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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Critical Access Hospitals

Impacts of Critical Access Hospital Independence and System Ownership during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Summarizes findings from a survey of 155 Critical Access Hospital (CAH) executives regarding experiences and challenges responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Examines the impact of healthcare system affiliation on the CAHs' response to COVID, including the advantages and disadvantages of system affiliation and independence.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr, Abigail Wenninger
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Map of Arkansas Critical Access Hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, and Federally Qualified Health Centers
Map locating Arkansas Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Each facility icon provides information on the county, city, phone number, and address.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Arkansas Rural Health Section
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Oklahoma Hospital Association Annual Report 2023
Highlights the Oklahoma Hospital Association's (OHA) 2023 leadership and advocacy efforts, including virtual and in-person educational events, health improvement initiatives, and partnerships with Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs).
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organization: Oklahoma Hospital Association
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2023 Nebraska Nursing Workforce Shortage
Provides information on the nursing workforce shortage in Nebraska, broken down by region and county. Includes data on nursing education and on nursing shortages in Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), rural hospitals, urban hospitals, and long-term care facilities.
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organization: Nebraska Hospital Association
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Efforts by Critical Access Hospitals to Increase Health Equity Through Greater Engagement with Social Determinants of Health
Examines the ways Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) engage in upstream social determinant of health (SDOH) efforts to improve community health. Analyzes CAH and non-CAH programs that utilize screening, in-house strategies, and external partnerships to address SDOH. Discusses the impacts of SDOH policy on CAHs in rural communities.
Author(s): Bethany Lemont, Neeraj Puro, Berkeley Franz, Cory E. Cronin
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(4), 728-736
Date: 2023
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A Comparison of Critical Access Hospitals and Other Rural Acute Care Hospitals in Pennsylvania
Examines finances of acute care hospitals in rural Pennsylvania between 2000 and 2020 to determine if the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation increases financial stability. Compares CAHs to rural Prospective Payment System hospitals to draw conclusions on the success of the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program's impact on CAHs. Includes information on financial measures, hospital characteristics, quality measures, payer mix, and more to suggest opportunities for strengthening CAH viability.
Author(s): Dinesh R. Pai, Chamila K. Dissanayake, Anna M. Anna
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(4), 719-727
Date: 2023
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MBQIP Quality Measures National Annual Report - 2021
Summarizes quality measure reporting rates and performance among Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in 2021. Presents data on the four Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) domains: patient safety/inpatient, outpatient, patient engagement, and care transitions.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Alyssa Furukawa, Madeleine Pick
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Idaho: CAH Map
Interactive map details the number, name, and location of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in Idaho.
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: Idaho Bureau of Rural Health and Primary Care
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2022 Hospital Nurse Staffing Study: Rural and Critical Access Hospitals
Uses the 2022 Hospital Nurse Staffing Survey in Texas to compare nurse staffing in 49 Critical Access Hospitals (CAH), 45 rural non-CAHs, and 239 non-rural hospitals. Discusses vacancy, turnover, and budgeting for the nurse workforce.
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organizations: Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies, Texas Health and Human Services
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Best Practices in Patient Experience at CAHs: Incorporating Lessons from COVID-19
Summarizes findings from an August 2022 meeting of high-performing Critical Access Hospitals regarding best practices for maintaining and improving healthcare quality amid challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and changing healthcare landscape. Provides an overview of the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. Presents best practices for improving performance by HCAHPS domain. Updates the 2017 publication, A Study of HCAHPS Best Practices in High Performing Critical Access Hospitals.
Additional links: Summary
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: Stratis Health
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