Rural Hospitals – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Hospitals.
Medicare Payment for Rural or Geographically Isolated Hospitals
Displays data on Medicare payment adjustments for Sole Community Hospitals, Medicare-Dependent Hospitals, Low-Volume Hospitals, and Critical Access Hospitals. Includes information on the number of qualifying hospitals by state and eligibility criteria.
Date: 04/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Displays data on Medicare payment adjustments for Sole Community Hospitals, Medicare-Dependent Hospitals, Low-Volume Hospitals, and Critical Access Hospitals. Includes information on the number of qualifying hospitals by state and eligibility criteria.
Date: 04/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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What Happens to Rural Hospitals During a Ransomware Attack? Evidence from Medicare Data
Explores the effects of ransomware attacks on hospital operations. Analyzes data from the Tracking Healthcare Ransomware Events and Traits (THREAT) database, which includes information for every hospital identified as experiencing a ransomware attack between 2016 and 2021, and linked to Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) claims data. Compares the characteristics of rural and urban hospitals that experienced a ransomware attack. Describes the impact of ransomware attacks on rural and urban inpatient admissions, outpatient and emergency room visit volume, and travel distance and time to the next closest hospital not experiencing an attack.
Author(s): Hannah T. Neprash, Claire C. McGlave, Katie Rydberg, Carrie Henning-Smith
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(4), 728-737
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
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Explores the effects of ransomware attacks on hospital operations. Analyzes data from the Tracking Healthcare Ransomware Events and Traits (THREAT) database, which includes information for every hospital identified as experiencing a ransomware attack between 2016 and 2021, and linked to Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) claims data. Compares the characteristics of rural and urban hospitals that experienced a ransomware attack. Describes the impact of ransomware attacks on rural and urban inpatient admissions, outpatient and emergency room visit volume, and travel distance and time to the next closest hospital not experiencing an attack.
Author(s): Hannah T. Neprash, Claire C. McGlave, Katie Rydberg, Carrie Henning-Smith
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(4), 728-737
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
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Rural Maternal Health Series: Engaging with Perinatal Quality Collaboratives for Rural Hospitals
Webinar recording, second in a series, discusses the role Perinatal Quality Collaboratives (PQCs) play in making improvements in maternal and infant healthcare and outcomes in rural hospitals. Features presentations from representatives of the CDC's Perinatal & Infant Health Team, Washington State Department of Health, and University of Montana Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities.
Additional links: Audio Recording, Webinar Slides
Date: 03/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Webinar recording, second in a series, discusses the role Perinatal Quality Collaboratives (PQCs) play in making improvements in maternal and infant healthcare and outcomes in rural hospitals. Features presentations from representatives of the CDC's Perinatal & Infant Health Team, Washington State Department of Health, and University of Montana Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities.
Additional links: Audio Recording, Webinar Slides
Date: 03/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Rural Health Research Recap: Quality Star Ratings: Hospitals, Skilled Nursing Facilities, and Home Health Agencies
Examines the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating system among hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies in 2021 and 2022. Features statistics including number of rural hospitals without a star rating with breakdowns by census region, and percentage of hospitals without star rating, with breakdowns by urban or rural location.
Author(s): Per Ostmo
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
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Examines the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating system among hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies in 2021 and 2022. Features statistics including number of rural hospitals without a star rating with breakdowns by census region, and percentage of hospitals without star rating, with breakdowns by urban or rural location.
Author(s): Per Ostmo
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
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Pre-COVID-19 Hospital Quality and Hospital Response to COVID-19: Examining Associations Between Risk-adjusted Mortality for Patients Hospitalised with COVID-19 and Pre-COVID-19 Hospital Quality
Examines whether pre-pandemic hospital quality was associated with in-hospital and 30-day mortality rates among Medicare patients hospitalized with COVID-19 from April 1, 2020, through September 30, 2021. Explores the relationship between COVID-19 outcomes and hospital COVID-19 burden. Compares pre-pandemic hospital quality and COVID-19 outcomes by hospital characteristics, including urban/rural location and Critical Access Hospital status.
Author(s): Doris Peter, Shu-Xia Li, Yongfei Wang, et al.
Citation: BMJ Open, 14(3), e077394
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
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Examines whether pre-pandemic hospital quality was associated with in-hospital and 30-day mortality rates among Medicare patients hospitalized with COVID-19 from April 1, 2020, through September 30, 2021. Explores the relationship between COVID-19 outcomes and hospital COVID-19 burden. Compares pre-pandemic hospital quality and COVID-19 outcomes by hospital characteristics, including urban/rural location and Critical Access Hospital status.
