Research Alert: December 20, 2022

Characteristics of Rural Hospitals Eligible for Conversion to Rural Emergency Hospitals and Three Rural Hospitals Considering Conversion

This brief presents updated data for Rural Emergency Hospital (REH)-eligible hospitals, compares several financial and operational measures of three rural hospitals that are on public record as having expressed interest in REH conversion to all the REH-eligible hospitals, and discusses what factors may ultimately determine the number of rural hospitals that convert to REH. Publishing more recent financial information for REH-eligible hospitals provides comparative information for hospitals considering conversion to REH and the data for the three rural hospitals that expressed interest in conversion provide some real-life examples of hospitals that might convert to REH.

Key Findings

• There are large differences among selected financial and operational measures for three rural hospitals that are on the record as having expressed interest in REH conversion.
• REH conversion may attract a wider range of hospitals than previously estimated.
• What might ultimately determine the number of rural hospitals that convert to REH includes the risk of financial distress and closure, the business case, community support, and consolidation.

Additional Resources of Interest:

• How Many Hospitals Might Convert to a Rural Emergency Hospital?
• Key Considerations for a Rural Hospital Assessing Conversion to Rural Emergency Hospital
• Small Rural Hospitals with Low-Volume Emergency Departments That May Convert to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH)
• 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 guides: Critical Access Hospitals, EMS and Trauma, Healthcare Access, Hospitals, Rural Health Policy