rural hospitals

Texas is in the process of planning for the future of its state hospitals. Some advocates and families said Texas needs to improve capacity and access as demand for services grows.

Nearly 2,000 Oklahomans die from stroke-related complications annually. That burden is felt more in rural communities, where access to specialized care is limited.

The Center for Healthcare Quality & Payment Reform, a national policy organization, found 68 rural Kansas hospitals are at risk of closing, including 30 at immediate risk. Revenue isn't keeping up with costs.

These state hospitals can't find full-time staff. Contract nurses are needed to serve patients, but expenses keep going up.

A clerical error led to the revenue being returned to cities instead.

Alongside the passage of billions of dollars in Medicaid spending reductions over a decade, Oklahoma is also vying for an opportunity available to all 50 states to fund sustainable rural health care initiatives.

"Country Doctor," a documentary now streaming on HBO Max, highlights the crises rural hospitals face amid provider shortages and a lack of resources.

As Texas develops its application for federal Rural Health Transformation Program funding, rural hospital leaders say stabilizing their facilities should be a top priority. "Without it, all the planning in the world will not matter because there will be no hospital left to transform," one said.

Texas health officials are asking for public input for the state's application for a new federal rural health program. People can submit their comments through Tuesday, Sept. 9.

The Health and Human Services secretary praised recent health legislation out of Texas during a visit with Gov. Greg Abbott.