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Hundreds of hospitals in rural areas of the U.S. are at risk of closure, in line with new information from Chartis, a Chicago well being care advisory providers agency.
A complete of 141 rural hospitals have closed since 2010 — whereas one other 453 are “at risk of closure,” in line with a press launch.
The seven states with probably the most hospitals weak to closures embody Texas (45), Kansas (38), Nebraska (29), Oklahoma (22), North Carolina (19), Georgia (18) and Mississippi (18), as listed in Becker’s Hospital Review.
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In Florida, Tennessee and Nebraska, more than 41% of rural hospitals are at risk of closure.
Between 31% to 40% of rural hospitals are at risk in Utah, South Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma, Alabama, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Hundreds of hospitals in rural areas of the U.S. are at risk of closure, according to new data from Chartis, a Chicago health care advisory services firm. (iStock)
In Wyoming, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Georgia, between 26% and 30% of rural hospitals are in danger of closing, the report stated.
Factors impacting closure risk
The analysis identified seven factors that have the biggest impact on a hospital’s risk of closure.
Two of these have been the quantity of years a hospital has been working with no revenue and the quantity of web affected person income.
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The study additionally regarded on the hospital’s common quantity of inpatients through the yr — and the typical each day want for expert nursing amenities.
The remaining three elements embody the hospital’s reliance on inpatient income, its share of Medicare outpatient costs and every hospital’s case combine index.
Among the rural hospitals that are nonetheless working, an growing quantity are dropping important well being providers, together with most cancers remedies and maternal care, the info confirmed.
An emergency division doctor famous that rural hospitals are extraordinarily vital for the nation’s well being care system. (iStock)
Approximately 43% of rural hospitals are working at a monetary deficit, Chartis discovered.
“As the urgency of the pandemic disappears, the return of policy-driven reimbursement cuts, population health disparities and the nurse staffing crisis will apply renewed pressure to the rural health safety net,” mentioned Michael Topchik, nationwide chief of The Chartis Center for Rural Health, in the discharge.
How closures influence sufferers
Dr. Kenneth Perry, an emergency division doctor in South Carolina, was not concerned in the Chartis evaluation however famous that rural hospitals are extraordinarily vital for the nation’s well being care system.
“There are many patients who do not have access to primary care, but are within close enough proximity to rural hospitals, and obtain most of their care within those hospital systems,” he instructed Fox News Digital.
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“As economic pressures have increased for hospitals in the last few years, it has become increasingly difficult for these hospitals to stay financially profitable.”
Between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid and personal insurers, hospitals have confronted “ever smaller” reimbursement quantities, Perry famous.
“Even with lowering reimbursement, operating costs have skyrocketed,” he added. “This makes it very difficult for rural hospitals to be profitable enough to stay open.”
“As the urgency of the pandemic disappears, the return of policy-driven reimbursement cuts, population health disparities and the nurse staffing crisis will apply renewed pressure to the rural health safety net,” the study creator mentioned. (iStock)
In areas the place hospitals are compelled to shutter, Perry warned that many sufferers will lose not simply hospital care, but additionally entry to emergency departments.
“Many patients, specifically low or under insured patients, use the emergency department as a source of primary care,” he mentioned.
“As economic pressures have increased, it has become increasingly difficult for these hospitals to stay financially profitable.”
“With the closure of these hospitals, many patients will lose access to all of their medical care.”
Without a possible resolution, Perry mentioned, many sufferers might be left with out entry to emergency providers and first care.
Impact of REH designation
Chartis’ new report aimed to find out the potential influence of the Rural Hospital Emergency (REH) designation. It was enacted by Congress in Dec. 2020 as a method of guaranteeing emergency medical providers in rural hospitals which will lack the sources to supply them.
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When a hospital is designated as an REH, it is ready to present emergency division providers, statement care and probably some outpatient providers so long as the affected person’s keep doesn’t exceed a mean of 24 hours, in line with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services web site.
“With the closure of these hospitals, many patients will lose access to all of their medical care,” an emergency division doctor warned. (Getty Images)
“For some hospitals, our data model suggests the REH designation will serve as a desperately needed relief valve to avoid closing and provide a significant reversal in fortune for the vulnerable communities they serve,” Topchik mentioned in the discharge.
“But the decision to convert is highly nuanced, and as a result, we expect to see a relatively small number of hospitals embrace REH.”
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There are 389 rural hospitals that Chartis recognized as “most likely” to contemplate changing to REH standing, with 77 designated as “ideal candidates.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Chartis and the American Hospital Association requesting extra remark.
For extra Health articles, go to www.foxnews.com/well being.
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