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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Critical Access Hospitals

Rates of Limited English Proficiency in Counties with Critical Access Hospitals
Describes the rates of residents with limited English proficiency (LEP) in counties with at least one Critical Access Hospital. Summarizes research on the relationship between the availability of language interpreting services and better healthcare outcomes.
Author(s): Robert Barclay, Nathan Bean, Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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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
Type: Document
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
Type: Map/Mapping System
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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies, Texas Health and Human Services
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COVID-19 Response in System-Owned and Independent CAHs
Recording of a November 2022 webinar presenting findings from Critical Access Hospital (CAH) executives regarding experiences and challenges responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Compares the experiences of system-affiliated and independent CAHs.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Madeleine Pick
Date: 11/2022
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Stratis Health
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Clarity for Rural Emergency Hospitals and Changes for Critical Access Hospitals: CMS Finalizes Conditions of Participation and Payment and Enrollment Policies But Pauses Stark Law Flexibilities
Provides an overview of the Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) provisions of the Calendar Year 2023 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System Final Rule. Discusses REH reimbursement, Conditions of Participation (CoPs), enrollment provisions, and Stark Law regulatory modifications to accommodate REHs. Highlights changes to the definition of "primary roads" related to Critical Access Hospital (CAH) CoPs.
Author(s): Emily Jane Cook, Caroline Reignley, Amber Arnold, Sandra M. DiVarco
Date: 11/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: McDermott Will & Emery
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2022 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
Provides a comprehensive summary and data analysis of healthcare quality and access in the U.S. Addresses access to healthcare, patient safety, person-centered care, care coordination, effective treatment, healthy living, and care affordability. Includes a discussion of rural hospital closures and the impact on the distance required to access selected healthcare services.
Date: 11/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Medicare Program: Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems and Quality Reporting Programs; Organ Acquisition; Rural Emergency Hospitals: Payment Policies, Conditions of Participation, Provider Enrollment, Physician Self-Referral; New Service Category for Hospital Outpatient Department Prior Authorization Process; Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating; COVID-19
Establishes the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) provider type. Outlines REH payment policy, Conditions of Participation (CoPs), quality measures, and enrollment policy. Outlines changes to the Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) CoPs regarding location and distance requirements, patient's rights requirements, and flexibilities for CAHs that are part of a larger health system. Among other things, this rule also revises the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center (ACS) payment system for calendar year 2023 and finalizes provisions included in the COVID-19 interim final rules.
Additional links: Fact Sheet
Date: 11/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Financial Characteristics of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) Participating in Accountable Care Organizations (ACO)
Examines Critical Access Hospital (CAH) participation in Medicare and non-Medicare Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) in 2019. Compares the organizational and financial characteristics of CAHs across facilities that participate in ACOs and those that do not participate in an ACO. Includes data on profitability, liquidity, outpatient revenue, and Medicare payer mix.
Author(s): Angelina Budko, George Pink, Susie Gurzenda, Ann Howard, Kristin L. Reiter
Date: 11/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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