Faced with a litany of operational challenges, many rural hospitals in Illinois have shut down their labor and delivery units, leading to maternity care deserts. A 2022 March of Dimes report counts Woodford, Piatt, DeWitt and Iroquois counties as being among those deserts.
The Check Up: Pat Schou of the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network
Modern Healthcare
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From staffing woes to financial struggles, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated an already fragile environment for rural hospitals. A recent report from the Chartis Center for Rural Health suggested that 46% of rural hospitals are contending with negative operating margins. Modern Healthcare Managing Editor Matthew Weinstock spoke with Patricia Schou, executive director of the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network and immediate past president of the National Rural Health Association, to talk about the long-term needs facing rural providers, as well as challenges they’re experiencing on the COVID-19 vaccination front.
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Patricia Schou, executive director of the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network and immediate past president of the National Rural Health Association
From staffing woes to financial struggles, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated an already fragile environment for rural hospitals. A recent report from the Chartis Center for Rural Health suggested that 46% of rural hospitals are contending with negative operating margins. Modern Healthcare Managing Editor Matthew Weinstock spoke with
Patricia Schou, executive director of the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network and immediate past president of the National Rural Health Association, to talk about the long-term needs facing rural providers, as well as challenges they’re experiencing on the COVID-19 vaccination front.