Public Health Institute’s Post

In my last post addressing population per urgent care (PPUC) and saturation, I mentioned I would provide a breakdown of a specific state. West Virginia stands out with a statewide PPUC of 15,893, which is ~40% lower than the national average. Does that mean West Virginia is full? Short answer is "NO"...there's still room for growth: --Charleston, with ~140,000 in the valley has a PPUC of 20,000, slightly above suburban/urban average indicating "growth" opportunity for ~1 more UC. --Huntington, second largest, has ~89,000 people sharing 10 centers or PPUC of 8,900 indicating 2x the average number of UCs, or likely saturation. --Morgantown, the third largest city, has ~79,000 in the area sharing 5 UCs or a PPUC of ~20,000, although 6 would bring PPUC to 13,000 so Morgantown is "just right." That leaves the "rural" areas. West Virginia has 102 UCs, 82 of which are "rural." Divide into the rural population, rural PPUC is ~17,000 (vs. 14,000 national rural average) indicating room for ~20 more rural UCs in the state. But to the point about states being "too rural," watch this: --16 of 55 counties (30%) have insufficient population to support an urgent care. Remove those counties, apply average "rural" PPUC, and the number is 83. Almost exactly the current number of "rural" UC's in West Virginia! The state's 102 UCs are divided almost equally: MedExpress has 23 sites, hospitals like WVU Medicine have a quarter, a quarter are mid-market, and the remaining quarter are single-site independents. From it's founding in Morgantown, MedExpress has been a remarkable factor in promoting access across the state. BTW...if any of these are bad locations, of course, unaddressed in aggregate is the quality of the competition and/or the ability to out-position and out-execute incumbents. The difference is whether your volume comes from grabbing share or organically from the community. Let me know what you think of my SWAG.

#covid19 #pandemic #rural #hospitals 140 rural hospitals closed between January 2010 and September 30, 2022, according to the North Carolina Rural Health Research Program. An additional 453 financially vulnerable rural hospitals are at risk of closing, as reported by the February 2020 Chartis Group. But there's hope. #Rural health leaders and #federal lawmakers are working quickly to tweak a new program to attract more applicants, offering a 5% increase in Medicare payments and an average annual payment of about $3.2 million to facilities that convert to rural emergency hospitals. #Private investors like General Catalyst, Hemant Taneja, and Marc Harrison are also stepping up to provide patient care and pilot new technologies in these areas. It's time to rally support for these hospitals and the communities they serve. https://lnkd.in/eMAqTPFg

Closing of Rural Hospitals Leaves Towns With Unhealthy Real Estate Dozens of small cities and towns across the United States struggle not just with health care access and the loss of jobs, but also with the burden of what to do with big, empty buildings. Closing of rural hospitals is always hard to swallow as I lived in a town that experienced this very phenomenon. Hospitals are the bellwether of many towns, employing a large part of the county as well as supporting the economy of the town. Hosptial closures lead to a slow death of the town it supported. What is even more disturbing is Medicare Advantage plans are making inroads into rural areas with promises of expanded benefits, low prescription costs, and lower monthly premiums. What they do not tell the beneficiary is restricted benefits as the plans deny care including much-needed SNF coverage and procedures. What they don't tell the beneficiaries is that their denials and administrative burden including prior authorization and playing games with paying providers including the hospital at risk of closure. #ruralhospitalclosure, #hospitclosure, #slowdeathoftown https://lnkd.in/eMNbWvdE

Rural hospitals are essential for small communities’ economic, health, and social wellbeing. According to this Becker’s Hospital Review article, 36 rural hospitals have closed since 2020. This means 36 communities in the United States have even more limited healthcare. This means that 36 communities in the United States have lost a vital component for their economy. #nursesonLinkedin #ruralhealthcare

***RURAL HOSPITAL CLOSURES DEVASTATE COMMUNITIES*** Rural hospital closures continue to devastate communities, as highlighted in a recent KFF Health News article. The story of Jellico, Tennessee, where the hospital closure left residents with no local healthcare and an economic void, underscores the urgent need for sustainable solutions. The closure of rural hospitals not only disrupts healthcare access but also cripples local economies, leading to job losses and shuttered businesses. Innovative repurposing of hospital buildings, like in Somerville and McKenzie, Tennessee, can help mitigate some of these impacts, but it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. At Dynamis Advisors, our sole purpose is the design and creation of Healthy Villages®, which are community-centered, sustainable, and economically attainable alternatives to hospital closures. Healthy Villages® provide essential healthcare services tailored to the unique needs of each community. By integrating health services with local resources and fostering community engagement, these community hubs ensure continuous access to care while stimulating local economies. This innovative approach not only addresses immediate healthcare needs but also promotes long-term community well-being and resilience. The health and vitality of rural communities depend on our ability to adapt and innovate. Let's continue to push for sustainable, community-centered solutions to ensure everyone has access to the healthcare they need. #RuralHealth #HealthcareAccess #CommunityImpact #HealthEquity #SustainableSolutions https://lnkd.in/dpMtwTE3

