November 21 marked National Rural Health Day, a time to celebrate and recognize the vital role that rural health care providers and communities play in millions of Americans’ wellbeing. In Washington, more than a million people are served by rural hospitals spread across 50,000 square miles. Nationwide, nearly 61 million Americans call rural communities home.
In fact, rural hospitals make up a little more than a third of all U.S. hospitals, with many operating with 25 or fewer beds. They provide essential services with limited resources, often as the sole healthcare providers in their communities. They are lifelines for emergency care, maternity care and chronic disease management as well as economic anchors that sustain local economies.
However, rural hospitals are threatened by financial and operational pressures, from the rising costs of labor, drugs and supplies to declining reimbursement rates.
National Rural Health Day is an opportunity to honor the resilience of rural health care providers and raise awareness of their challenges. The American Hospital Association is encouraging hospitals and health systems to participate in the Telling the Hospital Story initiative by sharing their successes and roadblocks.
Resources include:
- Infographics and slides to showcase how many people are served by a rural hospital in a given community and the unique obstacles rural hospitals face.
- Social media graphics highlighting how hospitals are vital to their patients and communities.
- Easy-to-follow instructions to help modify resources to best suit hospital needs.
Sharing stories builds awareness among patients, families, communities, the media and legislators about the indispensable role of rural hospitals. Celebrate the Power of Rural with us this week and every week — because rural health is community health. (Jaqueline Barton True)
