Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs).
Small Rural Hospitals with Low-Volume Emergency Departments that May Convert to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH)
Explores a variety of characteristics of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural hospitals eligible to convert to the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation, including patient volume, services and technology, EMS, and clinical staffing characteristics. Compares eligible hospitals by emergency department volume in 2019. Summarizes observations made by emergency department physician advisers regarding this data and REH implementation concerns.
Author(s): Margaret Greenwood-Ericksen, T.J. Grant, Susie Gurzenda, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Explores a variety of characteristics of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural hospitals eligible to convert to the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation, including patient volume, services and technology, EMS, and clinical staffing characteristics. Compares eligible hospitals by emergency department volume in 2019. Summarizes observations made by emergency department physician advisers regarding this data and REH implementation concerns.
Author(s): Margaret Greenwood-Ericksen, T.J. Grant, Susie Gurzenda, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Health Workforce Implications for the Rural Emergency Hospital Model
Describes workforce challenges hospitals converting to Rural Emergency Hospital status may experience. Discusses flexible staffing models, utilization of behavioral health providers, colocation of health and human services providers and team-based care, and recruitment and retention.
Author(s): Jacob Rains
Citation: Health Affairs Forefront
Date: 10/2022
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Describes workforce challenges hospitals converting to Rural Emergency Hospital status may experience. Discusses flexible staffing models, utilization of behavioral health providers, colocation of health and human services providers and team-based care, and recruitment and retention.
Author(s): Jacob Rains
Citation: Health Affairs Forefront
Date: 10/2022
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Health Panel Comment Letter – Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Rural Emergency Hospitals
Comments offered in response to a July 26, 2022, Federal Register proposed rule revising the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center (ACS) payment system for calendar year 2023 and establishing Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) payment policy, quality measures, and enrollment policy. Discusses telehealth services for mental healthcare; REH quality measures, telehealth, and Conditions of Participation; and the use of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) data on hospital and skilled nursing facilities changes in ownership.
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Comments offered in response to a July 26, 2022, Federal Register proposed rule revising the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center (ACS) payment system for calendar year 2023 and establishing Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) payment policy, quality measures, and enrollment policy. Discusses telehealth services for mental healthcare; REH quality measures, telehealth, and Conditions of Participation; and the use of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) data on hospital and skilled nursing facilities changes in ownership.
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Medicare's New Rural Emergency Hospital Designation — Considerations for States
Blog post providing an overview of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) program. Discusses the REH designation as an alternative to rural hospital closure and REH payment policy. Highlights opportunities for states to develop REH licensure requirements.
Author(s): Rebekah Falkner, Sam Mermin
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Blog post providing an overview of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) program. Discusses the REH designation as an alternative to rural hospital closure and REH payment policy. Highlights opportunities for states to develop REH licensure requirements.
Author(s): Rebekah Falkner, Sam Mermin
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Rural Emergency Hospital Conversion: Critical Factors for EMS Support
Policy position paper focused on emergency medical services (EMS) in communities with hospitals converting to Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) status. Outlines barriers to EMS delivery in rural areas including funding, workforce, and community engagement and support. Includes policy recommendations.
Author(s): Julie Bosak, Jed Hansen
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy position paper focused on emergency medical services (EMS) in communities with hospitals converting to Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) status. Outlines barriers to EMS delivery in rural areas including funding, workforce, and community engagement and support. Includes policy recommendations.
Author(s): Julie Bosak, Jed Hansen
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Rural Emergency Hospital: Policy Brief and Recommendations to the Secretary
Describes the development of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation in response to rural hospital closures and issues accessing emergency care. Lists statutory requirements for hospitals wishing to become an REH, and offers policy recommendations related to participation conditions, quality reporting, reimbursement, and emergency medical transfer agreement.
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Describes the development of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation in response to rural hospital closures and issues accessing emergency care. Lists statutory requirements for hospitals wishing to become an REH, and offers policy recommendations related to participation conditions, quality reporting, reimbursement, and emergency medical transfer agreement.
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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How Many Hospitals Might Convert to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH)?
Results of a study to predict the number of rural hospitals with 50 beds or fewer that are likely to consider conversion to Rural Emergency Hospital designation under the Medicare program. Features statistics on number and percent of complete closures and converted closures between 2011-2020 among hospitals with 50 beds or fewer, and open hospitals as of 2019-2020, with breakdowns by financial measures, operational measures, Medicare payment type, and census division.
Author(s): George H. Pink, Kristie W. Thompson, H. Ann Howard, G. Mark Holmes
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Results of a study to predict the number of rural hospitals with 50 beds or fewer that are likely to consider conversion to Rural Emergency Hospital designation under the Medicare program. Features statistics on number and percent of complete closures and converted closures between 2011-2020 among hospitals with 50 beds or fewer, and open hospitals as of 2019-2020, with breakdowns by financial measures, operational measures, Medicare payment type, and census division.
Author(s): George H. Pink, Kristie W. Thompson, H. Ann Howard, G. Mark Holmes
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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REH Testimonial Interviews
Video series highlighting rural hospitals that successfully transitioned to Rural Emergency Hospital status and assistance that was provided by the REH Technical Assistance Center during the transition.
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Video series highlighting rural hospitals that successfully transitioned to Rural Emergency Hospital status and assistance that was provided by the REH Technical Assistance Center during the transition.
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Quality Reporting Center: Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Program
Provides information, tools, and resources related to the Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Program.
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Health Services Advisory Group
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Provides information, tools, and resources related to the Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Program.
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Health Services Advisory Group
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QualityNet: Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Program
Offers information and resources related to the Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Program, including specifications manuals and REHQR Program measures.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Offers information and resources related to the Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Program, including specifications manuals and REHQR Program measures.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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