Tele-hospitalist services to support the opening of a new rural hospital.

Papo, Yotam; Harvey, Jillian; Williams, Dunc; Simpson, Kit N; Hinesley, Jay; Abernethy, Allen; Ford, Dee W; Heincelman, Marc · J Hosp Med · 2025

other · Level V

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Abstract

As rural hospitals experiencing low patient volume and workforce shortages continue to close nationally, we present an innovative telemedicine care delivery model utilized to support the opening of a new 25-bed rural hospital in South Carolina in 2023. Since opening, the tele-hospitalist service has been responsible for 84% of discharged patients with high patient experience scores. From quarter 1 to quarter 6, patients were admitted from a growing market area with a financially more favorable payer mix while demonstrating comparable clinical outcomes. We believe this model has the potential to be replicated in other rural hospitals throughout the United States.