Current Trends in Nursing: Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act of 2021

Current Trends in Nursing Practice
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Current Trends in Nursing Practice
Introduction
The American healthcare system has undergone significant changes since it was established in 1798. Many of these changes occurred in the 20th century with the expansions of human and civil rights as well as advancements in technologies, politics, and socioeconomic factors. In most cases, change in the health sector has come in the form of law or policy, among the most effective tools for improving health. The conclusion is based on the fact that the greatest public health successes in the country are a result of policy or legal interventions. When such policies are implemented, they influence the role of nurses in the health sector either directly or indirectly. The latest of such laws is the Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act of 2021. The purpose of the current paper is to outline this Act and discuss how it influences or relates to current trends in nursing.
Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act of 2021
According to the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), over 135 rural hospitals have been closed since 2010, while 47% operate at a loss. A further 450 hospitals have been identified as highly vulnerable to closure (NRHA, 2021). With the closure of these hospitals, patients in rural areas are forced to travel further to get the care they need. The pandemic further highlighted this problem by exposing the challenges faced by hospitals in rural areas where 1 in every 5 Americans live. These include perennial lack of funds, increasing healthcare costs against decreasing Medicaid reimbursements, inability to make a profit, lack of medical professionals willing to work in such areas, geographic isolation, and low-patient volume. While AHA has recognized and is working to solve these challenges, the NRHA believes the crisis will worsen without congressional action. The Save Rural Hospitals Act of 2021 seeks to solve the problems faced by rural areas hospitals.
The Act addresses three core areas; Medicare reimbursement, ambulance services funding, and enhancement of rural telehealth. This Act received overwhelming support from the NRHA, who argue that the Medicare Area Wage Index, a formula used to reimburse hospitals, results in disproportionately low Medicare reimbursement to hospitals in rural and low-wage areas. According to Congressman Sam Graves, the Act "…permanently ends Medicare sequestration cuts from rural communities" to give them the certainty of hospital funding. In terms of ambulance services, ambulances in rural areas cover long distances because of the scarcity of the population. The Act ensures that ambulance districts are fairly reimbursed for their services. Telehealth, on the other hand, focuses on leveraging technological communication to support patient and provider interaction.
Impact of Act on Nursing Role
Since healthcare in rural areas faces unique challenges, nursing working here face unique challenges as well shaped by the environment in which they work. Jaeger et al. (2018) established that nurses working in rural areas face a mismatch between expected tasks and availabl...