🚨 The Growing Crisis of Hospital Closures in Rural Communities 🚨 Our latest blog post dives deep into a topic that affects millions—hospital closures in rural areas. With these closures come profound impacts on access to essential care. Why is this happening? And more importantly, what can be done? Our blog explores the underlying causes and suggests potential solutions that could help bridge the gap for these communities in need. ✉️ How can we assist your rural community? Comment below or message us directly! #ruralhealthcare #hospitalclosures #accesshttps://zurl.co/2ZoQ

Although it may seem like a problem that only affects rural areas, the closure of rural hospitals has a significant impact on metropolitan communities.  According to recent research by Chartis, half of the nation's rural hospitals are at risk of shutting down, and Oklahoma ranks among the top four states with the most rural hospitals at risk. Over 25,000 patients a year travel from rural communities to receive medical care in our Tulsa hospitals. But why should Tulsans care? Read my recent op-ed submission to Tulsa World to better understand how this rural health crisis affects us all.  https://lnkd.in/gnZMtbju

The rural hospital crisis is REAL. The documentary visits several small towns impacted by hospital closures and interviews the impacted workers and community members. Hospital closes: 1. Jobs are lost (and in a market that can’t absorb the loss) 2. People move away. 3. Those people were spouses of hospital workers that owned businesses, which closed. 4. Income tax revenue for the community decreases, 20%-50%, resulting in decreased community funding and services. 5. The vacant hospital building becomes a place for squatters, homeless, addicts, and criminals. The hospital is stripped of copper pipes and wire by thieves, creating a greater burden to attempt re-opening. 6. The death rate increases. 7. For rural communities on state borders, healthcare expenses increase because of out of network costs and coverage. List of Closed Hospitals (MC = Medical Center) (RMC = Regional MC) (CH = Community Hospital) AL Southwest Alabama MC, Thomasville Randolph MC, Roanoke Chilton MC, Clanton Georgiana MC AZ Florence CH Cochise RMC, Douglas AK De Queen MC CA Adventist Health Feather River, Paradise Coalinga RMC FL Campbellton-Graceville Hosp Regional General Hosp, Williston Shands Lake Shore RMC, Lake City GA Heart County Hosp, Harwell Charlton Memorial Hosp, Folkeston Stewart Webster Hosp, Richland Lower Oconee CH, Glenwood Southwest Georgia RMC, Cuthbert KA Horton CH Oswego CH Sumner CH, Wellington KY Nicholas CH, Carlisle Parkway RMC Fulton,Lewis Doctors Hosp at Deer Creek, Leesville MN Albany Area Hosp MS Patients Choice Medical of Humphreys County, Bethany Pioneer CH of Newton Merrit Health Natchez Community Campus MO Sac-Osage Hosp, Oceola Parkland Health Center Weber Rd., Farmington Southeast Health Center of Reynolds County, Ellington Two Rivers RMC, Kennett I-70 Community Hosp, Sweet Springs Pinnacle RMC, Bloonville NV Nye RMC, Tonopa NC Vidant Pungo Hosp, Bellhaven Sandhills RMC, Hamlet Davie MC, Mocksville OK Latimer County General Hosp, Wilburton Sayre CH PA Saint Catherine MC Fountain Springs, Ashland Elmwood City MC SC Bamber County Memorial Hosp Marlboro Park Hosp, Bennettsville Southern Palmetto Hosp, Barnwell Fairfield Memorial Hosp, Winnsboro TN Haywood Park CH, Brownsville United RMC, Manchester Tennova Healthcare McNairy Regional, Selmer Copper Basin MC Copperhill McKenzie RMC Jamestown RMC Jellico MC Perry CH, Linden Cumberland River Hosp, Celina Decatur County General Hosp Parsons TX Shelby RMC Renaissance Hosp, Terrell East Texas MC, Clarksville East Texas MC, Gilmer East Texas MC, Trinity Good Shepherd MC, Linden Lake Whitney MC, Whitney Hunt RCH of Commerce Gulf Coast MC, Wharton Nix Community General Hosp, Dilley Weimar MC Care RMC, Aransas Pass Little River Healthcare Rockdale Hosp Little River Healthcare Cameron Hosp Central Hosp of Bowie VA Pioneer CH of Patrick County, Stuart WV Williamson Memorial Hosp

Financial crises for rural hospitals are taking a toll shuttering many locations and leaving locals with no emergency services.  The REH program was a step toward ensuring access to healthcare in underserved areas; however, according to the article, only 18 of more than 1,700 eligible rural hospitals have applied for and won the REH designation.  Rural healthcare leaders and lawmakers need to work together to make the program more attractive to applicants, potentially easing up the inpatient services requirement and adjusting the eligibility period. #BYS #BYSSolutions #healthcarefinance #assetbasedlending #workingcapital

Rural hospitals are an integral part of local economies and their closures can lead to devastating health and economic outcomes for the communities they serve. Check out this article from my CareSource colleague, Jason Bearden, on how our company is supporting rural hospitals in Georgia and other states we serve. #CareSourceEmployee #CareSourceGA