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Find the latest information on the Coronavirus outbreak in Utah, including public health measures, contact information, news updates, and more.

Utah’s Rural Hospitals Brace for Influx of Coronavirus Cases

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Where you live in Utah could be a major factor in your chances of surviving a bout of coronavirus. Almost one-third of Utah’s residents live outside of the Salt Lake City metro area and are served by a network of 21 rural hospitals and 14 rural clinics. While the majority of Utah cases have so far occurred in urban areas, public health officials are concerned that a surge in the number of serious cases could overwhelm rural facilities. 

 

"The rural hospitals in Utah are planning to try to take care of some inpatients, but if those patients go into more of an acuity status where ventilators are needed, they're not going to be able to handle many of them," said Greg Rosenvall, who oversees rural hospitals for the Utah Hospital Association. He said they are limited in their ability to treat patients in serious condition.

He also said while some of Utah’s rural hospitals have been ranked among the best in the country, there is only so much critical care they can provide.

With more serious cases, Rosenvall said rural hospitals will send patients to larger hospitals if they have the capacity.

"We're relying heavily on the ability of the urban hospitals to take transports, and if they lose the ability to do that, then that could be a serious concern," Rosenvall said.

Rosenvall added that small hospitals often operate on a slim margin, and now that state health officials have banned elective surgeries and other non-essential treatments, not providing those services could cut into their bottom line.

"Utah rural hospitals, relatively, have done very well. We haven't had any closures in the state, but I think that in everybody's mind, if this prolongs for an extended period, it could start impacting cash reserves and cash flow," Rosenvall said.

Of Utah's over 700 coronavirus cases to date, almost 500 have been in Salt Lake and Summit counties, with the rest spread across the rural parts of the state.