When Rural Hospitals Close, The Physician Workforce Goes

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Rural Health Policy
• Physician Workforce Studies

Background:

• Rural hospital closures are a growing concern, impacting access to inpatient services.
• These closures may be linked to changes in the local physician supply.
• Understanding this relationship is crucial for rural healthcare planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between rural hospital closures and physician supply.
• To analyze changes in physician specialties before and after hospital closures.
• To inform policy regarding rural healthcare delivery.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Area Health Resources Files (1997-2016).
• Analyzed physician supply trends in relation to rural hospital closure events.
• Focused on general surgeons, surgical specialists, and primary care physicians.

Main Results:

• Observed significant annual reductions (up to 8.3%) in general surgeons preceding closures.
• Found immediate, persistent decreases in surgical specialists post-closure.
• Documented long-term declines in multiple specialties, including an 8.2% annual decrease in primary care physicians for six years after closure.

Conclusions:

• Rural hospital closures negatively impact physician supply across various specialties.
• This reduction in healthcare professionals can diminish access to care for rural populations.
• Future policies should explore non-hospital-dependent healthcare delivery models.