Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Closures of healthcare facilities and services
Maternal and Child Health Services Title V Block Grant - Tennessee: FY 2025 Application/FY 2023 Annual Report
Describes Tennessee's maternal and child health programs, including issues related to closures of birthing hospitals, healthcare access in rural areas, family planning, childhood obesity, tobacco use, telehealth access, transportation, and more.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
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Describes Tennessee's maternal and child health programs, including issues related to closures of birthing hospitals, healthcare access in rural areas, family planning, childhood obesity, tobacco use, telehealth access, transportation, and more.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
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Obstetric Care Access Declined in Rural and Urban Hospitals Across US States, 2010–22
Examines the number and proportion of hospitals located in rural and urban counties in each state that lost hospital-based obstetric services between 2010 and 2022. Describes the proportion of hospitals without obstetric services for any reason by 2022.
Author(s): Katy Backes Kozhimannil, Julia D. Interrante, Caitlin Carroll, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs, 44(7), 806-811
Date: 07/2025
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Examines the number and proportion of hospitals located in rural and urban counties in each state that lost hospital-based obstetric services between 2010 and 2022. Describes the proportion of hospitals without obstetric services for any reason by 2022.
Author(s): Katy Backes Kozhimannil, Julia D. Interrante, Caitlin Carroll, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs, 44(7), 806-811
Date: 07/2025
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The Impact of Rural Hospital Closures and Mergers on Health System Ecologies: A Scoping Review
Examines 46 studies on rural hospital closures and mergers between 2010 to 2023, with a focus on understanding health system impacts, finances, workforce, utilization, access to facilities and services, and community and economic well-being.
Author(s): Alison Coates, Janice Probst, Kanika Sarwal, Suhaib Riaz, Agnes Grudniewicz
Citation: Medical Care Research and Review, 82(5)
Date: 07/2025
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Examines 46 studies on rural hospital closures and mergers between 2010 to 2023, with a focus on understanding health system impacts, finances, workforce, utilization, access to facilities and services, and community and economic well-being.
Author(s): Alison Coates, Janice Probst, Kanika Sarwal, Suhaib Riaz, Agnes Grudniewicz
Citation: Medical Care Research and Review, 82(5)
Date: 07/2025
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Pharmacy Deserts in Rural Pennsylvania
Describes the landscape of pharmacies and pharmacists in Pennsylvania as of May 2025 and examines the projected impact of Rite Aid pharmacy closures. Features statistics on numbers of pharmacies and pharmacists, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas, and county-level maps showing areas within a 5-mile radius of all pharmacies and all non-Rite Aid pharmacies, with shadings showing urban and rural areas.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Describes the landscape of pharmacies and pharmacists in Pennsylvania as of May 2025 and examines the projected impact of Rite Aid pharmacy closures. Features statistics on numbers of pharmacies and pharmacists, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas, and county-level maps showing areas within a 5-mile radius of all pharmacies and all non-Rite Aid pharmacies, with shadings showing urban and rural areas.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Associations Between Rural Hospital Closures and Acute and Post-Acute Care Access and Outcomes
Examines the impact of rural hospital closures on hospital and post-acute care (PAC) use and outcomes. Analyzes 32 rural hospital closures and county-level impacts on travel distances, lengths of stay at hospitals, hospital charges, PAC episodes, fall injuries and related mortality and hospitalizations, and population-level hospitalization and death rates. Includes descriptive statistics of 2014-2018 rural hospital closure status.
Author(s): Geoffrey J. Hoffman, Jinkyung Ha, Zhaohui Fan, Jun Li
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(3), e14426
Date: 06/2025
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Examines the impact of rural hospital closures on hospital and post-acute care (PAC) use and outcomes. Analyzes 32 rural hospital closures and county-level impacts on travel distances, lengths of stay at hospitals, hospital charges, PAC episodes, fall injuries and related mortality and hospitalizations, and population-level hospitalization and death rates. Includes descriptive statistics of 2014-2018 rural hospital closure status.
Author(s): Geoffrey J. Hoffman, Jinkyung Ha, Zhaohui Fan, Jun Li
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(3), e14426
Date: 06/2025
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Arkansas's Shifting Rural-Urban Divide: Healthcare Access Issues
Provides data on shortages of primary care physicians and dentists in rural and urban areas in Arkansas, and discusses high vulnerability to closure among rural hospitals in the state.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Arkansas Center for Health Improvement
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Provides data on shortages of primary care physicians and dentists in rural and urban areas in Arkansas, and discusses high vulnerability to closure among rural hospitals in the state.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Arkansas Center for Health Improvement
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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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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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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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