Title: Statistical analysis of rural hospital closures in the USA

Authors: Michel Kissi; Jonathan D. Walston; M. Affan Badar

Addresses: Department of Applied Engineering and Technology Management, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN 47809, USA ' Department of Applied Engineering and Technology Management, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN 47809, USA ' Department of Applied Engineering and Technology Management, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN 47809, USA

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 exposed numerous issues around healthcare availability. Data was collected for 151 rural hospital closures from 2005 to current. From the year of establishment (i.e., open year) until the closure was considered as time to failure (TTF). This research explored if factors like rural-urban commuting area (RUCA), number of beds, open year, and Medicare payment type affect TTF of rural hospitals. Medicare payment was a categorical variable, and the other three variables were continuous. The hypothesis was tested using multiple regression. The results showed that there were no significant correlations of rural hospital TTF with RUCA, number of beds, or Medicare payment type. However, open year was found to be significant. The mean open year was determined to be the year 1966 and the mean TTF was 48 years. Reasons for the hospital closures are discussed. The study is useful for hospital managers and policy makers.

Keywords: COVID-19; rural hospitals; healthcare; life cycle; time to failure; TTF.

DOI: 10.1504/IJFEM.2021.120186

International Journal of Forensic Engineering and Management, 2021 Vol.1 No.2, pp.209 - 224

Received: 04 Feb 2021
Accepted: 28 Apr 2021
Published online: 10 Jan 2022 *

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