Rural Hospitals are Closing, What Can We Do?

For those who live in rural areas, hospitals can be a lifeline that keeps one healthy. When already spread hospitals in rural areas shut down, it can mean residents now have to live hours away from the next closest one. This being the case, the frequent shutting down of rural hospitals is a problem that needs to be solved as soon as possible.

Thankfully, some solutions help curb the problem that is affecting so many rural residents today. Understanding the reasons behind why so many rural hospitals are closing along with how it can be stopped can give one a more nuanced understanding of how healthcare in America can be improved.

Why Are Rural Hospitals Closing So Frequently?

For those who are aware of the alarming rate at which rural hospitals in America are closing, they may be wondering what the reasons are that are causing this. The truth is that there is a multitude of factors contributing to the problem. Understanding these factors can help identify some possible solutions to the disheartening problem.

The Population Being Served

Unfortunately, the rural populations that rural hospitals typically serve are older and sicker than their metropolitan counterparts. There are several reasons that this is the case. One of the main factors is poor health education and increased instances of residents engaging in unhealthy habits.

These unhealthy habits include smoking cigarettes, eating unhealthy food, and excessive drinking. In addition, many of the medical professionals treating these patients may not be trained in transcultural nursing or doctoring, which can affect how treatment is given.

The fact that rural residents typically have more health problems means that rural hospitals have more people and cases that they must deal with regularly. As such, the staff is under higher stress on a more consistent basis than hospitals in urban areas. This can cause medical professionals to want to leave these hospitals which leaves them understaffed.

Lower Reimbursement Rates and Increased Regulation

Unfortunately, many rural residents are markedly poorer than their metropolitan counterparts. This being the case, these individuals typically have Medicare and Medicaid insurance. While this is great for patients who can’t afford more expensive health coverage, it can mean bad news for the hospitals that serve these patients. This is because Medicaid and Medicare typically have low reimbursement rates that they give to the hospitals and clinics that accept these insurances.

In addition to having less money coming in as a result of most patients having Medicare and Medicaid, rural hospitals experience increased regulation compared to hospitals in urban areas. This is because many rural hospitals have fewer patients coming to their hospitals.

While less staff may be adequate to handle this number of patients, regulations require a certain amount to be present at hospitals. As such, hospitals in rural areas are stuck bearing the cost of extra staff that they don’t necessarily need but that regulation dictates they must have.

COVID-19

While many factors were already causing many rural hospitals to have to shut down, COVID-19 came into rural areas like a wrecking ball. During this time, rural hospitals were overwhelmed by patients and struggled to keep up with the costs. These hospitals were forced to purchase their own PPE equipment along with bearing other costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the money being missed out on as a result of not being able to do other procedures, caused many rural hospitals to shut down their operations. Unfortunately, many of the rural hospitals that shut down as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic have not been able to reopen and, as such, have negatively impacted the lives of many rural residents.

Solving the Problem of Rural Hospitals Closing

Though many rural hospitals have had to experience the disheartening fortune of being forced to be shut down, there are ways to safeguard other rural hospitals from having to do the same. Understanding how to solve the problems of rural hospitals closing is an important part of improving the healthcare system in the United States.

Advocating for Policy Changes

As has been mentioned, many rural hospitals are forced to deal with the weight of regulations that aren’t necessarily helping them. This being the case, changes in regulation could help give rural hospitals a chance to stay afloat and make more money.

Regulation should be changed in several key ways to ensure that rural hospitals are given a better chance of staying open. Firstly, policies should require Medicaid and Medicare to reimburse rural hospitals at a higher rate than urban hospitals. Secondly, regulations should require less staff for rural hospitals since they have significantly lower rates of patients than their metropolitan counterparts.

Finding New Revenue Streams

The biggest reason that rural hospitals are being forced to close on a regular basis is that they aren’t generating enough revenue to keep their operations afloat. As such, identifying new streams of revenue can be an effective way for rural hospitals to greatly increase their chances of being able to stay open.

One such new revenue stream that some rural hospitals are capitalizing upon is that of offering mental health services. By doing this, many rural hospitals could potentially generate the revenue that they need to stay open.

While this is one seemingly viable option for increasing revenue, rural hospitals have the opportunity to get creative and find new and unique ways of generating more money to keep their operations alive.

Rural Hospitals Deserve a Chance

While the odds may seem stacked against rural hospitals in many cases, there are ways in which these medical facilities can bolster their chances of staying open. Through the practices of advocating for policy changes and finding new revenue streams, rural hospitals can generate more revenue and find an increased chance of staying open.

While it may not happen overnight, rural hospitals can invest in change and strengthen their chances of being able to stay open and help their communities.