The Challenges of Running a Rural American Hospital

In recent years, many rural hospitals have gradually disappeared from the American healthcare landscape. Since 2010, 136 hospitals have closed, with 20 shutting down in 2020 alone. The reasons for the closures are numerous but basically coalesce around lack of financial viability due to decreased patient volumes, diminished reimbursement for care provided, and a cascade of follow-on effects.

This trend in rural healthcare makes it all the more important to highlight the organizations that are surviving and even thriving in these challenging times. In this podcast, Guadalupe County Hospital CEO Christina Campos explains the many strategies her facility has put in place to ensure the hospital remains viable and continues to serve her rural New Mexico community.