U.S. Hospital Closures Increase, Impacting Safety-Net Facilities

A Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health study, published in JAMA, reports a net loss of 216 U.S. hospitals and over 24,000 beds between 2010 and 2025. The research indicates that urban and rural hospitals are closing at similar rates, with for-profit, small, and safety-net hospitals in vulnerable communities disproportionately affected. This trend highlights growing challenges in healthcare access nationwide.