Changes in access to community health services among rural areas affected and unaffected by hospital closures between 2006 and 2018: A comparative interrupted time series study.
Nathaniel BellPeiyin HungMelinda A MerrellElizabeth L CrouchJan M EberthPublished in: The Journal of rural health : official journal of the American Rural Health Association and the National Rural Health Care Association (2022)
Rural areas impacted by hospital closures did not experience an increase in proximity to FQHCs or RHCs relative to changes in access occurring in other rural areas. Over time, most rural areas are seeing an increase in access to FQHCs and RHCs. Policies are needed to incentivize primary care providers to target geographic areas experiencing a hospital closure.