The Impact of Rural Hospital Closures on Emergency Medical Services Transport Times

Purpose: Previous studies have found disparities in emergency medical service (EMS) transports for rural residents including double the average response time and lower patient survival rates when compared with their urban counterparts. Since 2012, rate of hospitals closures has risen alarmingly from previous years. linked closure to increased EMS transport total activation time. However, data methods used not included facility-level characteristics, which limits ability tease out nuances each closure. Thus, purpose this study is examine impact hospital on travel time, as well characteristics closed hospitals. Sample: Data sources came a state-level database, CMS Provider Service files, reports. Methods: Geographic information system software was geocode locations generate areas based drive times. We identified that Alabama between 2010-2018 then 911 call state’s database occurred within close proximity interest, resulting sample 120,802 calls. Findings: five our period. For one closures, department by thirteen minutes post-closure. In two or less. instances, however, decreased. Conclusions: Our findings suggest all result times patients may already been routinely transported alternate Additionally, specific pre-closure be related changes occur Keywords: Rural health, services, access, closure, distance DOI: https://doi.org/10.14574/ojrnhc.v22i1.690