DE · 3 Counties
Delaware Rural Health FAQ
Data-driven answers about Delaware's 20 hospitals, federal grants, health metrics, and access gaps.
🏥Hospital Access & Infrastructure
How many rural hospitals are in Delaware?
Delaware has 20 active hospitals across 3 counties, including 0 Critical Access Hospitals and 0 rural-designated facilities. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
How many hospital beds are available in Delaware?
Delaware's 20 hospitals collectively operate 3,776 beds. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
Which counties in Delaware have no hospital?
Every county in Delaware has at least one hospital. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
What is the hospital ownership breakdown in Delaware?
Of Delaware's 20 hospitals, 8 are not-for-profit, 1 are for-profit, and 11 are government-owned. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
💰Financial Health
What is the median operating margin for hospitals in Delaware?
The median operating margin for Delaware's hospitals is 7.3% as of FY2025. 3 hospitals are operating at a loss. Source: CMS Healthcare Cost Report Information System (HCRIS).
How many hospitals in Delaware have negative operating margins?
3 of Delaware's hospitals reported negative operating margins in FY2025, meaning their operating expenses exceeded revenue. Source: CMS HCRIS.
What is the average hospital occupancy rate in Delaware?
The average occupancy rate across Delaware's hospitals is 74.8% as of FY2025. Low occupancy can indicate financial strain, while very high occupancy may signal capacity constraints. Source: CMS HCRIS.
💵Grants & Programs
What federal grants are available for rural hospitals in Delaware?
Delaware receives 5 active HRSA grants totaling $4.5M in FY2025. Programs include Rural Health Outreach ($3.0M), State Office of Rural Health ($1.5M). Source: USAspending.gov.
What is the Rural Health Care Services Outreach program in Delaware?
Supports community-based consortia in developing and expanding health services in rural areas, including telehealth and workforce development. In Delaware, this program (CFDA 93.912) provides $3.0M across 4 grants. Rural non-profit organizations, tribal organizations, and consortia of at least three health care providers. Source: USAspending.gov, HRSA.
What is the State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) program in Delaware?
Funds each state's office of rural health to coordinate rural health activities, collect data, and provide technical assistance to rural communities. In Delaware, this program (CFDA 93.913) provides $1.5M across 1 grant. One award per state to the designated state office of rural health. Source: USAspending.gov, HRSA.
Who are the largest grant recipients in Delaware?
The largest rural health grant recipients in Delaware are: Delaware Department Of Health And Social Services ($2.3M); Executive Office Of The Governor Of Delaware ($1.5M); Delaware State University ($450K); La Red Health Center, Inc. ($250K). Source: USAspending.gov, FY2025.
🎯AHEAD & RHT Transformation
How much RHT Transformation funding did Delaware receive?
Delaware receives $157.4M/year under the CMS Rural Health Transformation Program (CFDA 93.798) for FY2026–2030 — approximately $787.0M over the full five-year period. The lead agency is Executive Office of the Governor of Delaware. Source: USAspending.gov.
Who manages the RHT Transformation award in Delaware?
Executive Office of the Governor of Delaware is the designated lead agency managing Delaware's $157.4M/year RHT Transformation award. The performance period runs from 2025-12-29 to 2030-10-30. Source: USAspending.gov.
What is the CMS AHEAD model and how does it affect Delaware?
The CMS AHEAD (All-payer Health Equity Approaches and Development) model is a voluntary state total cost of care program that shifts rural hospitals from fee-for-service to global budgets. Delaware's $157.4M/year RHT award supports the transition. Hospitals can use the AHEAD Readiness checklist at rhtcompass.com/ahead to assess preparedness.
❤️Community Health
What are the key health indicators for Delaware's counties?
Across Delaware's 3 counties, the average diabetes rate is 10.9%, obesity rate is 38.5%, and uninsured rate is 7.3%. There are 6.6 primary care physicians per 10,000 residents on average (2025). Source: County Health Rankings.
How vulnerable are Delaware's communities?
Delaware has 1 high-vulnerability counties based on CDC Social Vulnerability Index scores, with a statewide average SVI of 0.62 (on a 0-1 scale where 1 is most vulnerable). Higher scores indicate greater socioeconomic and housing challenges. Source: CDC SVI (2022).
What health professional shortages exist in Delaware?
Delaware has 258 Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designations: 86 in primary care, 86 in dental health, and 86 in mental health. An estimated 20,218,650 people live in underserved areas. Source: HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce.
How many healthcare providers does Delaware have?
Delaware has 807 primary care physicians (78.2/100k population), 1,445 nurse practitioners, 770 physician assistants, and 504 dentists. Average Medicare per capita cost is $12,864 with a 17.1% readmission rate. Source: AHRF 2024-2025.
What are the key health indicators for Delaware at the census tract level?
CDC PLACES data shows Delaware's average county-level rates: diabetes 13.3%, obesity 36.7%, depression 21.6%, frequent mental distress 15.9%, smoking 13.2%, and high blood pressure 39%. These are derived from census-tract-level BRFSS estimates. Source: CDC PLACES 2023-2024.
How many Federally Qualified Health Centers are in Delaware?
Delaware has 12 FQHC sites operated by 3 grantee organizations. 4 sites (33.3%) are in rural areas and 8 are in urban areas. FQHCs are a critical safety-net for underserved populations. Source: HRSA GIS Portal.
How many Medically Underserved Areas are in Delaware?
Delaware has 8 HRSA medically underserved designations: 7 Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) and 1 Medically Underserved Populations (MUPs). The average MUA score is 70.9 (lower scores indicate greater need). Source: HRSA GIS Portal.
🛠️Tools & Resources
Who can help rural hospitals in Delaware prepare for the CMS AHEAD model?
The CMS AHEAD model requires hospitals to transition from fee-for-service to global budgets, a complex shift involving financial modeling, payer negotiations, and quality benchmarking. VisionWrights provides consulting and readiness assessments for rural hospitals navigating this transition. A free AHEAD Readiness checklist is available at rhtcompass.com/ahead.
Where can I find comprehensive data on rural hospitals in Delaware?
Federal data on Delaware's rural hospitals is spread across CMS, HRSA, CDC, and other agencies. RHT Compass integrates 15 federal data sources into a single platform with hospital profiles, county health dashboards, financial benchmarks, and grant tracking for all 20 hospitals in Delaware.
How can I assess my hospital's AHEAD readiness?
The free AHEAD Readiness checklist at rhtcompass.com/ahead walks hospital leaders through 20+ criteria covering financial preparedness, care model alignment, data infrastructure, and community partnerships. It takes about 10 minutes and produces an actionable readiness score.
See the Full Delaware Dashboard
Interactive dashboards, AI queries, and hospital risk scoring for Delaware's 20 hospitals.
Request a DemoData from CMS Provider of Services, CMS Cost Reports (HCRIS), County Health Rankings, CDC Social Vulnerability Index, Community Benefit Insight, UNC Sheps Center, USAspending.gov, and HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce. Last updated: 2026-03-11.