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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Hospitals

The Implementation of Pay-For-Performance in Rural Hospitals: Lessons from the Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration Project
Reports the findings of a national study designed to identify institutional, organizational, and environmental factors that influence the experience of rural hospitals in the Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration Project.
Author(s): Walter Gregg, Ira Moscovice, Denise Remus
Date: 09/2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center
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A Primer on the Occupational Mix Adjustment to the Medicare Hospital Wage Index
Focuses on the occupational mix adjustment (OMA) to the labor-related share in the hospital inpatient prospective payment system. Explains what the OMA is, why it is needed, and how it has been calculated. Discusses reasons the effect of the OMA has been less than some rural advocates anticipated.
Author(s): Kristin Reiter, Rebecca Slifkin, Mark Holmes
Date: 09/2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Quality and Performance Improvement Grant Activities Under the Flex Program
Describes quality and performance improvement activities proposed by states during the 2005 grant year under the Medicare Rural Health Flexibility Program (Flex Program).
Date: 08/2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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The Current Status of Health Information Technology Use in CAHs
Examines the use of health information technology (HIT) in Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Includes information on HIT infrastructure and the computerization of different functions within CAHs.
Author(s): Michelle Casey, Jill Klingner, Walt Gregg, et al.
Date: 05/2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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General Hospitals: Operational and Clinical Changes Largely Unaffected by Presence of Competing Specialty Hospitals
Provides information on the competitive response of general hospitals to specialty hospitals. Addresses rural general hospitals response compared to urban general hospitals.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Medicare Hospital Pharmaceuticals: Survey Shows Price Variations and Highlights Data Collection Lessons and Outpatient Rate-Setting Challenges for CMS
Analyzes Medicare specified covered outpatient drugs (SCOD) price variation across hospitals. Includes information on prices paid by rural hospitals compared to urban hospitals.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 04/2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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A Review of State Flex Program Plans, 2004-2005
Examines the objectives and project activities proposed by states in their Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program (Flex Program) grant applications for Fiscal Year 2004 to strengthen the rural healthcare infrastructure in their states.
Author(s): Stephenie Loux, John Gale, Anush Yousefian, Andrew Coburn, Walter Gregg
Date: 03/2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy, 2006
Annual review of Medicare payment policies, with recommendations to Congress. Discussions of rural aspects of Medicare payment policies are included throughout the report.
Date: 03/2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Critical Access Hospital Year 1 Hospital Compare Participation and Quality Measure Results
Examines the first year participation and quality measure results for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare public reporting database for hospital quality measures. Includes the percent of CAHs participating in the program by state.
Author(s): Michelle Casey, Ira Moscovice
Date: 02/2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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CAH Participation in Hospital Compare and Initial Results
Examines the participation of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in public reporting of quality measures in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare database. Includes initial Hospital Compare results for CAHs and comparisons with other groups of hospitals.
Date: 02/2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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