Rural Health
News by Topic: Closures of healthcare facilities and services
Apr 3, 2024 - Highlights the challenges with access mental healthcare in rural communities. Describes a rural Tennessee program aiming to connect people with mental health needs in jails with local resources, noting that hospital closures limits healthcare options. Discusses mental health and other re-entry services offered after successful grant funding to fill gaps in care.
Source: NewsChannel 5
Apr 1, 2024 - Offers highlights of public health priorities identified by Governors across the country during the National Governors Association's 2024 State of the State. Discusses behavioral health, public health, maternal and child health, rural healthcare workforce, and rural facility closures.
Source: National Governors Association
Mar 16, 2024 - Discusses uptake of the Rural Emergency Hospital designation that aims to prevent hospital closures. Notes that conversions have happened primarily in the South. Discusses challenges with implementation, community feedback, and policy efforts to make the designation more accessible to rural hospitals.
Source: NBC4 Washington
Mar 7, 2024 - Highlights the use of telemedicine in ambulances in an effort to improve health outcomes for patients being transported long distances to receive emergency care. Discusses loss of ambulance and hospital services in addition to limited specialty care in rural communities. Describes implementation in South Dakota and Minnesota.
Source: MPR News
Mar 7, 2024 - Reports on financial struggles for rural hospitals across the country leading to department and facility closures and many more at risk of closure. Highlights common rural health disparities and notes the impact of closures on rural communities. Discusses the impact of various policies on rural hospitals including Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement as well as the Rural Emergency Hospital designation.
Source: KFF Health News
Mar 1, 2024 - Discusses rural hospital closures in Oklahoma. Notes the impact of Medicare reimbursements, Medicaid expansion, and the Rural Emergency Hospital designation on rural hospital stability.
Source: News on 6
Feb 27, 2024 - Announces a 4-part webinar series, starting March 12, 2024,
presented by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
(FORHP) in collaboration with the Rural Health Information
Hub, to support access to safe, high-quality maternity care
in rural communities. Webinars will cover information on
achieving the
Birthing-Friendly Hospital Designation from the Center
for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), working with
Perinatal Quality Collaboratives (PQCs) to improve care,
implementing AIM bundles to improve patient safety, and how
rural hospitals without birthing units can prepared for
patient needs.
Source: Rural Health Information Hub