Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Critical Access Hospitals
Drug Discount Program: Federal Oversight of Compliance at 340B Contract Pharmacies Needs Improvement
Focuses on the 340B Drug Pricing Program, which allows certain facilities such as Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSHs), Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to purchase prescription and non-prescription medications at reduced cost. Describes financial arrangements participating facilities have with contract pharmacies, the extent to which they provide discounts on 340B drugs dispensed by contract pharmacies to low-income, uninsured patients, and examines the Health Resources and Services Administration's efforts to ensure compliance with 340B Program requirements at contract pharmacies.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Focuses on the 340B Drug Pricing Program, which allows certain facilities such as Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSHs), Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to purchase prescription and non-prescription medications at reduced cost. Describes financial arrangements participating facilities have with contract pharmacies, the extent to which they provide discounts on 340B drugs dispensed by contract pharmacies to low-income, uninsured patients, and examines the Health Resources and Services Administration's efforts to ensure compliance with 340B Program requirements at contract pharmacies.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Availability of Respiratory Care Services in Critical Access and Rural Hospitals
Policy brief describing availability of respiratory therapy and therapists in Critical Access Hospitals and in urban and rural Prospective Payment System hospitals in 2016. Includes statistics with breakdowns by hospital type and rural or urban location.
Author(s): Michelle Casey, Alex Evenson, Ira Moscovice, Zhengtian Wu
Date: 06/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Policy brief describing availability of respiratory therapy and therapists in Critical Access Hospitals and in urban and rural Prospective Payment System hospitals in 2016. Includes statistics with breakdowns by hospital type and rural or urban location.
Author(s): Michelle Casey, Alex Evenson, Ira Moscovice, Zhengtian Wu
Date: 06/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare and the Health Care Delivery System, June 2018
Evaluates Medicare payment issues and offers recommendations to the U.S. Congress. Includes a chapter on ensuring appropriate access to and use of hospital emergency department (ED) services that provides extensive information on rural access to ED services and identifies examples of rural off-campus emergency departments. Other sections of the report addressing rural concerns focus on post-acute care, quality and value payment programs, and medical device payment policies. Also includes a report on the effects of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program.
Additional links: Fact Sheet
Date: 06/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Evaluates Medicare payment issues and offers recommendations to the U.S. Congress. Includes a chapter on ensuring appropriate access to and use of hospital emergency department (ED) services that provides extensive information on rural access to ED services and identifies examples of rural off-campus emergency departments. Other sections of the report addressing rural concerns focus on post-acute care, quality and value payment programs, and medical device payment policies. Also includes a report on the effects of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program.
Additional links: Fact Sheet
Date: 06/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Geographic Variation in Uncompensated Care Between Rural and Urban Hospitals
Findings brief describing how uncompensated hospital care varies across regions of the country, using data from the 2014-2016 Medicare Cost Report Worksheet S-10. Features statistics including breakdowns by Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), other rural hospitals, and urban hospitals.
Author(s): Krystal G. Garcia, Kristie Thompson, Hilda A. Howard, George H. Pink
Date: 06/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Findings brief describing how uncompensated hospital care varies across regions of the country, using data from the 2014-2016 Medicare Cost Report Worksheet S-10. Features statistics including breakdowns by Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), other rural hospitals, and urban hospitals.
Author(s): Krystal G. Garcia, Kristie Thompson, Hilda A. Howard, George H. Pink
Date: 06/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Ray of Hope Behavioral Health Program: Cottage Hospital – Woodsville, NH
Describes Cottage Hospital, a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital, providing healthcare services to a large region of New Hampshire and Vermont, with an additional 10 beds for the Ray of Hope behavioral health program designed for older adults. Discusses the Ray of Hope program and covers impacts, lessons learned, and future goals of the program.
Date: 06/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Describes Cottage Hospital, a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital, providing healthcare services to a large region of New Hampshire and Vermont, with an additional 10 beds for the Ray of Hope behavioral health program designed for older adults. Discusses the Ray of Hope program and covers impacts, lessons learned, and future goals of the program.
Date: 06/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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National Quality Reporting Crosswalk for CAHs
Provides users with information about Critical Access Hospital (CAH) quality reporting initiatives occurring on a national level, including purpose, measures used, and any overlap in measures across initiatives.
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: National Rural Health Resource Center, Stratis Health
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Provides users with information about Critical Access Hospital (CAH) quality reporting initiatives occurring on a national level, including purpose, measures used, and any overlap in measures across initiatives.
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: National Rural Health Resource Center, Stratis Health
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Delta Memorial Hospital's SEAL Team
Describes Delta Memorial Hospital's (DMH) progress as part of the Small Rural Hospital Transition (SRHT) Project, completed in 2017, focused on improving quality of care and transition of care. DMH is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital located in Dumas, Arkansas. 12 months after implementing the recommendations, DMH met two of their three measurable goals. The SEAL team, or Service Excellence Advisor Leaders, are charged with regularly reviewing patient satisfaction surveys to identify service areas that need improvement.
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Describes Delta Memorial Hospital's (DMH) progress as part of the Small Rural Hospital Transition (SRHT) Project, completed in 2017, focused on improving quality of care and transition of care. DMH is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital located in Dumas, Arkansas. 12 months after implementing the recommendations, DMH met two of their three measurable goals. The SEAL team, or Service Excellence Advisor Leaders, are charged with regularly reviewing patient satisfaction surveys to identify service areas that need improvement.
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Immigrant Health Policy Paper
Policy position brief about new immigrants in rural areas, in terms of health care access, health disparities, economic contributions, health care facilities and Community Health Workers, and service strategies to benefit immigrants. Includes case studies of immigrants in Minnesota and immigrants employed in the meat-processing industry and in rural farming.
Author(s): Susan Kunz, April Fernandez, Matt Gilleskie, et al.
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy position brief about new immigrants in rural areas, in terms of health care access, health disparities, economic contributions, health care facilities and Community Health Workers, and service strategies to benefit immigrants. Includes case studies of immigrants in Minnesota and immigrants employed in the meat-processing industry and in rural farming.
Author(s): Susan Kunz, April Fernandez, Matt Gilleskie, et al.
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Stroke Care Quality Improvement Initiatives in Critical Access Hospitals
Highlights successful evidenced-based programs implemented by Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other rural hospitals to improve stroke care. Reviews key program elements, quality improvement stroke data measures, and CAH participation for state-level initiatives and covers national stroke care quality improvement initiatives.
Author(s): Megan Lahr
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Highlights successful evidenced-based programs implemented by Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other rural hospitals to improve stroke care. Reviews key program elements, quality improvement stroke data measures, and CAH participation for state-level initiatives and covers national stroke care quality improvement initiatives.
Author(s): Megan Lahr
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Ensuring Access and Improving Population Health Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Care Columbia Memorial Hospital, Astoria, OR
Describes Columbia Memorial Hospital (CMH), an independent Critical Access Hospital (CAH), in Astoria, Oregon, that works to ensure access to specialty and primary care for Pacific North Coast and Lower Columbia regions of northwest Oregon. Shares strategies and collaborative efforts to address the community's needs by ensuring access to care, improving population health, and designing consumer driven patient-centered care.
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association Rural Health Services
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Describes Columbia Memorial Hospital (CMH), an independent Critical Access Hospital (CAH), in Astoria, Oregon, that works to ensure access to specialty and primary care for Pacific North Coast and Lower Columbia regions of northwest Oregon. Shares strategies and collaborative efforts to address the community's needs by ensuring access to care, improving population health, and designing consumer driven patient-centered care.
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association Rural Health Services
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