Two years after considering whether to join a federal program aimed at providing more financial stability, Brian Miller says DeWitt Hospital and Nursing Home has seen “nothing but success” since becoming a rural emergency hospital (REH) in May 2024.The designation, offered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), provides additional funding to rural hospitals that reduce or eliminate inpatient services and focus on emergency and outpatient care. DeWitt has used the funds to support its nursing home and expand services including cardiology and wound care.
While REH status has helped DeWitt, it is not a fit for every rural Arkansas hospital. Southwest Arkansas Regional Medical Center in Hope opted against the program, citing the need to maintain inpatient beds for residents across four counties. The hospital instead became a critical access hospital, which subsidizes inpatient care for Medicare patients.
Other hospitals, like Ouachita County Medical Center in Camden, are considering REH status to improve financial stability but would face limitations on services such as labor and delivery, which require longer patient stays than the program allows.
Arkansas now has five rural emergency hospitals, including DeWitt, Pocahontas, Eureka Springs, Osceola, and Helena-West Helena. Officials say the designation helps struggling rural facilities survive, but each hospital must weigh its communitys unique health needs against federal requirements.
For the original reporting from Arkansas Advocate, click here.
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