WA · 39 Counties
Washington Rural Health FAQ
Data-driven answers about Washington's 132 hospitals, federal grants, health metrics, and access gaps.
🏥Hospital Access & Infrastructure
How many rural hospitals are in Washington?
Washington has 132 active hospitals across 39 counties, including 39 Critical Access Hospitals and 34 rural-designated facilities. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
How many hospital beds are available in Washington?
Washington's 132 hospitals collectively operate 17,998 beds. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
Which counties in Washington have no hospital?
3 of Washington's 39 counties (8%) are hospital deserts — counties with no hospital facility. Residents must travel to neighboring areas for inpatient care. Source: CMS Provider of Services, RHT Compass analysis.
What is the hospital ownership breakdown in Washington?
Of Washington's 132 hospitals, 58 are not-for-profit, 2 are for-profit, and 72 are government-owned. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
How many hospitals have closed in Washington?
1 rural hospital has closed in Washington since 2005. Source: UNC Sheps Center for Health Services Research.
💰Financial Health
What is the median operating margin for hospitals in Washington?
The median operating margin for Washington's hospitals is -4.0% as of FY2025. 13 hospitals are operating at a loss. Source: CMS Healthcare Cost Report Information System (HCRIS).
How many hospitals in Washington have negative operating margins?
13 of Washington'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 Washington?
The average occupancy rate across Washington's hospitals is 75.5% 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 Washington?
Washington receives 24 active HRSA grants totaling $31.7M in FY2025. Programs include Rural Health Outreach ($19.3M), Flex Program ($7.0M), Small Hospital Improvement (SHIP) ($3.8M), State Office of Rural Health ($1.5M). Source: USAspending.gov.
What is the Rural Health Care Services Outreach program in Washington?
Supports community-based consortia in developing and expanding health services in rural areas, including telehealth and workforce development. In Washington, this program (CFDA 93.912) provides $19.3M across 21 grants. Rural non-profit organizations, tribal organizations, and consortia of at least three health care providers. Source: USAspending.gov, HRSA.
What is the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant (Flex) program in Washington?
Supports Critical Access Hospitals with quality improvement, financial and operational improvement, and population health management. In Washington, this program (CFDA 93.241) provides $7.0M across 1 grant. State offices of rural health apply on behalf of CAHs. Funds flow to state agencies, which distribute to eligible facilities. Source: USAspending.gov, HRSA.
What is the Small Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP) program in Washington?
Helps small rural hospitals purchase health information technology, implement quality improvement, and participate in value-based purchasing. In Washington, this program (CFDA 93.301) provides $3.8M across 1 grant. Hospitals with 49 or fewer beds that are not Critical Access Hospitals. Administered through state offices of rural health. Source: USAspending.gov, HRSA.
What is the State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) program in Washington?
Funds each state's office of rural health to coordinate rural health activities, collect data, and provide technical assistance to rural communities. In Washington, 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 Washington?
The largest rural health grant recipients in Washington are: Health, Washington State Department Of ($12.5M); Kittitas County Health Network ($4.7M); Family Health Centers ($2.8M); Whidbey Island Public Hospital District ($2.7M); Cascade Community Healthcare ($2.4M). Source: USAspending.gov, FY2025.
🎯AHEAD & RHT Transformation
How much RHT Transformation funding did Washington receive?
Washington receives $181.3M/year under the CMS Rural Health Transformation Program (CFDA 93.798) for FY2026–2030 — approximately $906.3M over the full five-year period. The lead agency is Health Care Authority. Source: USAspending.gov.
Who manages the RHT Transformation award in Washington?
Health Care Authority is the designated lead agency managing Washington's $181.3M/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 Washington?
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. Washington's $181.3M/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 Washington's counties?
Across Washington's 39 counties, the average diabetes rate is 9.3%, obesity rate is 34.7%, and uninsured rate is 9.0%. There are 6.6 primary care physicians per 10,000 residents on average (2025). Source: County Health Rankings.
How vulnerable are Washington's communities?
Washington has 9 high-vulnerability counties based on CDC Social Vulnerability Index scores, with a statewide average SVI of 0.55 (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 Washington?
Washington has 896 Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designations: 285 in primary care, 239 in dental health, and 372 in mental health. An estimated 15,327,408 people live in underserved areas. Source: HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce.
How many healthcare providers does Washington have?
Washington has 6,651 primary care physicians (85.1/100k population), 7,708 nurse practitioners, 4,811 physician assistants, and 6,999 dentists. Average Medicare per capita cost is $10,430 with a 14.1% readmission rate. Source: AHRF 2024-2025.
What are the key health indicators for Washington at the census tract level?
CDC PLACES data shows Washington's average county-level rates: diabetes 11.6%, obesity 34.3%, depression 25.3%, frequent mental distress 17.1%, smoking 12.4%, and high blood pressure 34.6%. These are derived from census-tract-level BRFSS estimates. Source: CDC PLACES 2023-2024.
How many Federally Qualified Health Centers are in Washington?
Washington has 446 FQHC sites operated by 28 grantee organizations. 89 sites (20%) are in rural areas and 357 are in urban areas. FQHCs are a critical safety-net for underserved populations. Source: HRSA GIS Portal.
How many Medically Underserved Areas are in Washington?
Washington has 47 HRSA medically underserved designations: 37 Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) and 10 Medically Underserved Populations (MUPs). The average MUA score is 49 (lower scores indicate greater need). Source: HRSA GIS Portal.
🛠️Tools & Resources
Who can help rural hospitals in Washington 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 Washington?
Federal data on Washington'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 132 hospitals in Washington.
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 Washington Dashboard
Interactive dashboards, AI queries, and hospital risk scoring for Washington's 132 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.