Some rural hospitals will close in 2013 unless they coordinate with other hospitals to change the model of their care delivery, according to a statement by Richard Streiffer, MD, dean of University of Alabama's College of Community Health Services.
Dr. Streiffer recommended in the report that rural hospitals collaborate with regional centers and focus on primary care — perhaps even making old-fashioned house calls.
"Hospitals will become only intensive care units, operating rooms and procedure rooms," Dr. Streiffer said in the report.
Additionally, he recommended Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley (R) accept President Barack Obama's request — unpopular with Republican governors — to expand the state's Medicaid program to cover more people in exchange for two years of full federal funding for the expansion. Coupled with better primary care access, that would decrease emergency room visits from the uninsured by enabling them to receive cheaper, preventive care from a primary physicians, according to the report.
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Dr. Streiffer recommended in the report that rural hospitals collaborate with regional centers and focus on primary care — perhaps even making old-fashioned house calls.
"Hospitals will become only intensive care units, operating rooms and procedure rooms," Dr. Streiffer said in the report.
Additionally, he recommended Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley (R) accept President Barack Obama's request — unpopular with Republican governors — to expand the state's Medicaid program to cover more people in exchange for two years of full federal funding for the expansion. Coupled with better primary care access, that would decrease emergency room visits from the uninsured by enabling them to receive cheaper, preventive care from a primary physicians, according to the report.
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