Tag: hospital closures

Study: Surgical hospital closures hit vulnerable communities hardest

Editor's Note Hospitals that provide surgical care are closing faster than new ones are opening, deepening inequities in access to surgery for socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, American College of Surgeons October 3 reports. Closures not only disrupt care, but also deter many from seeking surgery altogether. Increased travel burdens and difficulty…

Read More

By: Tarsilla Moura
October 14, 2025
Share

Government shutdown squeezes military medicine, halts NIH research, cuts CDC operations

Editor's Note Following yesterday’s update on the impact of the federal government shutdown on telehealth and Affordable Care Act disruptions, the shutdown is also straining military health systems, biomedical research, and disease prevention programs, creating ripple effects for patient care and surgical innovation, Politico October 1 reports. While Medicare, Medicaid,…

Read More

By: Tarsilla Moura
October 2, 2025
Share

Government shutdown stalls healthcare access, freezes Medicare telehealth, hospital-at-home services

Editor's Note A federal shutdown has halted critical healthcare programs, disrupted Medicare telehealth and hospital-at-home coverage, and escalated partisan conflict over the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Medicaid, multiple outlets report, including HealthLeaders October 1 and KFF Health News. The budget impasse reportedly is leaving both patients and providers in…

Read More

By: Tarsilla Moura
October 1, 2025
Share

Rural hospitals face crisis under OBBBA as experts call for cohesive reform

JAMA (healthcare publication) Network logo

Editor's Note The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) is set to reshape rural healthcare in ways that could destabilize already fragile systems. According to a September 3 JAMA Network article, the law is set to reduce federal Medicaid spending by more than $900 billion over 10 years, cuts that…

Read More

By: Tarsilla Moura
September 4, 2025
Share

Hospital closures rise in 2025 amid ongoing financial pressures

Editor's Note Ten hospitals have reportedly closed 3 months into the year, with five shuttering in February alone—a stark escalation compared to the 25 closures reported in 2024 and 14 in 2023, Becker’s Hospital Review March 21 reports. This troubling trend raises questions about the mounting difficulties hospitals face, from…

Read More

By: Tarsilla Moura
March 25, 2025
Share

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…

Read More

By: Matt Danford
February 19, 2025
Share

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…

Read More

By: Matt Danford
December 4, 2024
Share

Nearly 1 in 3 US rural hospitals at risk of closure

Editor's Note More than 700 rural hospitals, representing 31% of all rural hospitals in the country, are at risk of closure, according to a report from the Center for Healthcare Quality & Payment Reform. Chief Healthcare Executive reported the news August 8. According to the article, 16% of all rural…

Read More

By: Matt Danford
August 15, 2024
Share

Rural hospitals shutter labor, delivery units

Editor's Note Rural hospitals throughout the country are struggling to maintain labor and delivery units amid dwindling numbers of births, KFF Health News reported July 15, noting that more than half lack these services entirely. Nationwide, annual births have fallen from 4.3 million in 1957 to below 3.7 million by…

Read More

By: Matt Danford
July 25, 2024
Share

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…

Read More

By: David C. Walsh
June 24, 2024
Share

Join our community

Learn More
Video Spotlight
Live chat by BoldChat