Why are Urban Hospitals Closing and What Happens After They Do? Image

Even in areas with multiple hospitals, hospital closures can negatively impact access to care. This is especially true when the closure reduces access to emergency and specialty services. For example, some of the closed hospitals we looked at provided time-sensitive, lifesaving services-such as obstetrics, heart surgery, or emergency care. After they closed, patients often had to travel farther, and nearby hospitals became overcrowded.

What happened to the five urban hospitals after they closed? Two converted into outpatient facilities. The other three shut down completely, ending all health services.

In some communities, local efforts helped fill the gaps. For example, access shifted to different settings or providers in communities where the two hospitals converted:

With that said, each community is different. And the impact of these closures may vary. Most of the hospitals we looked at were considered "safety-net" hospitals and served low-income and racially diverse inner-city neighborhoods. Many residents in these communities already face barriers accessing care. For example, some residents lacked adequate transportation to reach alternative hospitals or clinics or were not aware of other providers, further complicating their ability to access necessary and timely care.