During a live-streamed this week from Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, CEOs from Dartmouth Health, Maine Health and The University of Vermont Health Network discussed the crisis facing the nation鈥檚 rural hospitals and health systems, from workforce shortages to inflation and payer and regulatory concerns.  
 
"Seventy percent of hospitals nationwide were in the red in 2022, so we're not alone,鈥  Dartmouth Health CEO and President Joanne M. Conroy, M.D., AHA chair-elect. 鈥淚n rural America, the challenges are more difficult to navigate, especially in New England where our systems are located, and which has not bounced back like other areas of the country post-COVID. Although the [federal] provider relief funds were crucial and allowed our hospitals and rural hospitals to recover, post-recovery we are facing a host of challenges all at once, led by a persistent healthcare workforce shortage, which affects each of our institutions."  

Related News Articles

Headline
A study published March 31 by the National Institutes of Health found that adults living in rural areas have worse cardiovascular health than those in urban鈥
Chairperson's File
Public
Rural hospitals and health systems face big challenges, but together 鈥 with a unified voice 鈥 we can work to ensure people living in rural communities get the鈥
Headline
John Riggi, AHA national advisor for cybersecurity and risk, and Justin Spelhaug, corporate vice president and global head of Tech for Social Impact at鈥
Chairperson's File
Public
I鈥檝e often said that rural health care is about family. We take care of each other and our communities as best as possible. Rural hospitals and health systems鈥
Headline
The AHA Feb. 28 voiced support for the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's proposal to reduce beneficiary cost-sharing at critical access hospitals while鈥
Headline
A new fact sheet by the AHA explains why Congress should extend enhanced premium tax credits set to expire at the end of 2025, as not extending them would鈥