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The Rural Monitor
Articles by Topic: Hospitals

Rural Health Philanthropy Partnership: Leveraging Public-Private Funds to Improve Health

May 31, 2017
Public agencies and private non-profit groups have mutual interests in improving the health of rural Americans. The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy and philanthropy organizations worked together to create a unique funding opportunity, the Rural Health Care Coordination Network Partnership Program. Two health care organizations and their philanthropy partners share how coordinated efforts benefit patients with diabetes, congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Strategies for Superbugs: Antibiotic Stewardship for Rural Hospitals

March 22, 2017
Resistant bacteria, or "superbugs," are a cause of major medical illness and death. Government and accreditation agencies, as well as infectious disease experts, believe hospital antibiotic stewardship programs are the answer to blunting the impact and development of these germs. Despite limited resources, rural and Critical Access Hospitals are activating their stewardship programs.

Freestanding Emergency Departments: An Alternative Model for Rural Communities

November 30, 2016
First conceptualized in the 1970s, but not widely adopted in rural communities, freestanding emergency departments (FSEDs) have been getting another look as a sustainable rural option. This article discusses hospital-based versus independent FSEDs, the model's financial viability, and highlights two FSEDs meeting their communities' healthcare needs in Arizona and Illinois.

Pennsylvania Mobile Team Addresses Substance Use Disorders

November 16, 2016
In Pennsylvania, more people are dying from drug overdose than from car accidents. The FORHP-funded Addiction Recovery Mobile Outreach Team (ARMOT) program works to educate medical staff on addiction and recovery and to support patients as they navigate the recovery process.

Illinois Network Puts Hospitals' Needs First

May 31, 2016
Since its start, the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network has designed services to meet the needs of rural hospitals across the state. Through leveraging FORHP funds and their partnership with the Illinois Department of Public Health, ICAHN has helped 54 hospitals transition from competition to collaboration.

Providing Patients with Access to Nutritious Food

March 30, 2016
Money, distance, and lack of education are just a few barriers between rural Americans and nutritious food. Find out how a Critical Access Hospital, a prescription program, and a research project are creating tangible examples of how to promote nutrition and increase patients' access to healthy food.

An Interview with Darrold Bertsch

September 2, 2015
The shared CEO of both a North Dakota Critical Access Hospital and a Federally Qualified Health Center discusses how these two essential safety net providers work together to meet the healthcare needs of their rural region.

Social Media Savvy

July 22, 2015
By harnessing this impactful form of two-way communication, rural healthcare providers have the opportunity to reach their patients and community in quick, personal, and efficient ways.

The Business of Rural Hospital Closures

May 27, 2015
What rural hospitals can do to stay viable in difficult times, with insights from Charles Owens, executive director of the Georgia Department of Community Health, State Office of Rural Health.