural location, and a discussion of rural hospital closures.
Author(s): Berkeley Franz, Cory E. Cronin, Vanessa Rodriguez, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 21
Date: 12/2021
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Robustness of Estimated Access to Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Providers in Rural Vs. Urban Areas of the United States
Estimates level of access to opioid use disorder treatment at 31,053 locations in July 2020 for rural and urban opioid users by comparing drive time and availability of treatment. Discusses treatment differences between rural and urban opioid users with particular focus on infrastructure such as transportation and broadband, hospital closures, and health insurance status.
Author(s): Matthew V. Kiang, Michael L. Barnett, Sarah E. Wakeman, Keith Humphreys, Alexander C. Tsai
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 228, 109081
Date: 11/2021
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Estimates level of access to opioid use disorder treatment at 31,053 locations in July 2020 for rural and urban opioid users by comparing drive time and availability of treatment. Discusses treatment differences between rural and urban opioid users with particular focus on infrastructure such as transportation and broadband, hospital closures, and health insurance status.
Author(s): Matthew V. Kiang, Michael L. Barnett, Sarah E. Wakeman, Keith Humphreys, Alexander C. Tsai
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 228, 109081
Date: 11/2021
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Access to Outpatient Services in Rural Communities Changes after Hospital Closure
Examines trends of Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and Rural Health Quality (RHC) availability in rural areas before and after hospital closures. Explores the associations between poverty rates and access to FQHCs and RHCs following hospital closure.
Author(s): Katherine E.M. Miller, Kyle L. Miller, Kathleen Knocke, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 56(5), 788-801
Date: 10/2021
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Examines trends of Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and Rural Health Quality (RHC) availability in rural areas before and after hospital closures. Explores the associations between poverty rates and access to FQHCs and RHCs following hospital closure.
Author(s): Katherine E.M. Miller, Kyle L. Miller, Kathleen Knocke, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 56(5), 788-801
Date: 10/2021
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Rural Emergency Hospital: Policy Brief and Recommendations to the Secretary
Describes the development of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation in response to rural hospital closures and issues accessing emergency care. Lists statutory requirements for hospitals wishing to become an REH, and offers policy recommendations related to participation conditions, quality reporting, reimbursement, and emergency medical transfer agreement.
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Describes the development of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation in response to rural hospital closures and issues accessing emergency care. Lists statutory requirements for hospitals wishing to become an REH, and offers policy recommendations related to participation conditions, quality reporting, reimbursement, and emergency medical transfer agreement.
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Mapping the Location of Health Centers in Relation to "Maternity Care Deserts": Associations With Utilization of Women's Health Providers and Services
Explores the association between community health centers' (CHC) distance to a maternity care desert (MCD) and use of maternity-related healthcare services. Discusses the effects of rural hospital closures and provider shortages on patients' access to maternity care. Includes a county-level MCD map and county-level and CHC-level statistics related to MCDs.
Author(s): Anne R. Markus, Drishti Pillai
Citation: Medical Care, 59(10), S434-S440
Date: 10/2021
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Explores the association between community health centers' (CHC) distance to a maternity care desert (MCD) and use of maternity-related healthcare services. Discusses the effects of rural hospital closures and provider shortages on patients' access to maternity care. Includes a county-level MCD map and county-level and CHC-level statistics related to MCDs.
Author(s): Anne R. Markus, Drishti Pillai
Citation: Medical Care, 59(10), S434-S440
Date: 10/2021
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Following Labor and Delivery Unit Closures in Rural New Hampshire, Driving Time to the Nearest Unit Doubled
Examines the impact of the closure of 9 labor and delivery units in rural New Hampshire on the driving time to open units between 2000 and 2018. Explores the association between proximity to an open labor and delivery unit and women's health and socioeconomic characteristics.
Author(s): Stacey McMorrow, Sarah Benatar, Timothy J. Fisher
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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Examines the impact of the closure of 9 labor and delivery units in rural New Hampshire on the driving time to open units between 2000 and 2018. Explores the association between proximity to an open labor and delivery unit and women's health and socioeconomic characteristics.
Author(s): Stacey McMorrow, Sarah Benatar, Timothy J. Fisher
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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The Association Between System Affiliation and Financial Performance in Critical Access Hospitals
Examines the association between Critical Access Hospital (CAH) health system affiliation and financial performance as measured by the Critical Access Hospital Measurement and Performance Assessment System (CAHMPAS). Discusses trends in health system affiliation as an alternative to closures as well as potential downsides of affiliation.
Author(s): Laura Bozovich, Kathleen Knocke, George Pink, Ann Howard, Kristin L. Reiter
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Examines the association between Critical Access Hospital (CAH) health system affiliation and financial performance as measured by the Critical Access Hospital Measurement and Performance Assessment System (CAHMPAS). Discusses trends in health system affiliation as an alternative to closures as well as potential downsides of affiliation.
Author(s): Laura Bozovich, Kathleen Knocke, George Pink, Ann Howard, Kristin L. Reiter
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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