** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THIS INTEGRATED NEW INVESTIGATOR PROJECT ADDRESSES THE AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES - RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PRIORITY AREA BY INVESTIGATING HOW THE CONSOLIDATING HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY HAS INFLUENCED RURAL HEALTH AND ECONOMIC OUTCOMES. WE LEVERAGE EXPERIENCED PERSPECTIVES FROM RURAL HEALTHCARE STAKEHOLDERS TO INFORM AND DEVELOP A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF RESTRICTED-ACCESS GOVERNMENT DATABASES. PROJECT OUTPUTS INCLUDE EXTENSION REPORTS, ONLINE TOOLS, AND LEGISLATIVE POLICY BRIEFS.IN ADDITION TO ITS CONTRIBUTIONS TO INDIVIDUAL WELL-BEING, HEALTHCARE IS A MAJOR ECONOMIC DRIVER, CRUCIAL TO THE VITALITY OF RURAL COMMUNITIES AND INDUSTRIES. UNFORTUNATELY, PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATASETS FOR RURAL AREAS ARE HEAVILY SUPPRESSED FOR DATA PRIVACY LEADING TO THE EXTANT LITERATURE ON THIS TOPIC BEING URBAN FOCUSED OR LIMITED TO A SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHY. MEANWHILE, HUNDREDS OF RURAL HOSPITALS HAVE CLOSED WHILE RURAL HEALTH OUTCOMES CONTINUE TO LAG.THE PROJECT BEGINS BY ENGAGING ITS DIVERSE ANDEXPERIENCED ADVISORY BOARD IN INDUSTRY AND COMMUNITY TRENDS, TARGET AUDIENCES, EVALUATION METHODS. THE PROJECT TEAM WILL THEN CONDUCT ONLINE ROUNDTABLES TO HEAR FROM COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT CURRENT BARRIERS AND OPPORTUNITIES FACING THEIR LOCAL HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY. THE ROUNDTABLES WILL ALSO EXPLORE HOW CHANGES IN HEALTHCARE SERVICES HAVE INFLUENCED LOCAL HEALTH OUTCOMES. SUBSEQUENTLY, RESEARCHERS WILL ACCESS RESTRICTED ESTABLISHMENT AND HEALTH DATA VIA THE FEDERAL STATISTICAL RESEARCH DATA CENTERTO EXPLORE STAKEHOLDER INSIGHTS, ASSESS THE HUMAN COSTS OF HEALTHCARE'S CONSOLIDATION, AND ATTEMPT TO IDENTIFY IMPERFECT SUBSTITUTES FOR CRITICAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES. THE PROJECT WILL CONCLUDE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AND DISEMINATION OF EXTENSION MATERIALS TO TARGET AUDEINCES.