Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Closures of healthcare facilities and services
Impact of Hospital Closure on Rural Communities: A Qualitative Study
Examines the impact of rural hospital closure on access to care, and identifies ways that rural communities adapt to hospital closures. Utilizes interview excerpts from 25 informants examining themes related to pre-closure conditions, impacts on communities and health systems, and actions by communities, states, health systems, and emergency medical services.
Author(s): Redwan Bin Abdul Baten, Mina Shrestha, Fred Ullrich, Whitney Zahnd, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Examines the impact of rural hospital closure on access to care, and identifies ways that rural communities adapt to hospital closures. Utilizes interview excerpts from 25 informants examining themes related to pre-closure conditions, impacts on communities and health systems, and actions by communities, states, health systems, and emergency medical services.
Author(s): Redwan Bin Abdul Baten, Mina Shrestha, Fred Ullrich, Whitney Zahnd, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Sustaining Rural Hospital Access: Adjustments to Medicare Rural Hospital Designations
Describes the history of Medicare rural hospital designations. Discusses how traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid impact hospital finances. Outlines policy recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Congress regarding rural hospitals designations, payment adjustments, Medicare Advantage, and rural ambulance and emergency services.
Author(s): Emma Sheffert, Maya Sandalow
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Describes the history of Medicare rural hospital designations. Discusses how traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid impact hospital finances. Outlines policy recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Congress regarding rural hospitals designations, payment adjustments, Medicare Advantage, and rural ambulance and emergency services.
Author(s): Emma Sheffert, Maya Sandalow
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Rural Hospital Closures and Nursing Home Outcomes
Details a study exploring the effect of rural hospital closures on rural nursing home outcomes in the corresponding county. Discusses care utilization and resident health and compares effects of hospital-based and non-hospital-based long-term care facilities.
Author(s): Emmaline Keesee, Tyler Malone, Susie Gurzenda, George Pink
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2), e70026
Date: 04/2025
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Details a study exploring the effect of rural hospital closures on rural nursing home outcomes in the corresponding county. Discusses care utilization and resident health and compares effects of hospital-based and non-hospital-based long-term care facilities.
Author(s): Emmaline Keesee, Tyler Malone, Susie Gurzenda, George Pink
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2), e70026
Date: 04/2025
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10 Things to Know About Rural Hospitals
Presents information and data on rural hospitals and rural hospital finances. Compares insurance coverage of discharges and births, margins, and the impact of Medicaid expansion by hospitals' rural and urban location. Includes information on rural hospital closures and Medicare special payment designations for rural hospitals. Discusses the potential impacts of recent federal spending proposals on rural hospitals.
Author(s): Scott Hulver, Zachary Levinson, Jamie Godwin, Tricia Neuman
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Presents information and data on rural hospitals and rural hospital finances. Compares insurance coverage of discharges and births, margins, and the impact of Medicaid expansion by hospitals' rural and urban location. Includes information on rural hospital closures and Medicare special payment designations for rural hospitals. Discusses the potential impacts of recent federal spending proposals on rural hospitals.
Author(s): Scott Hulver, Zachary Levinson, Jamie Godwin, Tricia Neuman
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Strategies for Sustaining Emergency Care in the United States
Assesses the value of emergency care in the United States, evaluates challenges to sustaining emergency care, measures trends in emergency care payment, and identifies alternate funding strategies for emergency care. Features a case study of a hospital-based emergency department closure in a rural community, and mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Mahshid Abir, Brian Briscombe, Carl T. Berdahl, et al.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Assesses the value of emergency care in the United States, evaluates challenges to sustaining emergency care, measures trends in emergency care payment, and identifies alternate funding strategies for emergency care. Features a case study of a hospital-based emergency department closure in a rural community, and mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Mahshid Abir, Brian Briscombe, Carl T. Berdahl, et al.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Plains and Southeast Areas Received Largest Share of Federal Community Facilities Program's Rural Hospital Funding, 2000 to 2020
Map comparing the amount of Community Facilities Program's rural hospital funding with rural hospital closures between 2000 and 2020 in the 8 Bureau of Economic Analysis geographic regions.
Author(s): Anil Rupasingha
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Map comparing the amount of Community Facilities Program's rural hospital funding with rural hospital closures between 2000 and 2020 in the 8 Bureau of Economic Analysis geographic regions.
Author(s): Anil Rupasingha
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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A Picture of the Loss of Rural Obstetrical Service in Alabama 1980 to 2025
County-level maps showing counties with hospitals offering obstetrical service in 1980 and those offering service as of March 2025.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Alabama Office of Primary Care and Rural Health
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County-level maps showing counties with hospitals offering obstetrical service in 1980 and those offering service as of March 2025.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Alabama Office of Primary Care and Rural Health
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Improving Access to Maternity Care in Iowa's Health Care Deserts
Examines maternal healthcare shortages and facility closures in Iowa. Discusses strategies to improve access, such as workforce training, graduate medical education, and collaborative opportunities.
Author(s): Diana Mirel
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Medical Association
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Examines maternal healthcare shortages and facility closures in Iowa. Discusses strategies to improve access, such as workforce training, graduate medical education, and collaborative opportunities.
Author(s): Diana Mirel
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Medical Association
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What's Going on in Greater Minnesota? – The Decline in Nursing Bed Capacity
A recorded webinar that discusses the research report, The Declining Capacity of Nursing Facility Care in Rural Minnesota. Focuses on shrinking availability of nursing home beds, workforce shortages, and closure of long-term care facilities.
Author(s): Kelly Asche
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Policy and Development
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A recorded webinar that discusses the research report, The Declining Capacity of Nursing Facility Care in Rural Minnesota. Focuses on shrinking availability of nursing home beds, workforce shortages, and closure of long-term care facilities.
Author(s): Kelly Asche
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Policy and Development
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Special Report on the Financial Health of Pennsylvania Rural Hospitals, Fiscal Year 2023
Provides data on general acute care (GAC) hospitals located in rural counties, as defined by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania. Features financial statistics for GAC hospitals from 2020-2023, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas, and a section on GAC hospital closures in rural areas of Pennsylvania from 2020-2023.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council
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Provides data on general acute care (GAC) hospitals located in rural counties, as defined by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania. Features financial statistics for GAC hospitals from 2020-2023, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas, and a section on GAC hospital closures in rural areas of Pennsylvania from 2020-2023.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council
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