On March 9, Jellico Regional Hospital in Tennessee, a critical lifeline with 25 beds for its community, shut its doors for good. This closure marks a somber milestone, as it becomes the 36th rural hospital since 2020 to either cease operations or significantly scale back services to no longer provide inpatient care. The University of North Carolina’s Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research has been tracking this troubling trend, shedding light on the escalating financial peril facing rural healthcare facilities across the nation.

Rural hospitals are the backbone of their communities, often serving as the only source of healthcare for miles. Yet, they are grappling with an unprecedented crisis, driven by a perfect storm of workforce shortages, surging operational costs, and stagnant reimbursement rates. The dire situation is further exacerbated by a dramatic decline in accessible labor and delivery services, with only 45% of rural hospitals offering such critical care. Even more startling, in ten states, less than a third of rural hospitals are able to provide these services, as reported by the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform.

The list below chronicles the 36 rural hospitals that have fallen victim to these harsh realities since 2020, with Jellico Regional Hospital being the latest casualty. It’s a growing list that symbolizes not just the loss of healthcare resources but also the diminishing hope for accessible care in America’s rural heartlands.

Facilities marked with an asterisk (*) have transitioned to “converted closures,” continuing to offer some level of service, such as primary care, skilled nursing, or long-term care, albeit no longer providing inpatient services.

  • Jellico (Tenn.) Regional Hospital
  • St. Mark’s Medical Center (La Grange, Texas)
  • Herington (Kan.) Hospital
  • Spectrum Health Kelsey Hospital (Lakeview, Mich.)
  • Indiana University Health Blackford Hospital (Hartford City, Ind.)*
  • Martin General Hospital (Williamston, N.C.)
  • Patients Choice Medical Center of Smith County (Raleigh, Miss.)
  • St. Margaret’s Health-Spring Valley (Ill.)
  • UPMC Lock Haven (Pa.)*
  • St. Margaret’s Health-Peru (Ill.) (OSF Healthcare expected to reopen this spring)
  • Ascension St. Vincent Dunn (Bedford, Ind.)
  • Blessing Health Keokuk (Iowa)
  • Audrain Community Hospital (Mexico, Mo.)
  • Callaway Community Hospital (Fulton, Mo.)
  • Acoma-Canoncito-Laguna Service Unit (Acoma, N.M.)*
  • Galesburg (Ill.) Cottage Hospital*
  • MercyOne Oakland Medical Center (Oakland, Neb.)*
  • Community HealthCare System-St. Marys (Kan.)*
  • Perry Community Hospital (Linden, Tenn.)
  • Northridge Medical Center (Commerce, Ga.)*
  • Southwest Georgia Regional Medical Center (Cuthbert, Ga.)
  • Shands Lake Shore Regional Medical Center (Lake City, Fla.)
  • Cumberland River Hospital (Celina, Tenn.)
  • Bluefield (W.Va.) Regional Medical Center*
  • Saint Luke’s Cushing Hospital (Leavenworth, Kan.)*
  • Shands Live Oak (Fla.) Regional Medical Center*
  • Shands Starke (Fla.) Regional Medical Center*
  • Williamson (W.Va.) Memorial Hospital*
  • Decatur County General Hospital (Parsons, Tenn.)
  • Sumner Community Hospital (Wellington, Kan.)
  • Edward W. McCready Memorial Hospital (Crisfield, Md.)*
  • Mayo Clinic Health System-Springfield (Minn.)*
  • Central Hospital of Bowie (Texas)*
  • UPMC Susquehanna Sunbury (Pa.)*
  • Mountain View Regional Hospital (Norton, Va.)*
  • Pinnacle Regional Hospital (Boonville, Mo.)

This list not only represents facilities but also the countless individuals affected by these closures—communities left more vulnerable and patients facing greater challenges in accessing essential healthcare services.