Rural CKD Patients Hard-Hit By COVID-19
Can rural hospitals survive to serve the “60 million Americans who call rural America home”? In the United States, there are approximately 2,200 rural hospitals; over 50% are designated as critical access hospitals (CAH) and require a specific number of inpatient beds. Over the years, many rural hospitals have received federal funding to help stay afloat, however, that financial support is now dwindling.
Five years ago, one third of rural hospitals operated at a deficit and even in pre-pandemic 2020, nearly …