March 26, 2026
Rural Emergency Hospital: Progress, Resources, and Real-World Lessons
The Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation, created by Congress in 2020, is intended to preserve access to emergency and outpatient care in rural communities that may not be able to sustain a full hospital. Since the designation took effect in January 2023, 44 hospitals across the country are now operating as REHs. The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) funds a number of resources to support hospitals considering this transition including:
- The Rural Emergency Hospital Technical Assistance Center offers resources and one-on-one guidance before and after conversion, helping communities make informed decisions. Newly added resources include a learning brief on how REHs are addressing obstetric care despite financial, workforce, and regulatory challenges, and lessons from REH leaders through a recent Fireside Chat.
- The Rural Health Information Hub (RHIhub) released an updated topic guide, which answers common questions and explains the REH designation in detail.
- Through FORHP funded research, the University of North Carolina examined whether the REH designation helped financially distressed rural hospitals avoid closure.