Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs).
Unrelenting Pressure Pushes Rural Safety Net Crisis Into Uncharted Territory
Examines financial and operational metrics for rural hospitals. Discusses the growth of Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment in rural communities between 2019 and 2023, the impact of MA on rural hospital reimbursement, how the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation can provide a path forward for some rural facilities, and the discontinuation of obstetrics and chemotherapy services at rural hospitals since 2011. Includes the percentage of rural hospitals in each state vulnerable to closure and nine factors significantly associated with rural hospital vulnerability.
Date: 02/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Examines financial and operational metrics for rural hospitals. Discusses the growth of Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment in rural communities between 2019 and 2023, the impact of MA on rural hospital reimbursement, how the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation can provide a path forward for some rural facilities, and the discontinuation of obstetrics and chemotherapy services at rural hospitals since 2011. Includes the percentage of rural hospitals in each state vulnerable to closure and nine factors significantly associated with rural hospital vulnerability.
Date: 02/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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How to Launch a Pulmonary Rehab Program
Highlights the benefits to hospitals and their community of operating rural pulmonary rehab programs, and shares practical advice and tips on how Critical Access Hospitals and small rural hospitals can successfully build and sustain their own pulmonary rehab programs. Features Sparta Community Hospital in Illinois and Hood Memorial Hospital in Louisiana, which opened pulmonary rehab programs in 2023. Transcript available below description.
Date: 02/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Highlights the benefits to hospitals and their community of operating rural pulmonary rehab programs, and shares practical advice and tips on how Critical Access Hospitals and small rural hospitals can successfully build and sustain their own pulmonary rehab programs. Features Sparta Community Hospital in Illinois and Hood Memorial Hospital in Louisiana, which opened pulmonary rehab programs in 2023. Transcript available below description.
Date: 02/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Understanding COPD and Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Provides an overview of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) symptoms and causes, and explains how rural-based pulmonary rehabilitation services help to restore independence and quality of life in COPD patients. Highlights the prevalence of COPD in rural communities and the steps that Critical Access Hospitals and other small rural hospitals can take to improve access to much-needed pulmonary rehabilitation services. Includes transcript.
Date: 02/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Provides an overview of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) symptoms and causes, and explains how rural-based pulmonary rehabilitation services help to restore independence and quality of life in COPD patients. Highlights the prevalence of COPD in rural communities and the steps that Critical Access Hospitals and other small rural hospitals can take to improve access to much-needed pulmonary rehabilitation services. Includes transcript.
Date: 02/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Critical Access Hospital Telehealth Guide
Provides practical guidance on implementing and sustaining telehealth in Critical Access Hospitals, to optimize healthcare delivery, expand access, enhance care coordination, and address health inequity. Focuses on Medicare outpatient telehealth services, but also includes information on Medicaid coverage and remote services that may not strictly be considered telehealth.
Date: 02/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: National Rural Health Resource Center, Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center
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Provides practical guidance on implementing and sustaining telehealth in Critical Access Hospitals, to optimize healthcare delivery, expand access, enhance care coordination, and address health inequity. Focuses on Medicare outpatient telehealth services, but also includes information on Medicaid coverage and remote services that may not strictly be considered telehealth.
Date: 02/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: National Rural Health Resource Center, Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center
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The State of Rural Healthcare: Research Report and Outlook for 2024
Presents results of a survey of 106 rural healthcare organizations across 25 states regarding their financial health and strategic priorities. Identifies the top challenges identified by the surveyed organizations. Discusses how providers are addressing three strategic priorities in 2024, including people management, revenue capture, and digital capabilities.
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Wipfli, LLP
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Presents results of a survey of 106 rural healthcare organizations across 25 states regarding their financial health and strategic priorities. Identifies the top challenges identified by the surveyed organizations. Discusses how providers are addressing three strategic priorities in 2024, including people management, revenue capture, and digital capabilities.
