Rural Hospitals – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Hospitals.
Maternal Health: Availability of Hospital-Based Obstetric Care in Rural Areas
Explores the availability of hospital-based obstetric services in rural areas. Summarizes stakeholder perspectives on the factors affecting the availability of these services and on the efforts federal agencies, states, and others could take to increase the access to obstetric care. Highlights six programs identified by researchers and provider associations as effective at increasing obstetric care in rural areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Explores the availability of hospital-based obstetric services in rural areas. Summarizes stakeholder perspectives on the factors affecting the availability of these services and on the efforts federal agencies, states, and others could take to increase the access to obstetric care. Highlights six programs identified by researchers and provider associations as effective at increasing obstetric care in rural areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Key Considerations for a Rural Hospital Assessing Conversion to Rural Emergency Hospital
Offers a conceptual framework of key considerations for rural hospitals contemplating conversion to a rural emergency hospital (REH). Covers financial feasibility, workforce, community impact, partnerships, and regulatory considerations.
Author(s): Kristin Reiter, T.J. Grant, Susie Gurzenda, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Offers a conceptual framework of key considerations for rural hospitals contemplating conversion to a rural emergency hospital (REH). Covers financial feasibility, workforce, community impact, partnerships, and regulatory considerations.
Author(s): Kristin Reiter, T.J. Grant, Susie Gurzenda, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Use of Leading Practices in US Hospital Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs
Highlights a study exploring the portion of acute-care hospitals that have implemented best practices in their antimicrobial stewardship programs. Features data compiled from electronic questionnaires to program leaders on the implementation of 6 leading antimicrobial practices. Breaks down data by hospital size, teaching status, and whether the hospital is located in a rural or urban location, among other measures.
Author(s): Edward A. Stenehjem, Barbara I. Braun, Salome O. Chitavi, et al.
Citation: Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 1-8
Date: 10/2022
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Highlights a study exploring the portion of acute-care hospitals that have implemented best practices in their antimicrobial stewardship programs. Features data compiled from electronic questionnaires to program leaders on the implementation of 6 leading antimicrobial practices. Breaks down data by hospital size, teaching status, and whether the hospital is located in a rural or urban location, among other measures.
Author(s): Edward A. Stenehjem, Barbara I. Braun, Salome O. Chitavi, et al.
Citation: Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 1-8
Date: 10/2022
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Review of Rural U.S. Economic and Health Care Trends
Reviews recent literature and publicly available data to explore important issues at the nexus of healthcare and local economic vibrancy, and explores the economic implications associated with COVID-19. Includes sections on rural hospitals, the rural healthcare workforce, emergency medical services, insurance, and telehealth. Features statistics with breakdowns by 6 levels of population density and county-level maps showing Health Professional Shortage Areas and rural counties without obstetrical services.
Author(s): Alison Davis
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
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Reviews recent literature and publicly available data to explore important issues at the nexus of healthcare and local economic vibrancy, and explores the economic implications associated with COVID-19. Includes sections on rural hospitals, the rural healthcare workforce, emergency medical services, insurance, and telehealth. Features statistics with breakdowns by 6 levels of population density and county-level maps showing Health Professional Shortage Areas and rural counties without obstetrical services.
Author(s): Alison Davis
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
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Rural Hospital Closures Threaten Access: Solutions to Preserve Care in Local Communities
Provides an overview of rural hospital closures between 2010-2021. Discusses rural demographics and outlines trends affecting rural hospital financial sustainability, including patient volume and health, reimbursement, staffing shortages, COVID-19, new models of care, and more.
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Provides an overview of rural hospital closures between 2010-2021. Discusses rural demographics and outlines trends affecting rural hospital financial sustainability, including patient volume and health, reimbursement, staffing shortages, COVID-19, new models of care, and more.
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Environmental Scan on Consolidation Trends and Impacts in Health Care Markets
Summarizes results of an environmental scan and describes the landscape of healthcare market consolidation across the United States. Analyzes the evidence on consolidation trends and the impacts of these trends on price, quality, and access in healthcare provider and insurance markets. Includes information on the impacts of hospital consolidation on rural healthcare quality and patient access.
Date: 08/2022
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, RAND Corporation
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Summarizes results of an environmental scan and describes the landscape of healthcare market consolidation across the United States. Analyzes the evidence on consolidation trends and the impacts of these trends on price, quality, and access in healthcare provider and insurance markets. Includes information on the impacts of hospital consolidation on rural healthcare quality and patient access.
Date: 08/2022
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, RAND Corporation
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Engaging Your Board and Community in Value-Based Care Conversations
Provides starting points for healthcare organizations to engage in value-based care conversations with their board and community members to support strategic planning and informed decision-making.
Date: 07/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Provides starting points for healthcare organizations to engage in value-based care conversations with their board and community members to support strategic planning and informed decision-making.
Date: 07/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Understanding CMS' Changes to Hospital Overall Star Ratings
Summarizes an analysis of the effects of methodological changes to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) star ratings system. Compares hospital star ratings in 2020 and 2021 and examines differences in ratings by hospital characteristics. Explores the equitability of the ratings by peer groups. Highlights challenges to comparing the ratings of small hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals. Provides recommendations for CMS to improve the equity of the star ratings.
Date: 07/2022
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Summarizes an analysis of the effects of methodological changes to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) star ratings system. Compares hospital star ratings in 2020 and 2021 and examines differences in ratings by hospital characteristics. Explores the equitability of the ratings by peer groups. Highlights challenges to comparing the ratings of small hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals. Provides recommendations for CMS to improve the equity of the star ratings.
Date: 07/2022
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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County-Level Availability of Obstetric Care and Economic Implications of Hospital Closures on Obstetric Care
Policy brief providing data on the economic changes in counties that lost obstetric care facilities between 2012-2019. Describes demographic and economic differences between counties with or without obstetric care facilities. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban or rural location and a county-level map with shadings showing availability of obstetric services and hospital closures from 2012-2019.
Author(s): Andrew L. Owen, Alison Davis, Simona Balazs
Date: 07/2022
Sponsoring organization: Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
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Policy brief providing data on the economic changes in counties that lost obstetric care facilities between 2012-2019. Describes demographic and economic differences between counties with or without obstetric care facilities. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban or rural location and a county-level map with shadings showing availability of obstetric services and hospital closures from 2012-2019.
Author(s): Andrew L. Owen, Alison Davis, Simona Balazs
Date: 07/2022
Sponsoring organization: Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
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Risk of Closure Among Independent and Multihospital-Affiliated Rural Hospitals
Study examining the risk of rural hospital closure for independent hospitals and hospitals affiliated with other facilities or a health system. Analyzes 2007-2019 data from the American Hospital Association, Irving Levin Associates, and the University of North Carolina Sheps Center representing a national cohort of rural hospitals. Notes financial stability for affiliated and independent hospitals as well as policy interventions to support hospitals at risk of closure.
Author(s): H. Joanna Jiang, Kathryn R. Fingar, Lan Liang, Rachel Mosher Henke
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 3(7), e221835
Date: 07/2022
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Study examining the risk of rural hospital closure for independent hospitals and hospitals affiliated with other facilities or a health system. Analyzes 2007-2019 data from the American Hospital Association, Irving Levin Associates, and the University of North Carolina Sheps Center representing a national cohort of rural hospitals. Notes financial stability for affiliated and independent hospitals as well as policy interventions to support hospitals at risk of closure.
Author(s): H. Joanna Jiang, Kathryn R. Fingar, Lan Liang, Rachel Mosher Henke
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 3(7), e221835
Date: 07/2022
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Last Updated: 9/30/2025