Pemiscot Memorial Hospital in Hayti, Mo., has been converted to a rural emergency hospital.
The new designation ensures the hospital will continue offering 24/7 emergency care and outpatient services while strengthening its long-term financial stability, CEO Brittany Osborne said in a Dec. 4 Facebook post.
The hospital had been at risk of closure before state officials presented the opportunity to shift its operations, CBS affiliate KFVS reported Dec. 9. Leaders are awaiting final paperwork approval before initiating around-the-clock emergency care.
“Since we are one of the biggest poverty areas, we do get one of the lowest reimbursements from Medicare,” Finance Director Lauren Turnage told the news outlet. “With this REH status, that does give us an increase. So that is a positive outcome and something we will rely on to keep the doors open.”
As of July, 41 hospitals had converted to rural emergency hospital status since the designation took effect in 2023. The model aims to reduce rural hospital closures by allowing facilities to focus on outpatient and emergency department care and eliminate infrequently used inpatient beds.
Becker’s has reached out to Pemiscot Memorial Hospital and will update this story if more information becomes available.
