Alison F. Davis, PhD

Director, Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health

Phone: 859.257.7260
Email: alison.davis@uky.edu
X: @alifdavis

College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Department of Agricultural Economics
University of Kentucky
411 C.E. Barnhart Building
Lexington, KY 40546

Completed Projects - (1)
Publications - (6)

Completed Projects - (1)

Exploring the Impact of Rural Hospital Closures on Use of Emergency Medical Services
Using a unique national database, The Enterprise Data Trust, we will explore pre- and post-closure hospital emergency department use with specific emphasis on those who used public emergency medical transportation, testing for significant changes. This study will be the first to look at the impacts of rural hospital closure at the patient level.
Research center: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
Topics: Emergency medical services (EMS) and trauma, Health services, Transportation

Publications - (6)

2022

Community Sociodemographics and Rural Hospital Survival
Journal Article
Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
Date: 12/2022
This study examines whether community sociodemographic factors are associated with the survival or closure of rural hospitals at risk of financial distress between 2010 and 2019.
Review of Rural U.S. Economic and Health Care Trends
Report
Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
Date: 09/2022
This report reviews recent literature and publicly available data to explore important issues at the nexus of health care and local economic vibrancy. The report also explores the economic implications associated with COVID-19, however full impacts will not be known for several years.
County-Level Availability of Obstetric Care and Economic Implications of Hospital Closures on Obstetric Care
Policy Brief
Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
Date: 07/2022
This policy brief draws out demographic and economic differences between counties with obstetric care facilities and those without. It provides descriptive data on the economic changes underway in counties that lost obstetric care facilities between 2012 and 2019.
Higher Electronic Health Record Functionality Is Associated With Lower Operating Costs in Urban—but Not Rural—Hospitals
Journal Article
Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
Date: 07/2022
This study examines the relationship between electronic health record use/functionality and hospital operating costs and compares the results across rural and urban facilities.

2021

Higher Electronic Health Record (EHR) Functionality Lowers Urban Hospital Costs but Rural Impacts Are Minimal
Policy Brief
Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
Date: 09/2021
Increases in Electronic Health Records (EHRs) functionality are associated with reductions in total hospital costs, driven mainly by lower outpatient costs. However, improvements in EHR functionality do not seem to significantly reduce costs for rural hospitals.

2019

Hospital Closures and Short-Run Change in Ambulance Call Times
Journal Article
Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
Date: 11/2019
Hospital closures affect the availability of emergency department services. This paper examines changes in ambulance ride times in areas with hospital closures compared to those in similar areas without hospital closures and separately analyzes changes in ambulance ride times between urban and rural areas and among Medicare-eligible patients.