Rural Hospitals Face Crisis as Labor and Delivery Services Plummet
Becker's Hospital Review
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Contributed by: Kate Gamble
Summary
A report from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform reveals a significant decline in labor and delivery services at rural hospitals, with 100 closures since 2020, leading to a maternal health access crisis in these communities. Only 42% of rural hospitals currently provide these critical services, and financial struggles have plagued over 130 hospitals that continue to operate maternity care, compelling some to consider discontinuing these services. Increased travel times for rural residents seeking maternity care, often between 30 to 50 minutes, exacerbate the situation. The report calls for urgent action from federal and state officials and private employers to improve health insurance support for maternity care, warning that without intervention, maternal and infant health risks will rise in rural areas.
