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Rural Hospital Closures: Affected Residents Had Reduced Access to Health Care Services

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Report Type Reports and Testimonies
Report Date Dec. 22, 2020
Release Date Jan. 21, 2021
Report No. GAO-21-93
Summary:

Rural hospitals provide essential health care to rural communities. Yet, over 100 rural hospitals closed from January 2013-February 2020.

When rural hospitals closed, people living in areas that received health care from them had to travel farther to get the same health care services—about 20 miles farther for common services like inpatient care. People had to travel even farther—about 40 miles—for less common services like alcohol or drug abuse treatment.

Before rural hospitals closed, counties where these hospitals were located had fewer doctors than counties without any closures. The number of doctors further decreased when hospitals closed.

People had to travel farther to get health care services after rural hospitals closed in their areas.

Chart of distances traveled before and after rural hospital closures

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