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Wipfli, LLP
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CAH Staff Perspectives on use of EHRs for Quality Measure Activities
Summarizes interviews with eight Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) regarding electronic health record (EHR) use for quality measurement and improvement activities. Describes strengths and challenges for CAHs using EHRs for quality-related activities. Discusses the CAHs' readiness for, and concerns about, new health equity and social drivers of health quality measures.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr, Abigail Wenninger, Dori Cross, Ben C.D. Weideman
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Summarizes interviews with eight Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) regarding electronic health record (EHR) use for quality measurement and improvement activities. Describes strengths and challenges for CAHs using EHRs for quality-related activities. Discusses the CAHs' readiness for, and concerns about, new health equity and social drivers of health quality measures.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr, Abigail Wenninger, Dori Cross, Ben C.D. Weideman
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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EHR Capabilities and Interoperability in Critical Access Hospitals
Explores the electronic health record (EHR) and interoperable health information exchange capabilities among Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in 2019. Analyzes 2019 American Hospital Association Information Technology Supplement (AHAIT) survey data, which includes data from nearly 700 CAHs. Compares EHR capabilities and the use of electronic methods for four interoperability domains by CAH status and system affiliation. Discusses how to support CAHs in advancing information sharing and using comprehensive EHRs.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Alyssa Furukawa, Megan Lahr, Dori Cross
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Explores the electronic health record (EHR) and interoperable health information exchange capabilities among Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in 2019. Analyzes 2019 American Hospital Association Information Technology Supplement (AHAIT) survey data, which includes data from nearly 700 CAHs. Compares EHR capabilities and the use of electronic methods for four interoperability domains by CAH status and system affiliation. Discusses how to support CAHs in advancing information sharing and using comprehensive EHRs.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Alyssa Furukawa, Megan Lahr, Dori Cross
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Critical Access Hospital-Local Health Department Partnerships to Address Rural Community Needs
Explores Critical Access Hospital (CAH) involvement in collaborative community health networks that include local public health departments (LHDs), other healthcare organizations, social service agencies, and other community organizations. Uses survey data from the American Hospital Association (AHA) to describe the collaborative partnerships CAHs are engaged in, the organizations with which they partner, and the activities these partnerships undertake. Presents findings from qualitative interviews with four pairs of CAH and LHD leaders regarding challenges and lessons learned from these local-level collaborations. Identifies three areas of activity - community health needs assessments, emergency preparedness planning, and emergent public health crises - that provide an opportunity to encourage collaboration between CAHs and LHDs and address priority needs.
Author(s): Zachariah Croll, Celia Jewell, John Gale
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Explores Critical Access Hospital (CAH) involvement in collaborative community health networks that include local public health departments (LHDs), other healthcare organizations, social service agencies, and other community organizations. Uses survey data from the American Hospital Association (AHA) to describe the collaborative partnerships CAHs are engaged in, the organizations with which they partner, and the activities these partnerships undertake. Presents findings from qualitative interviews with four pairs of CAH and LHD leaders regarding challenges and lessons learned from these local-level collaborations. Identifies three areas of activity - community health needs assessments, emergency preparedness planning, and emergent public health crises - that provide an opportunity to encourage collaboration between CAHs and LHDs and address priority needs.
Author(s): Zachariah Croll, Celia Jewell, John Gale
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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2022 National and State Healthcare-Associated Infections Progress Report
Examines progress on reducing healthcare-associated infection rates for 6 types of infections in Acute Care Hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals, Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities, and Long-term Acute Care Hospitals. Compares observed versus expected infection rates using 2015 baseline data. Includes national and state data tables on infection-specific standardized infection ratios (SIRs) and standardized utilization ratios (SURs) for each facility type.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Examines progress on reducing healthcare-associated infection rates for 6 types of infections in Acute Care Hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals, Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities, and Long-term Acute Care Hospitals. Compares observed versus expected infection rates using 2015 baseline data. Includes national and state data tables on infection-specific standardized infection ratios (SIRs) and standardized utilization ratios (SURs) for each facility type.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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A Comparison of Non-Operating Revenue between Rural and Urban Hospitals
Compares the relative percentage and composition of non-operating revenue (NOR) among Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), rural Prospective Payment System (R-PPS) hospitals, and urban Prospective Payment System (U-PPS) hospitals from 2011-2019. Describes how hospitals can use NOR to offset negative operating incomes. Presents data on the composition of NOR by hospital type and ownership.
Author(s): Ariana Pitcher, Ruoyu Zhang, Susie Gurzenda, George Pink, Kristin L. Reiter
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Compares the relative percentage and composition of non-operating revenue (NOR) among Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), rural Prospective Payment System (R-PPS) hospitals, and urban Prospective Payment System (U-PPS) hospitals from 2011-2019. Describes how hospitals can use NOR to offset negative operating incomes. Presents data on the composition of NOR by hospital type and ownership.
Author(s): Ariana Pitcher, Ruoyu Zhang, Susie Gurzenda, George Pink, Kristin L. Reiter
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Last Updated: 2/29/2024