Hospitals in rural areas face many difficulties urban hospitals do not. They often have small staffs and serve an older population that is less likely to be insured. That’s why many rural hospitals have a special federal designation that helps them stay in business even with slim profit margins. They are Critical Access Hospitals, and Vermont has eight of them.
Michael Del Trecco is Vice President of Finance for the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems. He spoke with Vermont Edition about the Federal designation.
