Research Alert: October 10, 2024

News Media Coverage of Rural Hospital Closures and the Causes

Media reports of rural hospital closures offer a qualitative dimension to research, allowing an understanding of the deeper context surrounding a hospital closure. This study augments previous research, with findings from a structured framework of attributed causes of rural hospital closures, through the analysis of news media reports.

Key Findings:

• Financial causes were the most frequently reported reasons for closure of rural hospitals. Unprofitability was cited in over half of the media reports, and revenue insufficiency and expense burden were also frequently reported as causes of rural hospital closures.
• Low patient volume and demographics were also reported as major risk factors for rural hospital closures. Low patient volume was cited in over half of the media reports, and adverse demographic trends were also frequently reported as a cause of rural hospital closures.
• The causes of rural hospital closures are numerous, complex, and vary by community. Hospitals often cited multiple reasons for closure, and every hospital closure presented with a unique set of circumstances. With rural communities being comprised of populations with different characteristics and health care needs, there is no blanket reason for why rural hospitals are closing.

Additional Resources of Interest:

• More FORHP-funded research on Hospitals and clinics
• More information about the North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
• More information about the Rapid Response to Requests for Rural Data Analysis
• More information from the Rural Health Information Hub's topic guide: Hospitals