Key Considerations for a Rural Hospital Assessing Conversion to Rural Emergency Hospital
Based on findings from a literature review and consultation with practitioners, a conceptual framework and checklist were developed to organize and guide conversations about key considerations for conversion to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH).
The conceptual framework includes considerations across five key domains: feasibility, workforce, community, partnerships, and regulation. Particular attention was given to the financial implications of the transformation. Table 1 provides a basic financial framework for considering the incremental revenues, costs, and avoided costs that may be expected if a hospital converts to an REH by eliminating inpatient care. Appendix 1 contains a list of questions drawn from the literature review and consultation with practitioners.