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Slide Presentation from the AHRQ 2007 Annual Conference

Background and Significance: Rural Hospitals

Approximately 50 million people in the U.S. live in rural areas
Rural communities are served by about 2000 rural hospitals.
Residents of rural areas are less healthy than urban residents on most measures of health status.
Rural hospitals play a critical role in their communities by:
- Providing access to health care;
- Serving as a hub for public health, wellness, and social services;
- Providing jobs, recruiting health practitioners, making communities more attractive places to live and work.