Nearly 1 in 5 Americans live in rural areas and depend on their local hospital for care. Since 2005, 181 of those hospitals have closed, according to the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research.
Of the 181 rural hospitals that have shut down over the past 17 years, 64 were designated critical access hospitals. CMS gives that designation to hospitals with 25 or fewer beds that are in rural areas and located either more than 35 miles from the nearest hospital or more than 15 miles from another hospital in areas with mountainous terrains or only secondary roads.
Twenty-seven of the critical access hospitals that shut down since 2005 have been converted to other types of healthcare facilities that provide a variety of services, such as urgent care, primary care or long-term care.
Listed below are the 37 critical access hospitals that have completely closed since Jan. 1, 2005, as tracked by the Sheps Center.
Alabama
Randolph Medical Center (Roanoke)
Arizona
Cochise Regional Hospital (Douglas)
Florence Community Healthcare
Fort Yuma PHS Indian Hospital
Arkansas
De Queen Medical Center
Florida
Campbellton-Graceville Hospital
Georgia
Southwest Georgia Regional Medical Center (Cuthbert)
Lower Oconee Community Hospital
Charlton Memorial Hospital (Folkston)
Stewart-Webster Hospital (Richland)
Taylor Telfair Regional Hospital (Mcrae)
Indiana
St. Joseph's Hospital of Huntingburg
Kansas
Horton Community Hospital
Oswego Community Hospital
Cedar Vale Community Hospital
Kentucky
Nicholas County Hospital (Carlisle)
Minnesota
Albany Area Hospital
Minnewaska District Hospital (Starbuck)
Mississippi
Pioneer Community Hospital of Newton
Patient's Choice Medical Center of Humphreys County (Belzoni)
Missouri
I-70 Community Hospital (Sweet Springs)
SoutheastHealth Center of Reynolds County (Ellington)
North Carolina
Yadkin Valley Community Hospital (Yadkinville)
Vidant Pungo Hospital (Belhaven)
Frye Regional Medical Center Alexander Campus (Taylorsville)
Yancey Community Medical Center (Burnsville)
Pennsylvania
Philipsburg Area Hospital
South Carolina
Fairfield Memorial Hospital (Winnsboro)
Tennessee
Copper Basin Medical Center (Cooperhill)
Texas
Little River Healthcare Rockdale Hospital
Hunt Regional Community Hospital of Commerce
Good Shepherd Medical Center (Linden)
De Leon Hospital
Virginia
Pioneer Community Hospital of Patrick County (Stuart)
Washington
Deer Park Hospital
West Virginia
Richwood Area Community Hospital
Guyan Valley Hospital (Logan)