/PG/ Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Signal High) —– Signal High News Corporation is following a report from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform that claims six hundred rural hospitals in the U.S. are at risk of closure.
Persistent financial losses on patient services and low financial reserves are the most frequently cited causes. Hospitals in these categories exist in almost every state, according to the study. In more than half of the states, 25% or more of the rural hospitals are at risk of closure. In 12 states in particular, 40% of hospitals are at risk.
The study has identified 631 rural hospitals nationwide that are at risk of closure. That represents approximately 29 percent. Two hundred of these are facing immediate shutdown, losing money on patient services before the COVID-19 pandemic even started. Many of these hospitals have more debts than assets.
Most of the at-risk hospitals are in isolated communities where closure of the hospital would mean the community residents would have to travel a long distance for emergency or inpatient care, the study said.
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