Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal (R) announced a plan this week to help struggling rural hospitals stay open by cutting back their operations, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Changing state regulations will allow rural facilities to offer fewer services, including limiting operations to emergency services if a full-service hospital is within 35 miles. The hospitals on the brink of closing could save money while still maintaining their licenses. Deal also said he would designate a Georgia Department of Community Health employee to serve as a liaison to rural hospitals and establish a committee to try and identify and resolve issues. The measure comes after four rural hospitals closed across the state in the past two years. Article