Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Critical Access Hospitals
Financial Guide for the Rural Health Care Leaders During COVID and Post-COVID
Highlights strategies for addressing the financial challenges RHCs and CAHs may face during and after a public health emergency such as COVID-19. Discusses how rural providers can improve financial performance in the face of lower inpatient and outpatient volumes, fewer elective surgeries, and the added cost of PPE, ventilators, and staff, among others. Details indicators of financial stress and recommends corresponding strategies.
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Highlights strategies for addressing the financial challenges RHCs and CAHs may face during and after a public health emergency such as COVID-19. Discusses how rural providers can improve financial performance in the face of lower inpatient and outpatient volumes, fewer elective surgeries, and the added cost of PPE, ventilators, and staff, among others. Details indicators of financial stress and recommends corresponding strategies.
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Obstacles Persist for Rural Patients to Access Hospice
Discusses challenges to delivering hospice care in rural areas. Highlights changes to allow providers at Rural Health Centers and Federal Qualified Health Centers to serve as attending physicians for hospice patients. Explores the impact of COVID-19 on the delivery of hospice services, including the use of telehealth services and workforce concerns.
Author(s): Jim Parker
Date: 09/2021
Sponsoring organization: Hospice News
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Discusses challenges to delivering hospice care in rural areas. Highlights changes to allow providers at Rural Health Centers and Federal Qualified Health Centers to serve as attending physicians for hospice patients. Explores the impact of COVID-19 on the delivery of hospice services, including the use of telehealth services and workforce concerns.
Author(s): Jim Parker
Date: 09/2021
Sponsoring organization: Hospice News
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Challenges to Public Health Reporting Experienced by Non-Federal Acute Care Hospitals, 2019
Data brief examining public health reporting among acute care hospitals, including rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Outlines challenges with the exchange of electronic health information, such as lack of capacity to exchange electronically, interface issues, and differing vocabulary standards. Compares challenges faced by hospitals by size, CAH status, rural/urban, and independent/system affiliated and offers state-level maps of percent of hospitals reporting specific challenges.
Author(s): Chelsea Richwine, Carmelita Marshall, Christian Johnson, Vaishali Patel
Date: 09/2021
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Data brief examining public health reporting among acute care hospitals, including rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Outlines challenges with the exchange of electronic health information, such as lack of capacity to exchange electronically, interface issues, and differing vocabulary standards. Compares challenges faced by hospitals by size, CAH status, rural/urban, and independent/system affiliated and offers state-level maps of percent of hospitals reporting specific challenges.
Author(s): Chelsea Richwine, Carmelita Marshall, Christian Johnson, Vaishali Patel
Date: 09/2021
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Keeping the Doors Open: Vulnerable Rural Hospitals Benefit from Federally Funded Technical Assistance
Features the work of Texas A&M's Center for Optimizing Rural Health (CORH), which provides technical assistance through a federally funded program for vulnerable hospitals. Highlights the experiences of a participating Oklahoma hospital.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Features the work of Texas A&M's Center for Optimizing Rural Health (CORH), which provides technical assistance through a federally funded program for vulnerable hospitals. Highlights the experiences of a participating Oklahoma hospital.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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A Qualitative Assessment of Barriers and Facilitators Associated with Addressing Social Determinants of Health among Members of a Health Collaborative in the Rural Midwest
Examines capacities and barriers in addressing social determinants of health for patients in rural Northeastern Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin based on interviews from 37 participants of a healthcare collaborative. Discusses specific needs of rural providers, including access to community-based social services, aligned payment models, and capacity for collaboration, among others.
Author(s): Kim Nichols Dauner, Lacey Loomer
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 21
Date: 08/2021
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Examines capacities and barriers in addressing social determinants of health for patients in rural Northeastern Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin based on interviews from 37 participants of a healthcare collaborative. Discusses specific needs of rural providers, including access to community-based social services, aligned payment models, and capacity for collaboration, among others.
Author(s): Kim Nichols Dauner, Lacey Loomer
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 21
Date: 08/2021
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The Pennsylvania Rural Health Model (PARHM): First Annual Report
Evaluates the first year of the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model (PARHM), an initiative designed to test if global budgets can help rural hospitals improve their financial viability, provide flexibility to meet locally defined community health needs, and reduce overall health care spending. Provides an overview of the model and describes the implementation experience of the first cohort of participating hospitals. Presents preliminary, descriptive data on the financial performance and utilization outcomes of Cohort 1 participants.
Additional links: Appendix, Findings at a Glance
Date: 08/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Evaluates the first year of the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model (PARHM), an initiative designed to test if global budgets can help rural hospitals improve their financial viability, provide flexibility to meet locally defined community health needs, and reduce overall health care spending. Provides an overview of the model and describes the implementation experience of the first cohort of participating hospitals. Presents preliminary, descriptive data on the financial performance and utilization outcomes of Cohort 1 participants.
Additional links: Appendix, Findings at a Glance
Date: 08/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Potential Implications of SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant Surges for Rural Areas and Hospitals
Opinion piece highlighting features of rural healthcare systems that make it more difficult for those hospitals to withstand surges in COVID-19 cases. Suggests possible solutions for institutions, governments, and society as they navigate the potentially rural-dominant Delta variant phase.
Author(s): Sameer S. Kadri, Steven Q. Simpson
Citation: JAMA
Date: 08/2021
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Opinion piece highlighting features of rural healthcare systems that make it more difficult for those hospitals to withstand surges in COVID-19 cases. Suggests possible solutions for institutions, governments, and society as they navigate the potentially rural-dominant Delta variant phase.
Author(s): Sameer S. Kadri, Steven Q. Simpson
Citation: JAMA
Date: 08/2021
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History of the Swing Bed: A Look Through the Rural Rearview Mirror
Reviews the history of the swing bed program, which helps rural hospitals serve patients and the community through provision of post-acute care. Shares insights from experts who describe early implementation and key program elements that have contributed to the program's success.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 08/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Reviews the history of the swing bed program, which helps rural hospitals serve patients and the community through provision of post-acute care. Shares insights from experts who describe early implementation and key program elements that have contributed to the program's success.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 08/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Understanding the Rural Swing Bed: More than Just a Reimbursement Policy
Provides an overview of the swing bed program and its role as a patient-centric post-acute care solution that helps rural hospitals serve their communities. Discusses the impact of the program, reimbursement, quality measures, and more.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 08/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Provides an overview of the swing bed program and its role as a patient-centric post-acute care solution that helps rural hospitals serve their communities. Discusses the impact of the program, reimbursement, quality measures, and more.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 08/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Quality Time: Sharing PIE - Making Quality Improvement Fun
Podcast episode discussing ways two Critical Access Hospital (CAH) leaders make quality improvement activities fun and engaging for hospital staff. Highlights engagement strategies that resulted in measurable improvements, staff recognition activities, and the impact these efforts have on staff morale and investment in quality improvement initiatives.
Date: 08/2021
Sponsoring organization: Stratis Health
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Podcast episode discussing ways two Critical Access Hospital (CAH) leaders make quality improvement activities fun and engaging for hospital staff. Highlights engagement strategies that resulted in measurable improvements, staff recognition activities, and the impact these efforts have on staff morale and investment in quality improvement initiatives.
Date: 08/2021
Sponsoring organization: Stratis Health
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