Author(s): Doris Peter, Shu-Xia Li, Yongfei Wang, et al.
Citation: BMJ Open, 14(3), e077394
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
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Community Impact and Benefit Activities of Critical Access, Other Rural, and Urban Hospitals, 2022
Examines the economic and healthcare benefit of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) on rural communities. Looks at the services provided, the economic health of CAHs, and the effect this has on their communities broadly. Includes comparisons of community benefit and patient care services indicators provided by CAHs and other rural and urban hospitals.
Author(s): Zachariah Croll, John Gale
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Examines the economic and healthcare benefit of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) on rural communities. Looks at the services provided, the economic health of CAHs, and the effect this has on their communities broadly. Includes comparisons of community benefit and patient care services indicators provided by CAHs and other rural and urban hospitals.
Author(s): Zachariah Croll, John Gale
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Partnerships to Address Social Needs Across Metropolitan and Non-Metropolitan Prospective Payment System Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals
Explores the extent to which hospitals partner with community organizations to address population and/or community health needs. Analyzes data from the 2021 American Hospital Association Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Supplement to describe the number and types of hospital partnerships with community-based organizations. Compares results by hospital type - metropolitan prospective payment system (PPS), Critical Access Hospital (CAH), and non-metropolitan PPS - and by U.S. Census region, ownership status, and accountable care organization (ACO) participation.
Author(s): Whitney E. Zahnd, Khyathi Gadag, Kristin D. Wilson, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Explores the extent to which hospitals partner with community organizations to address population and/or community health needs. Analyzes data from the 2021 American Hospital Association Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Supplement to describe the number and types of hospital partnerships with community-based organizations. Compares results by hospital type - metropolitan prospective payment system (PPS), Critical Access Hospital (CAH), and non-metropolitan PPS - and by U.S. Census region, ownership status, and accountable care organization (ACO) participation.
Author(s): Whitney E. Zahnd, Khyathi Gadag, Kristin D. Wilson, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Rural Maternal Health Series: Achieving Birthing-Friendly Status in Rural Hospitals
Webinar recording discusses the quality maternity care improvements rural hospitals must make to earn the Birthing-Friendly designation from CMS. Features presentations from representatives of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), the CMS Center for Clinical Standards and Quality (CCSQ), and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB).
Additional links: Audio Recording, Webinar Slides
Date: 03/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Webinar recording discusses the quality maternity care improvements rural hospitals must make to earn the Birthing-Friendly designation from CMS. Features presentations from representatives of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), the CMS Center for Clinical Standards and Quality (CCSQ), and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB).
Additional links: Audio Recording, Webinar Slides
Date: 03/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP, March 2024
Reports on three aspects of Medicaid of interest to Congress: 1) improving the Medicaid beneficiary experience through Medical Care Advisory Committees (MCACs) and federal government actions to aid states, 2) increasing the transparency and improving the monitoring of the denials and appeals process in Medicaid managed care, and 3) reviewing hospital payment policy for the nation's safety-net hospitals. Chapter 3 examines the relationship between disproportionate share hospital (DSH) allotments to states and the number of uninsured individuals, the amounts and sources of hospitals' uncompensated care costs, and the amounts and sources of hospitals' uncompensated care costs. Table 3-1 details DSH spending for urban and rural hospitals and for Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Reports on three aspects of Medicaid of interest to Congress: 1) improving the Medicaid beneficiary experience through Medical Care Advisory Committees (MCACs) and federal government actions to aid states, 2) increasing the transparency and improving the monitoring of the denials and appeals process in Medicaid managed care, and 3) reviewing hospital payment policy for the nation's safety-net hospitals. Chapter 3 examines the relationship between disproportionate share hospital (DSH) allotments to states and the number of uninsured individuals, the amounts and sources of hospitals' uncompensated care costs, and the amounts and sources of hospitals' uncompensated care costs. Table 3-1 details DSH spending for urban and rural hospitals and for Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Rural Health Leadership, with Steve Simonin
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Steve Simonin, President and CEO of Iowa Specialty Hospital and Clinics. Focuses on how healthcare systems can invest in their communities, strategies for ensuring long-term rural health sustainability, and the importance of maintaining communication with state and federal support systems.
Date: 03/2024
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Steve Simonin, President and CEO of Iowa Specialty Hospital and Clinics. Focuses on how healthcare systems can invest in their communities, strategies for ensuring long-term rural health sustainability, and the importance of maintaining communication with state and federal support systems.
Date: 03/2024
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Last Updated: 10/16/2024