You work for a rural health system that has two large hospitals that are separated by approximately 100 miles. Your leadership has discussed opening outpatient clinics to reduce hospitalizations and provide better care and access for smaller communities. You have been asked to brief your CFO on the pros and cons of opening smaller outpatient clinics within four communities.

What additional data may be needed? How would providing additional access contribute to the reduction of hospitalizations? How could community demand (in the four proposed clinics) impact the performance of the health system?