Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Hospitals
Access to Capital for Rural Hospitals
Policy brief discussing the importance of rural hospitals having access to capital funding. Discusses previous federal efforts to improve access to capital and common types of capital used for healthcare projects. Offers policy recommendations for improving rural hospitals' access to capital for facility improvements.
Author(s): Britton Herbert, Lauren LaPine-Ray, Mat Slaybaugh
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy brief discussing the importance of rural hospitals having access to capital funding. Discusses previous federal efforts to improve access to capital and common types of capital used for healthcare projects. Offers policy recommendations for improving rural hospitals' access to capital for facility improvements.
Author(s): Britton Herbert, Lauren LaPine-Ray, Mat Slaybaugh
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Access To Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners In Kentucky
Report assessing access to sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) and SANE-ready hospitals in 2025 in Kentucky. Offers 10 recommendations to increase access through hospital certifications, training, resource and workforce sharing, compliance, and more. Discusses rural-specific concerns throughout.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Legislative Research Commission
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Report assessing access to sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) and SANE-ready hospitals in 2025 in Kentucky. Offers 10 recommendations to increase access through hospital certifications, training, resource and workforce sharing, compliance, and more. Discusses rural-specific concerns throughout.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Legislative Research Commission
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January 2026 Annual Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) Monthly Facility Payment Amount
Presents the monthly Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) monthly facility payment amount for Calendar Year 2026.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Presents the monthly Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) monthly facility payment amount for Calendar Year 2026.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Graduate Medical Education: Information on Initial Distributions of New Medicare-Funded Physician Residency Positions
Explores the distribution of 1,000 new Medicare-funded graduate medical education (GME) residency positions as outlined in Section 126 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. Describes the number of hospitals that applied for and received additional positions from 2023 through 2025, their characteristics, and benefits and challenges related to the application for and distribution of these additional positions as identified by selected stakeholders.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Explores the distribution of 1,000 new Medicare-funded graduate medical education (GME) residency positions as outlined in Section 126 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. Describes the number of hospitals that applied for and received additional positions from 2023 through 2025, their characteristics, and benefits and challenges related to the application for and distribution of these additional positions as identified by selected stakeholders.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): 2026 Reporting MIPS Quality Measures through Medicare Part B Claims Quick Start Guide for Small Practices
Provides details on how small practices can report quality measures through Medicare Part B claims measures. Highlights changes to these measures in 2026, score redistribution policies for small practices, and information for clinicians at Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides details on how small practices can report quality measures through Medicare Part B claims measures. Highlights changes to these measures in 2026, score redistribution policies for small practices, and information for clinicians at Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Rural Health Transformation Program State Application Summary: State-level Initiatives & Proposed Activities
Summarizes focus areas for each state in the applications for the Rural Health Transformation Program and highlights common themes across all applications.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Summarizes focus areas for each state in the applications for the Rural Health Transformation Program and highlights common themes across all applications.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Changes in Bed-Based Measures of Surge Capacity from 2018 to 2022 among Rural and Urban Hospitals
Policy brief describing how hospitals' inpatient capacity changed from 2018-2022 and examining trade-offs between cost-saving reductions and emergency preparedness. Features statistics on hospitals' average daily census (ADC) and number and percentage of unoccupied beds, with breakdowns by year and urban or rural location.
Author(s): Emma Kerr, Tyler Malone, Mark Holmes
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Policy brief describing how hospitals' inpatient capacity changed from 2018-2022 and examining trade-offs between cost-saving reductions and emergency preparedness. Features statistics on hospitals' average daily census (ADC) and number and percentage of unoccupied beds, with breakdowns by year and urban or rural location.
Author(s): Emma Kerr, Tyler Malone, Mark Holmes
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Do Changes in Hospital Ownership Affect Staffing?
Findings brief examining whether transition from government or nonprofit to for-profit hospital ownership is associated with changes in staffing levels in rural hospitals. Utilizes 2011-2023 CMS Healthcare Cost Reporting Information System (HCRIS) data.
Author(s): Ayush Manandhar
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Findings brief examining whether transition from government or nonprofit to for-profit hospital ownership is associated with changes in staffing levels in rural hospitals. Utilizes 2011-2023 CMS Healthcare Cost Reporting Information System (HCRIS) data.
Author(s): Ayush Manandhar
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Community Healers: How Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority Leads in Health and Wellness
Discusses how the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA) addresses the health needs of its community, by integrating Cherokee culture and Western medical care as a way to improve community health. Documents CIHA's work in promoting relationships between federal and state entities and Native Nations.
Author(s): Hailey A. Baker, Mariana Tuttle, Katy Backes Kozhimannil
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Discusses how the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA) addresses the health needs of its community, by integrating Cherokee culture and Western medical care as a way to improve community health. Documents CIHA's work in promoting relationships between federal and state entities and Native Nations.
Author(s): Hailey A. Baker, Mariana Tuttle, Katy Backes Kozhimannil
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Revisiting the Rural and Urban Divide in Hospital Health Information Technology Adoption: Evidence From 2023
Presents a study assessing the adoption of telehealth, patient engagement, and health information exchange functionalities in rural and urban hospitals in 2023. Bases findings on American Hospital Association Annual Survey and Information Technology Survey data. Breaks down data by metropolitan, micropolitan, and rural hospital settings.
Author(s): Alice S. Yan, Teagan K. Maguire, Jie Chen
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(4), e70100
Date: 12/2025
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Presents a study assessing the adoption of telehealth, patient engagement, and health information exchange functionalities in rural and urban hospitals in 2023. Bases findings on American Hospital Association Annual Survey and Information Technology Survey data. Breaks down data by metropolitan, micropolitan, and rural hospital settings.
Author(s): Alice S. Yan, Teagan K. Maguire, Jie Chen
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(4), e70100
Date: 12/2025
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