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When a rural community loses its hospital, health care becomes harder to come by in an instant. But a hospital closure also shocks a small town's economy. It shuts down one of its largest employers. It scares off heavy industry that needs an emergency room nearby. And in one Tennessee town, a lost hospital means lost hope of attracting more retirees. Seniors, and their retirement accounts, have been viewed as potential saviors for many rural economies trying to make up for lost jobs. (Farmer, 4/7)

Nearly 90 rural hospitals across the country have closed their doors since 2010; another 355 are considered at risk for shuttering, beset by low patient volume, staffing issues or inadequate Medicare reimbursements. Fort Scott joins Independence, Oswego and Horton as Kansas communities where residents like Metcalf feel vulnerable and on-edge. (Korte, 4/6)

More than 1,500 doctors and hospital staff have signed a petition opposing the partnership between UCSF and Catholic Dignity Health, as San Francisco’s public medical center expects to expand its affiliation with the faith-based organization. Some of the Catholic hospitals require UCSF doctors to sign a document that declares certain medical procedures, including sterilization, “intrinsically evil.” (Asimov, 4/6)

The price of common medical services can vary sharply from one hospital or clinic to the next, and often without measurable differences in quality. So in an effort to tackle growing costs, many employers and insurers are now paying patients to shop around. (Dayal McCluskey, 4/5)

A children’s hospital in the District has reported an outbreak of norovirus, saying three of its patients showed signs of the illness last week and have tested positive. Officials with the HSC Pediatric Center, formerly the Hospital for Sick Children, said they have been working closely with the D.C. Health Department to contain the spread of the virus, which produces symptoms commonly associated with stomach flu. (St. George, 4/7)