Impacts of Inner-City Hospital Closures on Access to Surgical Care in Urban Communities.

Abstract

Disparities in health care access have long affected both rural and urban communities across the United States. While much of the discourse has focused on rural hospital closures, inner-city hospitals-often safety-net institutions serving vulnerable populations-are increasingly shutting down due to financial instability, systemic underfunding, and policy changes. These closures have profound consequences for access to surgical care, exacerbating existing disparities and straining remaining health care infrastructure. Patients in affected urban areas face longer travel distances, increased wait times, and, in some cases, the inability to receive critical surgical interventions. This paper explores the impact of inner-city hospital closures on surgical care access, examining trends in urban hospital insolvency, disparities in surgical outcomes, and the financial and policy challenges that contribute to these closures. Through case studies of major hospital shutdowns, including Atlanta Medical Center and Hahnemann University Hospital, we highlight the real-world consequences of losing essential surgical services. We further analyze policy solutions such as Medicaid expansion, financial stabilization strategies, and community-driven health care initiatives that may mitigate these effects. Addressing urban hospital closures is imperative to ensuring equitable access to timely surgical care in underserved populations.