More than half of rural hospitals in the U.S. do not offer labor and delivery services, according to a new report from the Center for Healthcare Quality & Payment Reform.
The policy center analyzed obstetrical unit closures at rural hospitals nationwide through this January.
Three takeaways:
1. More than 200 rural hospitals have stopped delivering infants over the last decade amid serious financial and workforce challenges.
2. In 10 states, more than two-third of hospitals don't offer obstetrical care: Nevada, North Dakota, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Illinois, Virginia, and West Virginia.
3. For 70% of patients living in a rural area, the average travel time to a hospital with labor and delivery services is 30 minutes or more. In contrast, nearly 90% of patients in urban areas are less than 30 minutes away from the nearest hospital with obstetrical care.
View the full report here.