432 Rural Hospitals At Risk Of Closure
A study has predicted that 432 rural hospitals are vulnerable to closure, and that of the 48 states with rural hospitals, 38 have at least one vulnerable hospital, according to a report by The Chartis Center for Rural Health. In the last 15 years, 182 rural hospitals have either closed or converted to an operating model that does not provide inpatient care (e.g., long-term care, Rural Emergency Hospital), the report stated. ;
The loss of a rural hospital can trigger a downward spiral of economic hardship and community health status, according to the report. The states with the . . .