Research Alert: September 7, 2023

Examining Rural-Urban Differences in the Availability of Hospital-Based Cardiac Services Between 2010-2020

This study examines the availability of hospital-based cardiac health care services (general cardiology, diagnostic catheterization, and interventional catheterization) and whether rural-urban differences in the availability of these health care services occurred between 2010 and 2020.

• Between 2010 and 2020, there has been an overall net increase in the proportion of hospitals offering specialized cardiac health care services across the United States.
• In 2010 and 2020, 8.6% and 9.4% of hospitals in noncore rural counties offered specialized cardiac health care services, respectively, which was much lower than metropolitan hospitals (65.2% and 71.9%).
• From 2010 to 2020, the proportions of metropolitan and micropolitan hospitals offering specialized cardiac care substantially increased, but there was no significant change among hospitals in rural noncore counties.

Additional Resources of Interest:

• More information about the Rural and Minority Health Research Center
• More information from the Rural Health Information Hub's topic guides: Chronic Disease, Hospitals