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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Hospitals

Rural Emergency Hospital Conversion and Technical Assistance Webinar
Recording of a November 2, 2023, webinar discussing the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) program. Provides an overview of the REH designation, policy and regulatory requirements, and REH Technical Assistance Center (TAC) services. Presentation slides include links to resources and templates. Transcript available in the video description.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 11/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Declines in Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Health Care Personnel in Acute Care Hospitals During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, 2017–2023
Examines influenza vaccinations among health care personnel (HCP) prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Provides data on facility-level influenza vaccination levels among HCP for 3 years during the prepandemic period (2017-2020) and 3 years during the pandemic (2020-2023), broken down by HCP type and rural, suburban, or urban location.
Author(s): Hoody Lymon, Lu Meng, Hannah E. Reses, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 72(45), 1244-1247
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Influenza and Up-to-Date COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage Among Health Care Personnel — National Healthcare Safety Network, United States, 2022–23 Influenza Season
Provides data on influenza and COVID-19 vaccination among health care personnel (HCP) during the 2022-2023 influenza season. Presents vaccination data of HCP in nursing homes and acute care hospitals, broken down by staff type, facility size, rural versus urban location, urbanicity, social vulnerability index, and region. Includes state-level maps of HCP vaccination percentages.
Author(s): Jeneita Bell, Lu Meng, Kira Barbre, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 72(45), 1237-1243
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Improving Maternity Care for Indigenous Populations
Podcast episode featuring a discussion with Tina Pattara-Lau, M.D., maternal and child health consultant with the Indian Health Service Office of Clinical and Preventive Services, and Johnna Nynas, M.D., obstetrics and gynecology specialist at Sanford Bemidji Medical Center. Describes common disparities and systemic barriers Indigenous people experience in maternity care and ways hospitals and healthcare organizations can address these challenges and provide culturally-focused care.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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CY 2024 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System Final Rule (CMS 1786-FC)
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments for hospital outpatient and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) services for calendar year 2024. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to the community mental health centers (CMHC) Conditions of Participation (CoPs); payment for intensive outpatient program (IOP) services; payment methodology for Indian Health Service (IHS) and tribal facilities that convert to Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) status; the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR), and Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Programs; and more.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Medicare Learning Network: Rural Emergency Hospitals
Details the regulatory requirements for providers to become a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH). Provides information on REH billing for Medicare services, Medicare payments for REH services, and the additional monthly facility payment.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Performance Management/Program Evaluation Guide: Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program
Offers guidance to state Flex program coordinators to incorporate performance management and evaluation into Flex program operations as required by the Flex Program Cooperative Agreement. Supports the state's capacity for assessing program activities, making improvements, and establishing if activities are effective. Defines key terms and concepts, discusses reporting requirements, demonstrates a performance year work plan, covers data collection, and provides examples of goals and measures to be included in the evaluation plan.
Additional links: Flex Program Glossary of Evaluation Terms, Quick List: Flex Program Evaluation Resources
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Early Learnings From the Rural Health Redesign Center and its Rural Emergency Hospital Technical Assistance Center
Provides a brief overview of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation and the Rural Health Redesign Center's Rural Emergency Hospital Technical Assistance Center (REH-TAC). Describes the characteristics of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals that have explored REH conversion and have sought technical assistance from REH-TAC. Includes data on net patient revenue, operating income, margins, annualized 340B revenue, and more, by hospital type. Highlights common concerns raised by hospitals exploring REH conversion.
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Georgia Counties Offering CON-Authorized Obstetrical (OB) Services
County-level map showing the location of obstetrical (OB) services authorized by Georgia's Certificate of Need program. Distinguishes between rural and urban counties containing OB facilities, and identifies counties containing Critical Access Hospitals with OB facilities.
Date: 10/2023
Type: Map/Mapping System
Sponsoring organization: Georgia State Office of Rural Health
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Rural Hospital Experiences in the Colorado Hospital Transformation Program
Provides an overview of the Colorado Hospital Transformation Program (CO HTP), a 5-year program that ties Medicaid supplemental payments to hospitals' ability to meet performance targets through September 2026. Describes the experiences of three Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and explores how CO HTP impacts rural hospitals. Covers planning and community engagement, quality of care, and healthcare costs.
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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