Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Closures of healthcare facilities and services
Optimizing Rural Health: A Community Healthcare Blueprint
Provides three in-depth case studies of rural Texas communities facing hospital closures to learn more about how communities respond, discussing the findings and similarities. Identifies lessons learned in regards to community awareness, community engagement, how access is defined, hospital board leadership, and finances to guide other rural communities facing similar challenges.
Date: 2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: A&M Rural and Community Health Institute, Center for Optimizing Rural Health
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Provides three in-depth case studies of rural Texas communities facing hospital closures to learn more about how communities respond, discussing the findings and similarities. Identifies lessons learned in regards to community awareness, community engagement, how access is defined, hospital board leadership, and finances to guide other rural communities facing similar challenges.
Date: 2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: A&M Rural and Community Health Institute, Center for Optimizing Rural Health
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Rural Health Research Recap: Effects of Rural Hospital Closures
Summarizes key findings from the Rural Health Research Centers' research published between 2015 and 2017 on the effects of rural hospital closures. Examines rural hospital closures and conversions, payment models, the loss of obstetric services, and more. Provides links to each of the referenced source documents.
Date: 12/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
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Summarizes key findings from the Rural Health Research Centers' research published between 2015 and 2017 on the effects of rural hospital closures. Examines rural hospital closures and conversions, payment models, the loss of obstetric services, and more. Provides links to each of the referenced source documents.
Date: 12/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
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Rural Health Research Recap: Rural Hospital Closures
Summarizes key findings from the Rural Health Research Centers' most recent research on rural hospital closures. Discusses hospitals by U.S. census region, rural hospital closures between 2005 and 2017, urban and rural hospital profitability, and the financial distress index. Provides links to each of the referenced source documents.
Date: 12/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
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Summarizes key findings from the Rural Health Research Centers' most recent research on rural hospital closures. Discusses hospitals by U.S. census region, rural hospital closures between 2005 and 2017, urban and rural hospital profitability, and the financial distress index. Provides links to each of the referenced source documents.
Date: 12/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
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Characteristics of Communities Served by Hospitals at High Risk of Financial Distress
Study compares communities served by rural hospitals that have a high risk of financial distress with those that do not. Looks at community demographics, socio-economics, and health status.
Author(s): Erica L. Richman, George H. Pink
Date: 12/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Study compares communities served by rural hospitals that have a high risk of financial distress with those that do not. Looks at community demographics, socio-economics, and health status.
Author(s): Erica L. Richman, George H. Pink
Date: 12/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Rural Hospital Stabilization Committee Pilot Program Report
Reports on the initial results of using a "hub and spoke" model in Georgia to help address rural hospital financial pressures and emergency department overuse. Highlights the progress made by the initial four hub hospitals and the spokes, which included school-based healthcare and Federally Qualified Health Centers. Additional link provides performance metrics for the pilot.
Additional links: Profile for Rural Hospital Stabilization Committee (Data from SFY 2016 Phase 1 Pilot Program)
Date: 11/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Georgia State Office of Rural Health
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Reports on the initial results of using a "hub and spoke" model in Georgia to help address rural hospital financial pressures and emergency department overuse. Highlights the progress made by the initial four hub hospitals and the spokes, which included school-based healthcare and Federally Qualified Health Centers. Additional link provides performance metrics for the pilot.
Additional links: Profile for Rural Hospital Stabilization Committee (Data from SFY 2016 Phase 1 Pilot Program)
Date: 11/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Georgia State Office of Rural Health
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ESRD Facility Characteristics by Rurality and Risk of Closure
Profiles rural end-stage renal disease (ESRD) facilities, especially the ones at greatest risk for closure. Examines the facilities' characteristics, quality of care, and distance their patients would need to travel if the facilities should close. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural locations.
Author(s): Jan M. Eberth, Fozia Ajmal, Kevin Bennett, Janice C. Probst
Date: 11/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Profiles rural end-stage renal disease (ESRD) facilities, especially the ones at greatest risk for closure. Examines the facilities' characteristics, quality of care, and distance their patients would need to travel if the facilities should close. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural locations.
Author(s): Jan M. Eberth, Fozia Ajmal, Kevin Bennett, Janice C. Probst
Date: 11/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Ensuring Access with a Hospital's Conversion to a Freestanding Emergency Department
Outlines Ellijay, Georgia-based North Georgia Medical Center's transition from a traditional community hospital to a freestanding emergency department (ED). Shares administrative, legal, and logistical challenges that, once overcome, resulted in Piedmont Mountainside Hospital Emergency Services - a successful, community-focused, freestanding ED.
Date: 11/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association Rural Health Services
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Outlines Ellijay, Georgia-based North Georgia Medical Center's transition from a traditional community hospital to a freestanding emergency department (ED). Shares administrative, legal, and logistical challenges that, once overcome, resulted in Piedmont Mountainside Hospital Emergency Services - a successful, community-focused, freestanding ED.
Date: 11/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association Rural Health Services
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Access To Obstetric Services In Rural Counties Still Declining, With 9 Percent Losing Services, 2004-14
Results of a study identifying gaps in the availability of hospital-based obstetric services in rural America, and providing evidence of disparities in local access to obstetric services in vulnerable rural communities. Includes statistics on percentages of rural counties by status of hospital obstetric services from 2004–14, with breakdowns by micropolitan or noncore location, and a county-level map with shadings indicating full closure, continuous services, or no services.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Carrie E. Henning-Smith, Michelle M. Casey, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Citation: Health Affairs, 36(9), 1663-1671
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
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Results of a study identifying gaps in the availability of hospital-based obstetric services in rural America, and providing evidence of disparities in local access to obstetric services in vulnerable rural communities. Includes statistics on percentages of rural counties by status of hospital obstetric services from 2004–14, with breakdowns by micropolitan or noncore location, and a county-level map with shadings indicating full closure, continuous services, or no services.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Carrie E. Henning-Smith, Michelle M. Casey, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Citation: Health Affairs, 36(9), 1663-1671
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
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Rethinking Rural Hospitals
Discusses the various factors associated with rural hospital closures, and makes the case for adopting new, innovative approaches to rural healthcare delivery.
Author(s): Diana J. Mason
Citation: JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association, 318(2), 114-115
Date: 07/2017
Type: Document
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Discusses the various factors associated with rural hospital closures, and makes the case for adopting new, innovative approaches to rural healthcare delivery.
Author(s): Diana J. Mason
Citation: JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association, 318(2), 114-115
Date: 07/2017
Type: Document
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After Hospital Closure: Pursuing High Performance Rural Health Systems without Inpatient Care
Describes ways for rural communities to develop optimal healthcare delivery systems after a local hospital closure. Features 3 case studies from Arizona, Michigan, and Illinois. Includes tables showing options currently available under federal and state laws and policies under consideration.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, Charlie Alfero, Andrew F. Coburn, et al.
Date: 06/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Describes ways for rural communities to develop optimal healthcare delivery systems after a local hospital closure. Features 3 case studies from Arizona, Michigan, and Illinois. Includes tables showing options currently available under federal and state laws and policies under consideration.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, Charlie Alfero, Andrew F. Coburn, et al.
Date: 06/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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