Hundreds of hospitals in rural America are at risk of closure, according to new data from Chartis, Chicago. health care Advisory service company.
A total of 141 local hospitals have closed since 2010, and an additional 453 are “at risk of closure,” according to a press release.
The seven states with the most hospitals most susceptible to closures include Texas (45), Kansas (38), Nebraska (29), Oklahoma (22), North Carolina (19), Georgia (18), and Mississippi (18). It is included. Becker’s Hospital Reviews.
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In Florida, Tennessee, and Nebraska, more than 41% of rural hospitals are at risk of closure.
Between 31% and 40% of rural hospitals are at risk in Utah, South Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma, Alabama, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
Hundreds of rural hospitals in the United States are at risk of closing, according to new data from Chicago-based medical advisory services firm Chartis. (St. Petersburg)
In Wyoming, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Georgia, 26% to 30% of rural hospitals are at risk of closing, the report said.
Factors influencing closure risk
This analysis identified seven factors that have the greatest impact on a hospital’s risk of closure.
Two of these were the number of years the hospital had been operating without a profit and the amount of net patient income.
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The study also looked at the hospital’s average annual admissions and average daily skilled nursing facility requirements.
The remaining three factors include a hospital’s dependence on inpatient revenue, the hospital’s share of Medicare outpatient charges, and each hospital’s case mix index.
A growing number of local hospitals that remain open are ceasing essential medical services, including: cancer treatment Data showed maternal care.
The emergency department doctor pointed out that rural hospitals are very important to the country’s health system. (St. Petersburg)
About 43% of rural hospitals were found to be operating at a loss, Chartis said.
“As the urgency of the pandemic fades, a resurgence of policy-driven reimbursement cuts, population health disparities, and a nursing shortage crisis will bring new challenges to the rural health safety net,” said Michael Topchik, national leader of the Chartis Rural Center. “It will put a lot of pressure on it,” he said. Health, stated in release.
How closure affects patients
Dr. Kenneth Perry, an emergency department physician in South Carolina, who was not involved in the Chartis analysis, noted that rural hospitals are critical to the country. medical system.
“There are a lot of patients who don’t have access to primary care, but they have local hospitals close enough that they get most of their care within those hospital systems,” he told Fox News Digital.
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“as economic pressure The number of patients in hospitals has increased over the past few years, making it increasingly difficult for these hospitals to remain financially profitable. ”
Between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid and private insurers, Perry noted that hospitals are facing “lower reimbursement than ever before.”
“Despite lowering reimbursements, operating costs have skyrocketed,” he added. “This makes it very difficult for rural hospitals to generate enough revenue to stay open.”
“As the urgency of the pandemic fades, the resurgence of policy-driven reimbursement cuts, population health disparities, and the nurse shortage crisis will place new pressures on rural health safety nets,” study authors said. (St. Petersburg)
Perry warned that in areas where hospitals are forced to close, many patients will not only lose hospital care, but also access to emergency departments.
“Many patients, especially those with low insurance premiums or those who are uninsured, rely on emergency departments as their source of primary care,” he said.
“As economic pressures increase, it is becoming increasingly difficult for these hospitals to remain financially profitable.”
“If these hospitals close, many patients will no longer have access to all medical care.”
Without a viable solution, many patients will be unable to access emergency services or primary care, Perry said.
Impact of REH designation
Chartis’ new report aimed to determine the potential impact of Regional Hospital Emergency (REH) designation. It was enacted by Congress in December 2020 as a means to ensure emergency medical services in rural hospitals that may lack the resources to provide them.
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According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, when a hospital is designated as an REH, it is exempt from providing emergency department services, follow-up care, and sometimes some outpatient services as long as the average patient stay does not exceed 24 hours. can be provided. Website.
“If these hospitals close, many patients will no longer have access to all medical care,” the emergency department doctor warned. (Getty Images)
“For some hospitals, our data model shows that REH designation serves as a much-needed relief valve to avoid closure and deliver a major reversal of fortune for the vulnerable communities they serve. ,” Topchik said in the release.
“However, conversion decisions are highly sensitive and, as a result, we expect relatively few hospitals to adopt REH.”
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Chartis has identified 389 local hospitals as “most likely” to consider transitioning to REH, with 77 designated as “ideal candidates.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to Chartis and the American Hospital Association for additional comment.
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