Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health systems
Meeting Challenges of Staffing Rural Health Systems: Strategies and Actions in Eight Organizations
Summarizes key findings from conversations with health system leaders regarding workforce strategy and operations challenges. Describes initiatives used in rural healthcare settings to offset clinical, administrative, and technical support staffing constraints; accommodate evolving care needs; and address limitations unique to rural settings.
Author(s): Lauren Lavin, Alva O. Ferdinand, Mark Holmes, et al.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Summarizes key findings from conversations with health system leaders regarding workforce strategy and operations challenges. Describes initiatives used in rural healthcare settings to offset clinical, administrative, and technical support staffing constraints; accommodate evolving care needs; and address limitations unique to rural settings.
Author(s): Lauren Lavin, Alva O. Ferdinand, Mark Holmes, et al.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Rural Hospitals in Pennsylvania in the Context of Healthcare Market Consolidations
Provides an assessment of rural hospitals in Pennsylvania, comparing them to urban hospitals. Examines factors potentially associated with mergers, acquisitions, and health system affiliations, based on interviews and virtual site visits with selected hospitals from 2016-2023. Includes county-level data on available services, utilization, number of beds and more.
Author(s): Yunfeng Shi, Amy Yeung, Tess Wilson, Lisa Davis
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Provides an assessment of rural hospitals in Pennsylvania, comparing them to urban hospitals. Examines factors potentially associated with mergers, acquisitions, and health system affiliations, based on interviews and virtual site visits with selected hospitals from 2016-2023. Includes county-level data on available services, utilization, number of beds and more.
Author(s): Yunfeng Shi, Amy Yeung, Tess Wilson, Lisa Davis
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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An Exploratory Analysis of U.S. Health System Workforce Trends
Examines the impact of hospital mergers and acquisitions (M&As) and changes in health system affiliations on workforce availability. Utilizes 2018 and 2020-2023 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Compendium of U.S. Health Systems data to examine hospital system membership and system workforce characteristics. Provides breakdowns of primary care physician, all physician, nurse practitioner, and physician assistant workforce supply per bed according to hospital characteristics such as census region, ownership, operating margin, and rurality.
Author(s): Deborah Odihi, Tyler Malone
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Examines the impact of hospital mergers and acquisitions (M&As) and changes in health system affiliations on workforce availability. Utilizes 2018 and 2020-2023 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Compendium of U.S. Health Systems data to examine hospital system membership and system workforce characteristics. Provides breakdowns of primary care physician, all physician, nurse practitioner, and physician assistant workforce supply per bed according to hospital characteristics such as census region, ownership, operating margin, and rurality.
Author(s): Deborah Odihi, Tyler Malone
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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"You're the Person for Me:" Patient Perceptions of Cancer Care Team Selection and Experiences with Care Coordination Within a Rural Hub-and-Spoke Health System
Examines patient perceptions of cancer care team selection within a rural hub-and-spoke healthcare system. Utilizes interview feedback from breast, lung, and colorectal cancer patients receiving treatment within a large, rural academic health system and discusses patient preferences, experiences, interpersonal factors, practical choices, and more related to team-based care selection.
Author(s): Mia St. Angelo, Erika L. Moen, Laura B. Beidler, Christine M. Gunn
Citation: Cancer Causes & Control, 37(93)
Date: 05/2026
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Examines patient perceptions of cancer care team selection within a rural hub-and-spoke healthcare system. Utilizes interview feedback from breast, lung, and colorectal cancer patients receiving treatment within a large, rural academic health system and discusses patient preferences, experiences, interpersonal factors, practical choices, and more related to team-based care selection.
Author(s): Mia St. Angelo, Erika L. Moen, Laura B. Beidler, Christine M. Gunn
Citation: Cancer Causes & Control, 37(93)
Date: 05/2026
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One or Two Health Systems Controlled the Entire Market for Inpatient Hospital Care in Nearly Half of Metropolitan Areas in 2024
Examines the competitiveness of hospital markets in 2024 by analyzing RAND Hospital Data and American Hospital Association (AHA) survey data. Presents data on the share of metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) controlled by a small number of health systems, the level of market concentration in MSAs, and the share of hospitals affiliated with health systems over time. Compares the share of hospitals affiliated with health systems in rural and non-rural areas.
Author(s): Jamie Godwin, Zachary Levinson, Tricia Neuman
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Examines the competitiveness of hospital markets in 2024 by analyzing RAND Hospital Data and American Hospital Association (AHA) survey data. Presents data on the share of metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) controlled by a small number of health systems, the level of market concentration in MSAs, and the share of hospitals affiliated with health systems over time. Compares the share of hospitals affiliated with health systems in rural and non-rural areas.
