Celebrating the ‘Power of Rural’ in Pennsylvania

National Rural Health Day puts spotlight on commitment to care  

November 16, 2023

Pennsylvania’s rural hospitals serve a vital role in the commonwealth, ensuring their communities continue to have access outstanding care.

On National Rural Health Day, HAP celebrates Pennsylvania’s rural hospitals for the ways they are serving their communities and transforming care to meet patients’ needs.

“On National Rural Health Day, we recommit to investing in rural communities and delivering affordable, quality health care so that generations of rural Americans can thrive,” President Joe Biden said in a proclamation for National Rural Health Day.

Rural hospitals face unique financial challenges and care for patients with complex medical needs or who would otherwise struggle to access critical medical services. This year, HAP continues to highlight the value of our rural hospitals and the hurdles they face to remain community anchors, including a disproportionate shortage of health care providers. About 70 percent of Health Professional Shortage Areas are in rural and frontier communities, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Pennsylvania’s rural hospitals support care in their communities by:

• Providing more than $64 million in charity care
• Contributing almost $39 million in community health improvement/community benefit
• Producing an economic value of $16.6 billion ($10 billion direct, $6.6 billion ripple)
• Supporting more than 79,100 jobs (45,400 direct, 33,700 ripple) that paid $5.1 billion in salaries ($3.3 billion direct, $1.8 billion ripple)

HAP continues to support Pennsylvania’s rural health care by advocating for policies and legislation that allow our rural hospitals to thrive. This includes a focus on access to telehealth and new models of care that can help ensure these hospitals have sustainable funding sources.

For additional information about Rural Health Day, contact Kate Slatt, HAP’s vice president, innovative payment and care delivery.