Tag: Rural development

Repeal of CON laws for ASCs expands healthcare access, number of facilities in rural areas

Editor's Note This fall 2024 study published by the CATO Institute found that repealing Certificate-of-Need (CON) laws for ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) would significantly increase the number of ASCs, improving patient access to affordable and high-quality care. By examining six states that repealed ASC-specific CON laws between 1991 and 2019,…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
October 2, 2024
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HHS announces $75 million investment in rural healthcare

Editor's Note The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), part of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has announced nearly $75 million in funding to address critical challenges in rural health, including opioid treatment, maternal health care in the South, and supporting the financial stability of rural…

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By: Matt Danford
September 25, 2024
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"Tweener" hospitals eye financial relief after Supreme Court ruling

Editor's Note The Supreme Court’s recent “Chevron” ruling could offer additional financial security to hundreds of so-called "tweener" rural hospitals—those too large to be considered critical access hospitals but too small to be rural referral centers. Modern Healthcare reported the news July 29. According to the article, critical access hospitals,…

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By: Matt Danford
August 1, 2024
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Rural hospitals contend with challenging opportunities

Rural hospitals in the US have been facing a prolonged, multifaceted crisis. The literature presents several reasons for why healthcare facilities in rural areas struggle, including shrinking budgets, rising chronic illness and public health issues like addiction and obesity, poor telehealth and broadband access, aging populations, deteriorating mental health, and…

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By: David C. Walsh
June 24, 2024
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Health systems focus on long-term growth, outpatient care amid construction challenges

Editor's Note Health systems are increasingly focusing on construction projects aimed at long-term growth and outpatient care, often renovating existing facilities, Modern Healthcare June 10 reports. According to Modern Healthcare's 2024 Construction and Design Survey, 60% of respondents see growth in the healthcare construction industry despite inflation, high material costs,…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
June 12, 2024
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Updated physician shortage projections smaller but still significant

Editor's Note The gap between demand and supply could result in a shortage of 13,500 to 86,000 physicians by 2036, according to updated projections published March 21 by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Although these figures are smaller than projections in the last report, published in 2021, they…

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By: Matt Danford
April 3, 2024
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Lack of primary care physicians tied to emergency surgeries

Editor's Note Research shows that Americans who live in areas with a limited number of primary care doctors and nurse practitioners are at a greater risk for emergency surgeries and complications. The findings were published March 4 in the journal Health Affairs.  For the study, researchers looked at Medicare patient…

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By: Brita Belli
March 19, 2024
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Shift to outpatient, emergency services keeps rural hospitals afloat

Editor's Note More CEOs are considering rural emergency hospital (REH) designation, according to a February 12 article in Becker’s Hospital CFO Report. In January 2023, REH was established as a new Medicare provider type to enable struggling rural hospitals to continue operating with outpatient and emergency services only, instead of…

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By: Matt Danford
February 27, 2024
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Rural US hospitals experiencing labor, delivery crisis

Editor's Note: Rural communities are at serious risk due to hospitals’ increasing inability to offer labor and delivery services, according to a new report from the Center for Healthcare Quality & Payment Reform. Highlights include: More than half (55%) of rural hospitals in the U.S. do not offer labor and…

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By: Brita Belli
January 23, 2024
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A closer look at variations in regional health insurance prices

Editor's Note This new study in JAMA Health Forum is one of the first to review publicly available insurer price data and compare regional rate differences. The research was published by JAMA Network on October 27. Following are some highlights: Over half of the US population receives health insurance from…

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By: Brita Belli
October 30, 2023
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