Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare facilities
Time is Tissue: How CommonSpirit Mercy Hospital is Revolutionizing Rural Cardiac Care
Podcast episode discussing how CommonSpirit Mercy Hospital in Durango, Colorado, uses a communications platform that connects emergency medical services and pre-hospital providers with patients who are having chest pain and cardiac-related issues with on-call cardiologists.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
view details
Podcast episode discussing how CommonSpirit Mercy Hospital in Durango, Colorado, uses a communications platform that connects emergency medical services and pre-hospital providers with patients who are having chest pain and cardiac-related issues with on-call cardiologists.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
view details
Trends in Hospital Administrative Costs: Urban–Rural Disparities, Barriers, and Reduction Strategies
Compares Medicare cost report data from 2011 and 2022 for over 4,400 rural and urban short-term acute care hospitals to identify shifts in administrative and general (A&G) spending. Discusses 3 themes related to cost growth, barriers in reporting, and strategies to manage and reduce costs. Describes implications for hospital policy.
Author(s): Lauree Handlon, Kit Simpson, Larry Leaming, Dunc Williams
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(8)
Date: 08/2025
view details
Compares Medicare cost report data from 2011 and 2022 for over 4,400 rural and urban short-term acute care hospitals to identify shifts in administrative and general (A&G) spending. Discusses 3 themes related to cost growth, barriers in reporting, and strategies to manage and reduce costs. Describes implications for hospital policy.
Author(s): Lauree Handlon, Kit Simpson, Larry Leaming, Dunc Williams
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(8)
Date: 08/2025
view details
Hospital Health Information Exchange Participation and Heart Failure Discharges to Skilled Nursing Facilities: A Cohort Study
Examines the correlation of health information exchange (HIE) participation and admission to skilled nursing facilities (SNF) following a heart failure (HF) hospital discharge. Utilizes 2018 Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MedPar) file data to analyze 385,895 HF discharges according to SNF admission and HIE participation. Includes breakdowns by patient demographics, urban/rural status, hospital ownership, hospital type and bed size, length of stay, and more.
Author(s): Sara D. Turbow, Camille P. Vaughan, Mohammed K. Ali, Steven D. Culler
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 1079
Date: 08/2025
view details
Examines the correlation of health information exchange (HIE) participation and admission to skilled nursing facilities (SNF) following a heart failure (HF) hospital discharge. Utilizes 2018 Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MedPar) file data to analyze 385,895 HF discharges according to SNF admission and HIE participation. Includes breakdowns by patient demographics, urban/rural status, hospital ownership, hospital type and bed size, length of stay, and more.
Author(s): Sara D. Turbow, Camille P. Vaughan, Mohammed K. Ali, Steven D. Culler
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 1079
Date: 08/2025
view details
Growth of Health IT-Enabled Patient Engagement Capabilities Among U.S. Hospitals: 2021-2024
Describes hospital trends regarding the adoption of capabilities that enable patient access to their electronic health information, including the ability to view, download, transmit, and import data from other organizations into their patient portal; view clinical notes; and access information through apps between 2021-2024. Presents data and analysis by hospital type, including Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural hospitals, on the percent of hospitals that app-based and Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resource® (FHIR)-enabled patient engagement capabilities.
Author(s): Meghan Hufstader Gabriel, Chelsea Richwine, Priscilla Owusu-Mensah, Catherine Strawley
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
view details
Describes hospital trends regarding the adoption of capabilities that enable patient access to their electronic health information, including the ability to view, download, transmit, and import data from other organizations into their patient portal; view clinical notes; and access information through apps between 2021-2024. Presents data and analysis by hospital type, including Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural hospitals, on the percent of hospitals that app-based and Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resource® (FHIR)-enabled patient engagement capabilities.
Author(s): Meghan Hufstader Gabriel, Chelsea Richwine, Priscilla Owusu-Mensah, Catherine Strawley
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
view details
CAH Quality Inventory & Assessment Resources
Provides a list of resources for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to use to complete the 2025 CAH Quality Inventory and Assessment (Assessment). Includes resources regarding the background and components of the Assessment and instructions for each question.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Robert Barclay, Madeleine Pick
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
Provides a list of resources for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to use to complete the 2025 CAH Quality Inventory and Assessment (Assessment). Includes resources regarding the background and components of the Assessment and instructions for each question.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Robert Barclay, Madeleine Pick
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
HCAHPS Toolkit for Critical Access Hospitals
Designed to assist Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in reporting and utilizing Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) data. Provides a detailed description of HCAHPS as a Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) core measure, strategies for improving HCAHPS survey response rates, and answers to common HCAHPS questions. Offers recommendations for utilizing HCAHPS data reports from vendors and the Flex Monitoring Team (FMT) and improving HCAHPS scores.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
Designed to assist Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in reporting and utilizing Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) data. Provides a detailed description of HCAHPS as a Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) core measure, strategies for improving HCAHPS survey response rates, and answers to common HCAHPS questions. Offers recommendations for utilizing HCAHPS data reports from vendors and the Flex Monitoring Team (FMT) and improving HCAHPS scores.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
FY 2026 Medicare Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Prospective Payment System (IPF PPS) and Quality Reporting (IPFQR) Updates Final Rule (CMS-1831-F)
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) fiscal year 2026 inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS) final rule. Covers annual updates to the prospective payment rates, outlier threshold, and wage index. Also describes changes to facility-level adjustment factors for teaching status and rural location.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
view details
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) fiscal year 2026 inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS) final rule. Covers annual updates to the prospective payment rates, outlier threshold, and wage index. Also describes changes to facility-level adjustment factors for teaching status and rural location.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
view details
Impact of the Health Center Program
Brief overview of the Health Center Program, focusing on the goals of preserving access to affordable primary care, addressing emergent public health needs, and driving quality improvement.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bureau of Primary Health Care
view details
Brief overview of the Health Center Program, focusing on the goals of preserving access to affordable primary care, addressing emergent public health needs, and driving quality improvement.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bureau of Primary Health Care
view details
Arkansas Critical Access Hospitals
Map showing names and locations of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in Arkansas at the county level.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Arkansas Department of Health
view details
Map showing names and locations of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in Arkansas at the county level.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Arkansas Department of Health
view details
Arkansas NHSC Registered Sites Program Coverage
Map of National Health Service Corps (NHSC) registered sites in Arkansas by county, including Federally Qualified Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics, correctional facilities, community outpatient facilities, hospitals, substance use disorder treatment sites, and private practices.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Arkansas Department of Health
view details
Map of National Health Service Corps (NHSC) registered sites in Arkansas by county, including Federally Qualified Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics, correctional facilities, community outpatient facilities, hospitals, substance use disorder treatment sites, and private practices.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Arkansas Department of Health
view details