Rural Hospitals – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Hospitals.
Embracing the Inevitable: Succession Planning for Rural Healthcare Organizations
Explains the importance of succession planning for rural boards and CEOs. Shares a range of approaches, including written policies and mentorship, as well as offering insights from rural health leaders and resources to help begin the process of succession planning.
Author(s): Brendan Stermer
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Explains the importance of succession planning for rural boards and CEOs. Shares a range of approaches, including written policies and mentorship, as well as offering insights from rural health leaders and resources to help begin the process of succession planning.
Author(s): Brendan Stermer
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Financial Performance of Rural and Urban Hospitals in the Medicare Shared Savings Program
Presents financial performance trends of hospitals that participated in Medicare's Shared Savings Program (SSP) from 2011-2018. Compares trends in 6 financial outcomes between SSP and non-SSP hospitals, and differences in these trends among rural and urban hospitals.
Author(s): Huang Huang, Xi Zhu, Fred Ullrich, A. Clinton MacKinney, Keith Mueller
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Presents financial performance trends of hospitals that participated in Medicare's Shared Savings Program (SSP) from 2011-2018. Compares trends in 6 financial outcomes between SSP and non-SSP hospitals, and differences in these trends among rural and urban hospitals.
Author(s): Huang Huang, Xi Zhu, Fred Ullrich, A. Clinton MacKinney, Keith Mueller
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Where and What Separates Rural from Urban Hospital Closures?
A brief report that compares characteristics of rural and metro hospital closures. Utilizes 2010-2021 American Hospital Association Annual Survey data to examine rural versus metro hospital closures by hospital bed size, hospital type, accreditation status, location in Medicaid expansion state, and more.
Author(s): Sara D. Turbow, Jennifer Lom, Mohammed K. Ali
Citation: Journal of Hospital Medicine, 19(9), 812-815
Date: 09/2024
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A brief report that compares characteristics of rural and metro hospital closures. Utilizes 2010-2021 American Hospital Association Annual Survey data to examine rural versus metro hospital closures by hospital bed size, hospital type, accreditation status, location in Medicaid expansion state, and more.
Author(s): Sara D. Turbow, Jennifer Lom, Mohammed K. Ali
Citation: Journal of Hospital Medicine, 19(9), 812-815
Date: 09/2024
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Research Insights: How Do Ransomware Attacks Impact Rural Hospitals?
Provides an overview of a study regarding the likelihood of ransomware attacks on, and the degree to which such attacks result in operational disruptions at, urban and rural hospitals. Describes how the findings of this study can inform cybersecurity regulations and protocols in rural settings.
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation
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Provides an overview of a study regarding the likelihood of ransomware attacks on, and the degree to which such attacks result in operational disruptions at, urban and rural hospitals. Describes how the findings of this study can inform cybersecurity regulations and protocols in rural settings.
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation
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FY 2025 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System (LTCH PPS) Final Rule – CMS-1808-F
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) fiscal year 2025 hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) and long-term care hospital prospective payment system (LTCH PPS) final rule. Includes information about the extension of the low-wage index hospital policy, a separate IPPS payment for small and independent hospitals to establish and maintain a buffer stock of essential medicines, the distribution of graduate medical education (GME) residency slots, updates to quality reporting programs, and more.
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) fiscal year 2025 hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) and long-term care hospital prospective payment system (LTCH PPS) final rule. Includes information about the extension of the low-wage index hospital policy, a separate IPPS payment for small and independent hospitals to establish and maintain a buffer stock of essential medicines, the distribution of graduate medical education (GME) residency slots, updates to quality reporting programs, and more.
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provision of Stroke Care Services by Community Disadvantage Status in the US, 2009-2022
Results of a study of 5,055 hospitals, examining the association of community socioeconomic disadvantage with likelihood of nearby hospitals adopting stroke center certification from 2009-2022. Features statistics including hospital characteristics during the study period, with breakdown by rural location.
