Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare facilities
Annual Overview of Hospital-Level Changes in Obstetric Services Availability, 2010-2024
First annual report describing changes to the availability of obstetric services at short-term acute care hospitals. Examines the number of hospitals that lost obstetric services and the percentage of all hospitals without obstetric services between 2010 and 2024. Presents data on urban and rural hospitals by state and nationally.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Kevan O'Hanlon, Emily C. Sheffield, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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First annual report describing changes to the availability of obstetric services at short-term acute care hospitals. Examines the number of hospitals that lost obstetric services and the percentage of all hospitals without obstetric services between 2010 and 2024. Presents data on urban and rural hospitals by state and nationally.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Kevan O'Hanlon, Emily C. Sheffield, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Tele-Hospitalist Services to Support the Opening of a New Rural Hospital
Describes a tele-hospitalist model designed to support the Medical University of South Carolina Health System (MUSC Health) Black River, a 25-bed rural hospital in South Carolina that opened in 2023. Examines the operational and clinical performance of MUSC Health Black River during its first six quarters of operation, including patient volume, payer mix, average daily census (ADC), 30-day readmissions, and more.
Author(s): Yotam Papo, Jillian Harvey, Dunc Williams Jr., et al.
Citation: Journal of Hospital Medicine, 21(9), 1075-1080
Date: 09/2026
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Describes a tele-hospitalist model designed to support the Medical University of South Carolina Health System (MUSC Health) Black River, a 25-bed rural hospital in South Carolina that opened in 2023. Examines the operational and clinical performance of MUSC Health Black River during its first six quarters of operation, including patient volume, payer mix, average daily census (ADC), 30-day readmissions, and more.
Author(s): Yotam Papo, Jillian Harvey, Dunc Williams Jr., et al.
Citation: Journal of Hospital Medicine, 21(9), 1075-1080
Date: 09/2026
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Year 1 Rural Health Transformation Program Community Health Center & Primary Care Association Award Recipients
Excel spreadsheet displaying the state primary care associations (PCAs) and health centers that received funding through each state's Rural Health Transformation Program. Includes the funding amount and description of each initiative.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Excel spreadsheet displaying the state primary care associations (PCAs) and health centers that received funding through each state's Rural Health Transformation Program. Includes the funding amount and description of each initiative.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Top Provider Enrollment Mistakes in Rural Primary Care & Behavioral Health - and How to Fix Them
Recording of an August 31, 2026, webinar describing common Medicare provider enrollment mistakes that can result in application denials, credentialing delays, disrupted cash flows, and more. Identifies practical strategies to prevent or address these errors.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of an August 31, 2026, webinar describing common Medicare provider enrollment mistakes that can result in application denials, credentialing delays, disrupted cash flows, and more. Identifies practical strategies to prevent or address these errors.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Rural and Urban Availability of Substance Use Treatment Facilities
Discusses the national availability of and regional variance in substance use disorder treatment facilities for rural and urban residents. Highlights the number of facilities per 100,000 population by rural status and county, as well as the number of facilities offering medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) services.
Author(s): Aaron P. Smith, Tyrone F. Borders
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Discusses the national availability of and regional variance in substance use disorder treatment facilities for rural and urban residents. Highlights the number of facilities per 100,000 population by rural status and county, as well as the number of facilities offering medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) services.
Author(s): Aaron P. Smith, Tyrone F. Borders
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on the Payment Systems for Hospital Outpatient Departments and Ambulatory Surgical Centers for CY 2027
Comment on the July 7, 2026, Federal Register proposed rule revising the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) payment system for calendar year 2027. Includes considerations for expansion of site-neutral payments for imaging without contrast services under the OPPS, the continued use of the hospital market basket to update ASC payment rates, the reduction of OPPS payment rates for 340B-acquired drugs, and more.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Comment on the July 7, 2026, Federal Register proposed rule revising the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) payment system for calendar year 2027. Includes considerations for expansion of site-neutral payments for imaging without contrast services under the OPPS, the continued use of the hospital market basket to update ASC payment rates, the reduction of OPPS payment rates for 340B-acquired drugs, and more.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Availability of Rural Hospitals Providing Inpatient Maternity Care in Medicaid
Examines the availability of hospitals offering inpatient maternity care in rural areas to Medicaid enrollees. Describes the median drive time between rural hospitals and the next closest in-state hospital that provides inpatient maternity care to Medicaid enrollees by state. Includes data on the number of urban and rural hospitals providing these services in each state in 2023.
Author(s): Rhiannon Euhus, Brittni Frederiksen, Alice Burns
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Examines the availability of hospitals offering inpatient maternity care in rural areas to Medicaid enrollees. Describes the median drive time between rural hospitals and the next closest in-state hospital that provides inpatient maternity care to Medicaid enrollees by state. Includes data on the number of urban and rural hospitals providing these services in each state in 2023.
Author(s): Rhiannon Euhus, Brittni Frederiksen, Alice Burns
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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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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Planning with Purpose: Leveraging FORHP's Rural Health Network Development Planning Program for Lasting Community Impact
Webinar recording highlighting the one-year Rural Health Network Development Planning Program (Network Planning Program) grant from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP). Speakers include former Network Planning Program grantees discussing their experiences and work as part of this grant program, including a focus on partnerships, strengthening infrastructure, and improving access to care.
Additional links: Audio Recording, Webinar Slides
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
Webinar recording highlighting the one-year Rural Health Network Development Planning Program (Network Planning Program) grant from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP). Speakers include former Network Planning Program grantees discussing their experiences and work as part of this grant program, including a focus on partnerships, strengthening infrastructure, and improving access to care.
Additional links: Audio Recording, Webinar Slides
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
Related funding:
Rural Health Network Development Planning Program
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Mandatory Value-Based Payment Programs and Hospital Administrative Costs
Explores the association between hospital participation in mandatory value-based payment programs and hospital administrative costs. Analyzes Medicare cost report data from 2006 to 2020 to examine hospital administrative costs before and during implementation of four mandatory programs: the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) program, the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP), the Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program (HACRP), and the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model. Compares data from participating hospitals to data from nonparticipating hospitals, including general acute care hospitals in Maryland that were paid under Maryland's all-payer model, Critical Access Hospitals, and long-term care hospitals.
Author(s): Zehui Zhou, Jason D. Buxbaum, Andrew M. Ryan
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 7(8), e262503
Date: 08/2026
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Explores the association between hospital participation in mandatory value-based payment programs and hospital administrative costs. Analyzes Medicare cost report data from 2006 to 2020 to examine hospital administrative costs before and during implementation of four mandatory programs: the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) program, the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP), the Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program (HACRP), and the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model. Compares data from participating hospitals to data from nonparticipating hospitals, including general acute care hospitals in Maryland that were paid under Maryland's all-payer model, Critical Access Hospitals, and long-term care hospitals.
Author(s): Zehui Zhou, Jason D. Buxbaum, Andrew M. Ryan
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 7(8), e262503
Date: 08/2026
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