Mississippi Rural Hospital Alliance

A recent analysis presented at the American Heart Association 2024 Scientific Sessions highlights an increase in cardiovascular disease mortality among younger rural adults in the U.S., revealing widening disparities between rural and urban populations from 2010 to 2022. Cardiovascular deaths rose by 21% among adults aged 25-64 in rural areas, while they declined by 9% among older adults in urban settings. This trend intensified after the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, with rural areas experiencing a 0.8% increase in cardiovascular mortality, in contrast to a 6.4% decrease in urban areas. The study points to challenges faced by rural communities, like higher rates of cardiovascular risk factors like Type 2 diabetes and limited access to specialty care. Suggested solutions include community health initiatives, telehealth-based interventions, and policy changes to improve healthcare access and affordability for rural populations. https://lnkd.in/grR3v7PK

Mississippi’s rural hospitals are taking bold steps to address critical healthcare workforce shortages. Learn more about the #PowerofRural in Mississippi on National Rural Health Day: https://lnkd.in/gxMQdW74

Congratulations to Lawrence County Hospital for earning a 2024 Performance Leadership Award from the Chartis Center on Rural Health. The award recognizes top quartile performance (i.e., 75th percentile or above) among rural hospitals in Quality, Outcomes and/or Patient Perspective.

It’s #RuralHospitalWeek and National Rural Health Day! Explore the role of rural hospitals in population health & community vitality with Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association. Learn why #ruralhealth matters to everyone – even those who don’t live in rural communities! Listen here: https://lnkd.in/eJ5FnWCA

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recently announced that it proposes eliminating copayments for all VA telehealth services and establishing a grant program to fund designated VA telehealth access points in non-VA facilities, focusing on rural and medically underserved communities. https://ow.ly/wHwS50U9a1a

National Rural Health Day is tomorrow! Access to rural hospitals is essential for millions of Americans living in rural communities. Rural Americans rely on hospitals for 24/7 access to life-saving care, specialized services, and routine procedures. Rural communities could feel the effects of Medicare cuts more than anywhere else in the U.S., as hospital closures force them to travel even further for quality emergency care. Support rural patients this National Rural Health day by signing the petition in support of rural hospitals! Sign here: https://lnkd.in/gJZ6UGQt

Among reproductive age women enrolled in Medicaid/CHIP with pregnancy-related service use in 20 states in 2018, 1 in 25 had a pregnancy-related visit to an RHC. For those living in rural areas, this was approximately 1 in 11. https://ow.ly/wNEo50U867F #ruralhealth

Sharing your personal stories is a vital part of advocacy. At NRHA, we want to lift-up rural voices and capture your experiences in our advocacy efforts. Please share your experiences in rural health, whether it is working in a rural hospital struggling with workforce shortages, traveling far distances to obtain healthcare access, experiencing the impact of rural hospital closures in your community, or explaining how specific rural programs and funding have benefited or harmed your rural community. https://lnkd.in/gjwEpEPk