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Eight Hospitals Selected for First Cohort of Rural Hospital Stabilization Program

Eight hospitals have been selected to participate in the first cohort of the Rural Hospital Stabilization Program, a new federal initiative designed to provide in-depth technical assistance to rural hospitals, helping them develop or enhance health care services that meet community needs and keep care close to home. 

Map of the U.S. with pins showing the locations of the eight hospitals making up the first cohort of the Rural Hospital Stabilization Program: Beaver County Memorial Hospital, Coffeyville Regional Medical Center, Delta County Memorial Hospital, Freestone Medical Center, Jefferson Hospital, Kilckitat Valley Health, Pike County Memorial Hospital, and W.J. Mangold Memorial Hospital. Rural Hospital Stabilization Program logo.

The program, which is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy and administered by the National Rural Health Resource Center (The Center), will provide hospitals with assessments of financial and operational performance, recommend options for filling identified care gaps and guide them as they grow targeted services. 

A combination of education and coaching from a Center-led team of experts, along with funding to support tools and innovation towards service line growth, will allow hospitals to bolster patient volume, better align services with the needs of the community and improve cash flow.

The selected hospitals include:

The goal of the program — which is expected to take hospitals 18-24 months to complete — is to strengthen rural health care delivery nationwide by improving hospital financial stability.

“We’re excited to welcome these eight hospitals into the first cohort of the new Rural Hospital Stabilization Program and to partner with them as they work to strengthen health care access in their communities,” said Tom Schumacher, the program’s director. “At its core, the Rural Hospital Stabilization Program is all about helping strengthen hospitals so they can keep caring for the communities that rely on them. When hospitals are financially stable, they’re better equipped to expand services, attract and retain staff, and respond to local health needs. We’re proud to support these hospitals as they build a more secure foundation — not just for their own future, but for the health and well-being of the communities they serve.”

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