Analyzing “Missed Opportunities”: How Denied or Unsubmitted CON Applications Affect Rural Healthcare Access and Local Economies
Disciplines
Economics | Health Law and Policy | Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration
Abstract (300 words maximum)
This project examines how unsubmitted or denied Certificate of Need (CON) applications affect rural healthcare access and local economies, traversing health law, public health, economics, public administration, and rural studies. By focusing on the “missed opportunities” created when potential healthcare expansions are abandoned or refused, the study aims to uncover the systemic and regulatory barriers that deter providers from establishing new facilities or services in under-resourced regions. Drawing on state-level CON records and case studies, it investigates the administrative burdens, statutory constraints, and community-level factors—such as financial risk, political climate, or inadequate public support—that contribute to these unrealized proposals. In doing so, it links the absence of critical services like primary care, mental health treatment, and diagnostic facilities to wider social determinants of health, revealing significant consequences for patient outcomes and economic vitality in rural areas. By integrating quantitative evidence on denied proposals with qualitative insights from local healthcare professionals and policymakers, the research highlights how current CON frameworks may inadvertently stifle essential service delivery. Ultimately, this project offers reform recommendations to streamline the application process and foster sustainable healthcare development in rural communities, underscoring the broader societal costs of neglected medical infrastructure.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
CCOB - Economics, Finance & Quantitative Analysis
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Govind Hariharan
Analyzing “Missed Opportunities”: How Denied or Unsubmitted CON Applications Affect Rural Healthcare Access and Local Economies
This project examines how unsubmitted or denied Certificate of Need (CON) applications affect rural healthcare access and local economies, traversing health law, public health, economics, public administration, and rural studies. By focusing on the “missed opportunities” created when potential healthcare expansions are abandoned or refused, the study aims to uncover the systemic and regulatory barriers that deter providers from establishing new facilities or services in under-resourced regions. Drawing on state-level CON records and case studies, it investigates the administrative burdens, statutory constraints, and community-level factors—such as financial risk, political climate, or inadequate public support—that contribute to these unrealized proposals. In doing so, it links the absence of critical services like primary care, mental health treatment, and diagnostic facilities to wider social determinants of health, revealing significant consequences for patient outcomes and economic vitality in rural areas. By integrating quantitative evidence on denied proposals with qualitative insights from local healthcare professionals and policymakers, the research highlights how current CON frameworks may inadvertently stifle essential service delivery. Ultimately, this project offers reform recommendations to streamline the application process and foster sustainable healthcare development in rural communities, underscoring the broader societal costs of neglected medical infrastructure.