Analysis: problems that triggered 136 rural hospital closures between 2010 and 2021 are worsening - Entrepreneur Generations

"Low reimbursement, staffing shortages, low patient volumes, regulatory barriers, and Covid-19 disruptions all played a role in the shuttering of 136 rural hospitals between 2010 and 2021, including a record 19 closures in 2020, the American Hospital Association reports," John Commins reports for HealthLeaders. And, the report says, "those problems appear to be worsening as rural hospitals contend with rising costs for labor, drugs, supplies and equipment, threatening care access for rural Americans."

Key takeaways from the report:

• 35% of all U.S. hospitals are rural. That includes critical access hospitals, frontier hospitals, and sole community hospitals.
• Rural hospitals are often their community's largest employer, and drive the local economy.
• Rural hospitals support 1 in 12 rural jobs nationwide.
• Rural hospitals contributed $220 billion in local economic activity in 2020.
• AHA is calling on Congress to extend the financial support provided under the Medicare-dependent Hospital and enhanced Low-volume Adjustment programs. Both programs expire on Sept. 30, 2022 unless Congress acts.

from The Rural Blog https://ift.tt/SMLWdtN Analysis: problems that triggered 136 rural hospital closures between 2010 and 2021 are worsening - Entrepreneur Generations

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