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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Critical Access Hospitals

CMS Manual System: Revisions to Medicare State Operations Manual, Chapter 9 - Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Recertification Checklist: Rural and Distance or Necessary Provider Verification
Provides a list of the necessary components to be confirmed when Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) are surveyed for recertification to determine if they meet the rural location and distance or necessary provider requirements to maintain their CAH status. Identifies the procedures used by the CMS Regional Office and state survey agencies to determine if CAHs meet the necessary requirements.
Date: 02/2016
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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2016 Rural Hospital Replacement Facility Study
Examines the effects of facility replacement on rural Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), including service volumes, operating efficiency, financial performance, and healthcare quality.
Date: 2016
Sponsoring organizations: National Rural Health Association, Stroudwater Associates
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Benefiting Hospitals, Not Patients: An Analysis of Charity Care Provided by Hospitals Enrolled in the 340B Discount Program
Examines charity care levels at 340B Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSHs) to determine if eligibility criteria for DSH hospitals appropriately align with the 340B programs goal of supporting access to prescription drugs for uninsured and vulnerable populations. Appendix provides additional information and operating statistics specific to Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs).
Date: 2016
Sponsoring organization: Alliance for Integrity and Reform of 340B
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Critical Access Hospital-Relevant Measures for Health System Development and Population Health
Describes performance measures for assessing health system development and population health in Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Discusses how the measures can help CAHs and other stakeholders benchmark and improve performance.
Author(s): John Gale, Andrew Coburn, Zach Croll
Date: 12/2015
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Impact of Financial and Operational Interventions Funded by the Flex Program
Analyzes the impact of Flex Program sponsorship and associated financial and operational activities on the financial performance of Critical Access Hospitals.
Author(s): Rebecca G. Whitaker, George H. Pink, G. Mark Holmes
Date: 11/2015
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Performance Measurement for Rural Low-Volume Providers: Final Report
Identifies challenges to measuring healthcare performance among low-volume rural providers, and presents recommendations to meet these challenges. Primary focus is on finding appropriate quality measures for use within Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) pay-for-performance programs and encouraging rural participation in CMS quality improvement initiatives.
Date: 09/2015
Sponsoring organization: National Quality Forum
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Evidence-Based Programs and Strategies for Reducing Healthcare-Associated Infections in Critical Access Hospitals
Highlights successful, evidence-based programs and approaches that Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) may use to curb healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
Author(s): Michelle Casey, Shailendra Prasad, Emma Distel, Alex Evenson
Date: 09/2015
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Reporting of Healthcare-Associated Infections by Critical Access Hospitals
Describes state requirements for reporting healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and the implications for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Also analyzes HAI data reported by CAHs via Hospital Compare.
Author(s): Michelle Casey, Emma Distel, Alex Evenson, Shailendra Prasad, Peiyin Hung
Date: 09/2015
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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An Interview with Darrold Bertsch
A healthcare administrator who serves as CEO of both a Critical Access Hospital and a Federally Qualified Health Center in rural North Dakota discusses how the two facilities work together to meet their region's healthcare needs.
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2015
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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RHAC Brief: Nurse Practitioners in Rural Minnesota - Results of an Employer Survey
Summarizes the results of a survey conducted by the Minnesota Rural Health Advisory Committee (RHAC) of the state's Rural Health Clinics and Critical Access Hospitals to learn more about the rural nurse practitioner (NP) workforce. Describes NP use by department and discusses recruitment and retention challenges.
Date: 08/2015
Sponsoring organization: Minnesota Department of Health - Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
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