Washington Post Source Article | Comments Courtesy of Matt Zavadsky

This is one of the most amazing articles about the plight of healthcare and hospitals in rural America.  Yes, it’s very long, but exceptionally well written.

Strongly encourage you to read this, and click on the link to see some of the photos – it wrench your gut, and likely bring tears to your eyes.

EMS agencies in these areas, often volunteers, face immense struggles as they become the default healthcare in areas where hospitals have closed – and have to transport patients great distances, taking resources away from the community for longer periods of time.

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‘Who’s going to take care of these people?’

As emergencies rise across rural America, a hospital fights for its life

By Eli Saslow 

MAY 11, 2019

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/national/wp/2019/05/11/feature/whos-going-to-take-care-of-these-people/ 

Fairfax, Okla. - The hospital had already transferred out most of its patients and lost half its staff when the CEO called a meeting to take inventory of what was left. Employees crammed into Tina Steele’s office at Fairfax Community Hospital, where the air conditioning was no longer working and the computer software had just been shut off for nonpayment.

“I want to start with good news,” Steele said, and she told them a food bank would make deliveries to the hospital and Dollar General would donate office supplies.

“So how desperate are we?” one employee asked. “How much money do we have in the bank?”

“Somewhere around $12,000,” Steele said.

“And how long will that last us?”

“Under normal circumstances?” Steele asked. She looked down at a chart on her desk and ran calculations in her head. “Probably a few hours,” she said. “Maybe a day at most.”

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