rural hospitals

Hospital leaders are asking for facility-specific projections amid predicted changes to supplemental hospital payment programs, arguing the funding differences will affect individual hospitals differently.

Nearly 2,000 Oklahomans die from stroke-related complications annually. That burden is felt more in rural communities, where access to specialized care is limited.

The agency provided updates on its plans during a webinar Thursday.

The state received one of the highest Rural Health Transformation Program investments nationally, only ranking behind California, Montana, Alaska and Texas.

Alongside the passage of billions of dollars in Medicaid spending reductions over a decade, Oklahoma is also vying for an opportunity available to all 50 states to fund sustainable rural health care initiatives.

“Country Doctor,” a documentary now streaming on HBO Max, highlights the crises rural hospitals face amid provider shortages and a lack of resources.

The conversation highlighted how the changes will impact Oklahoma’s health care landscape, including hospital finances and patient access.

The temporary ER is located on the hospital’s campus and is staffed 24 hours a day for walk-in and ambulance emergencies.

The hospital's owner and CEO, Madhukar Sharma, says monthly shortfalls well into the six-figure range fueled his decision to close the facility.

Almost half of Oklahoma's rural hospitals are at risk of shutting down, according to a new report from a national health policy group.