Author(s): Jamie Godwin, Zachary Levinson, Tricia Neuman
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Community-Based Recruiting: Keeping Providers Close, with Joe Theine and Jen Gero
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Joe Theine, CEO of Southwest Health System, based in Cortez, Colorado, and Jen Gero, MD, SHS Chief Medical Officer. Focuses on their health system's community-based recruiting activities and how these efforts help integrate new providers into the community. Part 1 in a 3-part series from the December 2025 Health Innovation Potluck held in Hutchinson, Kansas.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Joe Theine, CEO of Southwest Health System, based in Cortez, Colorado, and Jen Gero, MD, SHS Chief Medical Officer. Focuses on their health system's community-based recruiting activities and how these efforts help integrate new providers into the community. Part 1 in a 3-part series from the December 2025 Health Innovation Potluck held in Hutchinson, Kansas.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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A Comparison of Independent and System-Affiliated Rural Hospitals
Compares independent and system-affiliated rural hospitals by organizational characteristics, financial performance, and county characteristics. Presents Medicare Cost Report data from 2023-2024 on the number and percentage of independent and system-affiliated rural hospitals by state, ownership characteristics, Medicare payment classification, use of swing beds, financial distress, and more.
Author(s): Aditya R. Pillutla, Sruthi Malavika Srinivasan, Kristie Thompson, George Pink, Tyler Malone
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Compares independent and system-affiliated rural hospitals by organizational characteristics, financial performance, and county characteristics. Presents Medicare Cost Report data from 2023-2024 on the number and percentage of independent and system-affiliated rural hospitals by state, ownership characteristics, Medicare payment classification, use of swing beds, financial distress, and more.
Author(s): Aditya R. Pillutla, Sruthi Malavika Srinivasan, Kristie Thompson, George Pink, Tyler Malone
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Transforming Rural Hospitals Through Telehealth Partnerships: Strategic Playbook
Provides hospital leaders with strategies to foster telehealth partnerships within health systems to improve rural hospital financial sustainability, clinical capacity, and long-term viability. Discusses rural hospital strain as well as the economic, community, and population health value of rural hospitals and how telehealth partnerships can mitigate financial issues and create sustainability. Includes a telehealth partnership maturity model, practical framework, and rural hospital implementation considerations.
Author(s): E. Warr, B. Buquez, R. Kruis, J. Augenstein, J. McElligott
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) - Telehealth Center of Excellence
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Provides hospital leaders with strategies to foster telehealth partnerships within health systems to improve rural hospital financial sustainability, clinical capacity, and long-term viability. Discusses rural hospital strain as well as the economic, community, and population health value of rural hospitals and how telehealth partnerships can mitigate financial issues and create sustainability. Includes a telehealth partnership maturity model, practical framework, and rural hospital implementation considerations.
Author(s): E. Warr, B. Buquez, R. Kruis, J. Augenstein, J. McElligott
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) - Telehealth Center of Excellence
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Studying the Current and Future Needs of a Statewide Health Care System: Summary of Responses to a Request for Information and Recommendations for a Future Comprehensive Study - Minnesota
Assesses health system capacity in Minnesota and proposes investments in infrastructure, healthcare workforce, data collection, and emerging care delivery. Offers recommendations to the Legislature with considerations for rural communities included.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Minnesota Department of Health
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Assesses health system capacity in Minnesota and proposes investments in infrastructure, healthcare workforce, data collection, and emerging care delivery. Offers recommendations to the Legislature with considerations for rural communities included.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Minnesota Department of Health
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Implementing a Tribally Engaged Lung Cancer Screening Pilot Program in Rural Oklahoma
Presents a study on the efficacy of a lung cancer screening program within a tribally operated health system in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Bases findings on pre- and post-intervention surveys. Makes recommendation for program expansion and highlights key barriers and facilitators to implementation.
Author(s): Zsolt Nagykaldi, Mark Doescher, Dorothy A. Rhoades, et al.
Citation: Cancer Prevention Research, 18(7), 423-430
Date: 07/2025
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Presents a study on the efficacy of a lung cancer screening program within a tribally operated health system in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Bases findings on pre- and post-intervention surveys. Makes recommendation for program expansion and highlights key barriers and facilitators to implementation.
Author(s): Zsolt Nagykaldi, Mark Doescher, Dorothy A. Rhoades, et al.
Citation: Cancer Prevention Research, 18(7), 423-430
Date: 07/2025
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