Becker's Healthcare December 3, 2021
About 60 million people — nearly 1 in 5 Americans — live in rural areas and depend on their local hospitals for care. More than 70 of those hospitals have ended all services since 2011, according to the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research.
The number of rural hospital closures steadily increased over a four-year period, with a record-breaking 20 hospitals shutting down last year, according to the Sheps Center. Though rural hospitals continue to face many challenges, including low patient volume, heavy reliance on government payers and financial pressure tied to the COVID-19 pandemic, federal aid helped partially offset those challenges this year. Only two rural hospitals have ceased inpatient care so far this year, according to...