Rural hospital closures remain a growing concern despite slight financial improvement
Editor's Note While fewer rural hospitals are operating at a loss than last year, more are now at risk of closure, according to a new report from Chartis. Fierce Healthcare reported the news February 13. As detailed in the article, the analysis found that 46% of rural hospitals are operating…
Rural hospital closures drive up surgical travel times and costs
Editor's Note Ongoing hospital closures are driving up travel times and out-of-pocket costs for rural Americans who need surgery, according to a February 12 report in HealthDay. Citing two recent studies published in Annals of Surgery and JAMA, respectively, the article details how rural hospital closures have forced more patients…
Legislation proposes to halt Medicare physician payment cuts
Editor's Note A January 31 statement from the American Medical Association (AMA) announces the organization’s support for bipartisan legislation aiming to reverse steep Medicare reimbursement reductions threatening physician practices and patient care access. Introduced by a coalition of 10 House members, the "Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act" would…
Surgical legislation advocacy focuses on safety, access
“Surgeons are the only people trained to provide surgery—life-saving care," says Carrie Zlatos, chief of legislative and political affairs at the American College of Surgeons (ACS). "They are an essential element of a community-based healthcare system. Regardless of where you live, everyone should have access to full quality surgical care.”…
Study: Rural hospital mergers, acquisitions boost financial stability, care access
Editor's Note Data show nearly half of rural hospitals categorized as high-risk financially improved their stability after mergers, acquisitions, or affiliations (M&A) with larger health systems, Fierce Healthcare reported December 2. Conducted by Dobson DaVanzo & Associates and commissioned by the Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare, the analysis found that 110…
Tardiness policies fine-tune rural OR reform efforts
When a speaker at a recent conference asked if anyone had achieved a first-case on-time start (FCOTS) rate above 90%, Jay Parker, BSN, RN, could have been the only one in the room with his hand up. However, Parker was not inclined to call attention to himself. As director of…
AHA's Congressional "wish list" calls for financial relief, patient access, workforce protections
Editor's Note In a November 12 letter to Congress, the American Hospital Association (AHA) outlined its priorities for the lame-duck legislative session, focusing on measures to stabilize hospitals and health systems facing significant financial and operational pressures. If enacted, these recommendations would support the nation’s healthcare infrastructure amid rising…
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,…
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…
Localized nurse shortages to persist amid nationwide surplus, analysis predicts
Editor's Note A new report by Mercer projects a national surplus of 30,000 nurses by 2028, but significant shortages will remain in some states and rural areas where healthcare access is already limited, according to a September 15 report in MedCity News. For example, New York is projected to face…
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