Rural Hospitals – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Hospitals.
The Economic Effects of Rural Hospital Closures
Examines the impact of a rural hospital closure on local economic outcomes. Compares economic changes in nonmetro counties experiencing a hospital closure between 2001 and 2018 to changes in a control group of nonmetro counties. Presents data on the effects of rural hospital closures on annual income, population size, unemployment, and labor force size overall and by closure type and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) and Prospective Payment System (PPS) status.
Author(s): Tyler L. Malone, Arrianna Marie Planey, Laura B. Bozovich, Kristie W. Thompson, George M. Holmes
Citation: Health Services Research, 57(3), 614-623
Date: 06/2022
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Examines the impact of a rural hospital closure on local economic outcomes. Compares economic changes in nonmetro counties experiencing a hospital closure between 2001 and 2018 to changes in a control group of nonmetro counties. Presents data on the effects of rural hospital closures on annual income, population size, unemployment, and labor force size overall and by closure type and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) and Prospective Payment System (PPS) status.
Author(s): Tyler L. Malone, Arrianna Marie Planey, Laura B. Bozovich, Kristie W. Thompson, George M. Holmes
Citation: Health Services Research, 57(3), 614-623
Date: 06/2022
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Higher Electronic Health Record Functionality Is Associated with Lower Operating Costs in Urban—but Not Rural—Hospitals
Explores the relationship between electronic health record (EHR) use and functionality and hospital operating costs. Examines the effects of different categories of EHR functionality on general, inpatient, and outpatient costs. Compares the relationship between EHR functionality and operating costs across urban and rural hospitals.
Author(s): Claudia A. Rhoades, Brian E. Whitacre, Alison F. Davis
Citation: Applied Clinical Informatics, 13(3), 665-676
Date: 05/2022
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Explores the relationship between electronic health record (EHR) use and functionality and hospital operating costs. Examines the effects of different categories of EHR functionality on general, inpatient, and outpatient costs. Compares the relationship between EHR functionality and operating costs across urban and rural hospitals.
Author(s): Claudia A. Rhoades, Brian E. Whitacre, Alison F. Davis
Citation: Applied Clinical Informatics, 13(3), 665-676
Date: 05/2022
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Rx for the Rural Healthcare Workforce and Access to Care
Podcast with Tom Morris of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy about trends related to the rural healthcare workforce and efforts to overcome challenges. Discusses the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, rural hospital closures, telehealth, graduate medical education in rural areas, community health workers and community paramedics, funding opportunities to promote healthcare access in rural areas, the opioid crisis, and more.
Author(s): Jessica Nicholson
Date: 05/2022
Sponsoring organization: The Conference Board
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Podcast with Tom Morris of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy about trends related to the rural healthcare workforce and efforts to overcome challenges. Discusses the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, rural hospital closures, telehealth, graduate medical education in rural areas, community health workers and community paramedics, funding opportunities to promote healthcare access in rural areas, the opioid crisis, and more.
Author(s): Jessica Nicholson
Date: 05/2022
Sponsoring organization: The Conference Board
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Trends in Revenue Sources among Rural Hospitals
Examines outpatient care as a revenue source for rural hospitals between 2011 and 2019 by analyzing Healthcare Cost Report Information System data from 1,866 rural hospitals. Includes data broken down by rural versus urban, inpatient/outpatient revenue, and hospital payment classification, such as Critical Access Hospital, Medicare-Dependent Hospital, Prospective Payment System, Rural Referral Center, and Sole Community Hospital, among other things.
Author(s): Randall John, Tyler Malone, George Pink
Date: 05/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Examines outpatient care as a revenue source for rural hospitals between 2011 and 2019 by analyzing Healthcare Cost Report Information System data from 1,866 rural hospitals. Includes data broken down by rural versus urban, inpatient/outpatient revenue, and hospital payment classification, such as Critical Access Hospital, Medicare-Dependent Hospital, Prospective Payment System, Rural Referral Center, and Sole Community Hospital, among other things.
