The program allows struggling rural hospitals to close infrequently used services and focus on emergency care.
Here are four hospitals transitioning to rural emergency status:
- La Grange, Texas-based St. Mark’s Medical Center received rural emergency designation approval to avoid closure.
- Holly Spriggs, Miss.-based Alliance HealthCare was awarded rural emergency status after some questions if it was too close to Memphis, Tenn.
- Sturgis (Mich.) Hospital became the first hospital in the state to transition to the new designation.
- St. Bernards Healthcare’s Five Rivers, based in Pocahontas, Ark., will become the first hospital in the state to transition to rural emergency status on Sept. 1.
