Rural Hospitals Struggle Amid Covid Pandemic, Financial Pressures

In recent years, rural health care systems have increasingly struggled to make ends meet — and the COVID-19 pandemic has only increased those challenges, hospital leaders say.

As part of the state’s COVID-19 lockdown, Gov. Tim Walz’s restricted non-essential hospital services to help hospitals prepare for a potential surge in cases. With the case “curve” largely flattened, restrictions have since been relaxed.

Local hospitals are finding that not only has the region not seen a notable surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations, but many patients are now so concerned about contracting the virus that they aren’t coming in for regular care.