Author(s): Randall John, Tyler Malone, George Pink
Date: 05/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Predictors of Hospital Choice among Rural Patients Seeking Elective Surgery: A Scoping Review
Identifies literature describing determinants of hospital choice among rural patients seeking elective surgery and summarizes data and findings from these studies. Includes considerations for future research on rural hospital bypass.
Author(s): Yuqi Zhang, Tyler Malone, Sarah Cantrell, et al.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Identifies literature describing determinants of hospital choice among rural patients seeking elective surgery and summarizes data and findings from these studies. Includes considerations for future research on rural hospital bypass.
Author(s): Yuqi Zhang, Tyler Malone, Sarah Cantrell, et al.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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"It's the Relationships": Q&A with Peggy Broussard Wheeler
An interview with Peggy Broussard Wheeler, Vice President of Policy at the California Hospital Association. Covers the challenges rural hospitals face during the pandemic, workforce issues, and more. Discusses how rural hospitals work together to address concerns.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An interview with Peggy Broussard Wheeler, Vice President of Policy at the California Hospital Association. Covers the challenges rural hospitals face during the pandemic, workforce issues, and more. Discusses how rural hospitals work together to address concerns.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Rural Hospitals that Closed between 2017‐20: Profitability and Liquidity in the Year Before Closure
Examines the pre-closure profitability and liquidity performance of 56 rural hospitals that closed between January 2017 and August 2020. Compares this data to the median performance of rural hospitals that remained open each year.
Author(s): Andrew S. Osgood, George H. Pink
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Examines the pre-closure profitability and liquidity performance of 56 rural hospitals that closed between January 2017 and August 2020. Compares this data to the median performance of rural hospitals that remained open each year.
Author(s): Andrew S. Osgood, George H. Pink
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Ending Surprise Medical Bills
Offers resources for healthcare providers and consumers regarding surprise billing regulations and policies. Includes information on payment dispute resolution between patients and providers, and between providers and out-of-network health plans.
Date: 2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Offers resources for healthcare providers and consumers regarding surprise billing regulations and policies. Includes information on payment dispute resolution between patients and providers, and between providers and out-of-network health plans.
Date: 2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Emergency Department Visits for Suicidal Ideation and Self-Harm in Rural and Urban Youth
Presents a study comparing rates of emergency room visits among youth aged 5 to 19 for suicidal ideation and/or self-harm in rural and urban areas. Breaks down data by age, household income, and rural-urban hospital status, among other measures.
Author(s): Jennifer A. Hoffmann, Matt Hall, Doug Lorenz, Jay Berry
Citation: The Journal of Pediatrics, 238, 282-289
Date: 11/2021
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Presents a study comparing rates of emergency room visits among youth aged 5 to 19 for suicidal ideation and/or self-harm in rural and urban areas. Breaks down data by age, household income, and rural-urban hospital status, among other measures.
Author(s): Jennifer A. Hoffmann, Matt Hall, Doug Lorenz, Jay Berry
Citation: The Journal of Pediatrics, 238, 282-289
Date: 11/2021
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Association of Rural and Critical Access Hospital Status With Patient Outcomes After Emergency Department Visits Among Medicare Beneficiaries
Compares 30-day outcomes for 473,152 Medicare patients after emergency department (ED) visits in rural or urban settings and in Critical Access Hospitals. Features statistics on mortality, ED revisits, hospitalization and transfer patterns by commonly encountered ED conditions, and characteristics of patients and of hospitals studied, with breakdowns by urban or rural location.
Author(s): Margaret Greenwood-Ericksen, Neil Kamdar, Paul Lin, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 4(11)
Date: 11/2021
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Compares 30-day outcomes for 473,152 Medicare patients after emergency department (ED) visits in rural or urban settings and in Critical Access Hospitals. Features statistics on mortality, ED revisits, hospitalization and transfer patterns by commonly encountered ED conditions, and characteristics of patients and of hospitals studied, with breakdowns by urban or rural location.
Author(s): Margaret Greenwood-Ericksen, Neil Kamdar, Paul Lin, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 4(11)
Date: 11/2021
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Last Updated: 2/20/2026