11/20/2025
Fitzgibbon Hospital observes National Rural Health Day Nov. 20
Fitzgibbon Hospital serves a seven-county region in west central Missouri, an area that is considered “rural” in makeup. National Rural Health Day is Nov. 20. It is important to note that provision of health care services in a rural area is significantly different than healthcare provided in an urban area.
In addition to its 66-bed hospital, the Fitzgibbon organization also owns designated Rural Health Clinics in Slater, Brunswick, Fayette, Pilot Grove and three clinics in Marshall. In these clinics, Fitzgibbon Hospital is improving access to primary care for those who may experience barriers to healthcare. Barriers include a lack of providers locally, or a significant travel distance to access a medical provider. These clinics are known as “safety net” providers in otherwise underserved areas.
Rural hospitals typically fall into two categories: “critical access” and rural acute care. Many may think of a critical access hospital as providing more specialties with higher levels of acuity or “critical” care. But that is not correct. By definition, critical access hospitals have 25 or fewer inpatient beds and are located more than 35 miles from another hospital, with some exceptions. They also have an annual average length of stay for inpatient care of less than 96 hours. These hospitals benefit from a higher reimbursement rate for services for Medicare and Medicaid patients than rural acute care hospitals.
On the other hand, Fitzgibbon Hospital is considered a sole community, rural acute care hospital. This status allows Fitzgibbon Hospital, as a not-for-profit 501c3 hospital to receive payments from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) to cover some of the costs of providing care to uninsured patients.
While these designations certainly provide much-needed assistance to rural hospitals, these hospitals today are facing economic headwinds that are causing significant pressures. The limited pool of medical providers, the need to utilize agency labor to cover staffing challenges which are paid at a significantly higher rate, paired with the rising costs of supplies, utilities and other inputs, are putting even more strain on a challenged U.S. healthcare system. According to the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, 86% of the United States is considered “rural,” which means as rural hospitals struggle, so will the 70% of U.S. communities which face a shortage of qualified health care providers. Rural America is a great place for mission-minded health professionals to provide care, according to the FORHP.
Over the last few years, Fitzgibbon Hospital has worked hard to bring talented, well-loved providers to our region so it can continue to implement its mission of improving the health of the communities it serves. Providers such as orthopedic surgeon Jacob Elfrink, MD, gastroenterologist Yan Chen, MD, gastroenterology focused clinician, Kristi Ott, FNP, and hospitalist, Alicia Albers, MD.
With new providers coming in over the last few years, many longtime providers have continued to be a resource for medical care for their patients, with some providing care to their patients for more than 20 years.
So as the nation observes National Rural Health Day, you have an opportunity to reflect on the care and commitment your local hospital has to making sure you have access to care without ever having to leave your community
