Here are eight more findings on the differences in rural and urban patient care.
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1. Twelve percent of the 35 million hospitalizations in 2012 were in rural hospitals.
2. Approximately half, 51 percent, of rural hospital inpatients were at least 65 years old, compared to 37 percent of inpatients in urban hospitals.
3. Sixty-four percent of rural hospital inpatients did not undergo any procedures, compared to 38 percent of urban hospital inpatients.
4. Rural hospital inpatients were more likely to be transferred to other short-term hospitals than urban hospital inpatients, at 7 percent and 3 percent, respectively.
5. Fifty-two percent of rural inpatients had Medicare as their main source of payment, while only 41 percent of urban inpatients did.
6. The average length of stay was similar for rural inpatients and hospital inpatients, at 4.5 days and 4.8 days, respectively.
7. The percentage of hospitalization for childbirth, cancer and poisoning were higher in rural hospitals, but urban hospitals treated more cases of dehydration, bronchitis and pneumonia.
8. The in-hospital mortality rate for both rural and urban hospitals was 2 percent.
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