August 29, 2024

Rural Leaders See Hospitals Closing Without Robust Broadband

Rural representatives at the federal level have raised concerns regarding the role of inadequate broadband access in the closure of rural hospitals.

Additionally, health care bankruptcies are down but financial challenges remain, and academic systems are stepping up to acquire rural and community hospitals and smaller health systems that are struggling to push their operating margins back into the black.

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August 29, 2024

Rural Pregnancy Health Risks Grow as Care Options Disappear

Out of the 36 percent of U.S. counties designated as maternity care deserts, 61 percent are rural. “we’re seeing a trend… especially accelerated through the pandemic, of hospitals closing OB and labor and delivery units,” says NRHA’s Alexa McKinley. “Access is going to continue to decline unless drastic measures are taken.” Additionally, as rural maternity wards shutter, urban ones struggle as well.

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August 23, 2024

New Journal of Rural Health (JRH) Articles on Mental Health Access Barriers, More

The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) Journal of Rural Health recently published new articles on the following topics:

• Adult perceptions of mental health access barriers facing youth in rural Washington state
• A policy recommendation to eliminate GME caps of less than 16 for rurally located hospitals
• Rural urban disparities in cardiovascular disease mortality by poverty level and region
• A qualitative study of end-stage liver disease and liver transplant referral practices among PCP in nonurban America
• Rural-urban differences in smoking quit ratios and cessation-related factors

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July 12, 2024

Bringing Hospital Care Home: A Revolution in Rural Healthcare

An innovative concept that started in urban centers is making its way into the heart of rural America; hospital-at-home (H@H) care.

The idea stemmed from the realization that patients in rural areas often face significant barriers to accessing regular treatment.

H@H bridges the access gap by offering high-quality care at the patient’s home (or nursing home or assisted living facility). Not entirely new, the concept has gained traction due to advancements in telemedicine and mobile health technologies.

Crescent Regional Hospital in Lancaster, Texas, has installed its first “holobox”, a 3D, life-sized, highly advanced holographic display that allows doctors to teleport to the hospital for real-time, holographic consults with patients. Additionally, the hospital at home movement continues to gain traction in rural areas across the country.

There is no question that H@H improves patient outcomes and satisfaction while reducing cost. Although the implementation process is more complex than imagined and may seem dauting for a community hospital with limited resources, the model is beneficial for the hospital and patients.

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