MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Hayley Drew Germack PhD Assistant Professor of Acute and Tertiary Care University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: The rate of rural hospital closures has been increasing over the last ten years. Rural hospitals close for a number of reasons including poor hospital economic health tied to uncompensated care and community factors, like a local aging population. Rural hospital and unit closures have been tied to decreased access to emergency and specialty care for patients including decreased access to obstetric-gynecological services and increase travel time for appointments. A recent paper also found a 6% increase in mortality in conditions needing emergent attention after rural hospital closures. We examined the impact of hospital closures in rural counties on the counties’ supply of physicians. (more…)