Author(s): Renee Y. Hsia, Nandita Sarkar, Yu-Chu Shen
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(7), e2421010
Date: 07/2024
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Results of a study of 5,055 hospitals, examining the association of community socioeconomic disadvantage with likelihood of nearby hospitals adopting stroke center certification from 2009-2022. Features statistics including hospital characteristics during the study period, with breakdown by rural location.
Author(s): Renee Y. Hsia, Nandita Sarkar, Yu-Chu Shen
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(7), e2421010
Date: 07/2024
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The Low-Volume Hospital Adjustment Before and During COVID-19
Describes characteristics of rural low-volume hospitals (LVHs) between April 2018 and March 2022. Compares the characteristics and profitability of rural LVHs with other rural prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presents data on LVH profitability margins with and without the LVH payment adjustment.
Author(s): Emmaline Keesee, Susie Gurzenda, Kristie Thompson, George Pink
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Describes characteristics of rural low-volume hospitals (LVHs) between April 2018 and March 2022. Compares the characteristics and profitability of rural LVHs with other rural prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presents data on LVH profitability margins with and without the LVH payment adjustment.
Author(s): Emmaline Keesee, Susie Gurzenda, Kristie Thompson, George Pink
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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The Availability of Midwifery Care in Rural United States Communities
Describes the availability of midwifery care at rural hospitals in 2021. Presents results of a survey of 292 rural hospitals with current or recently closed childbirth services. Details whether rural hospitals with current or prior childbirth services had midwifery care with certified nurse-midwives available locally. Compares rural communities with and without midwifery care by hospital-level and county-level characteristics.
Author(s): Emily C. Sheffield, Alyssa H. Fritz, Julia D. Interrante, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Citation: Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health
Date: 07/2024
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Describes the availability of midwifery care at rural hospitals in 2021. Presents results of a survey of 292 rural hospitals with current or recently closed childbirth services. Details whether rural hospitals with current or prior childbirth services had midwifery care with certified nurse-midwives available locally. Compares rural communities with and without midwifery care by hospital-level and county-level characteristics.
Author(s): Emily C. Sheffield, Alyssa H. Fritz, Julia D. Interrante, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Citation: Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health
Date: 07/2024
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Medicare Advantage Enrollees Account for a Rising Share of Inpatient Hospital Days
Describes the growth of Medicare Advantage (MA) as a share of hospital inpatient days between 2015 and 2022. Presents data from hospital cost reports submitted to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) regarding the share of inpatient days attributable to MA compared to traditional Medicare, the percentage of hospitals with more inpatient days from Medicare Advantage than traditional Medicare, and the variation across hospitals within counties. Compares trends in the share of inpatient days for MA enrollees across rural, micropolitan, and metropolitan hospitals.
Author(s): Jamie Godwin, Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, Zachary Levinson, Tricia Neuman
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Describes the growth of Medicare Advantage (MA) as a share of hospital inpatient days between 2015 and 2022. Presents data from hospital cost reports submitted to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) regarding the share of inpatient days attributable to MA compared to traditional Medicare, the percentage of hospitals with more inpatient days from Medicare Advantage than traditional Medicare, and the variation across hospitals within counties. Compares trends in the share of inpatient days for MA enrollees across rural, micropolitan, and metropolitan hospitals.
Author(s): Jamie Godwin, Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, Zachary Levinson, Tricia Neuman
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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MedPAC Data Book: Health Care Spending and the Medicare Program, 2024
Provides an overview of Medicare spending and highlights data on Medicare beneficiary demographics, dual-eligible beneficiaries, quality of care provided through the Medicare program, and other payer liability. Examines settings of care, including rural-specific provider sites, as they relate to spending, access to care, and profit margins. Compares rural and urban beneficiaries and providers throughout. Chart 6-2 addresses rural hospital closures.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Provides an overview of Medicare spending and highlights data on Medicare beneficiary demographics, dual-eligible beneficiaries, quality of care provided through the Medicare program, and other payer liability. Examines settings of care, including rural-specific provider sites, as they relate to spending, access to care, and profit margins. Compares rural and urban beneficiaries and providers throughout. Chart 6-2 addresses rural hospital closures.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Last Updated: 9/11/2024