Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Critical Access Hospitals
Prepublication Requirements: Obstetrical Services Requirements
Outlines new and revised Joint Commission standards and Elements of Performance (EPs) for Critical Access Hospitals to align with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Conditions of Participation (CoPs) regarding obstetric care.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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Outlines new and revised Joint Commission standards and Elements of Performance (EPs) for Critical Access Hospitals to align with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Conditions of Participation (CoPs) regarding obstetric care.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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Critical Access Hospital and Hospital Requirements Streamlined to Reduce Burden
Outlines streamlined Joint Commission requirements for accreditation and Elements of Performance (EPs) for hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Includes links to survey process guides, disposition reports, and crosswalk and crosswalk compare reports for each deemed program's Conditions of Participation and the equivalent Joint Commission EPs.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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Outlines streamlined Joint Commission requirements for accreditation and Elements of Performance (EPs) for hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Includes links to survey process guides, disposition reports, and crosswalk and crosswalk compare reports for each deemed program's Conditions of Participation and the equivalent Joint Commission EPs.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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AHEAD CMS-Designed Medicare FFS Hospital Global Budget Calculator Tool for Critical Access Hospital
Provides an overview and demonstration of the CMS-Designed Medicare Fee-for-Service Hospital Global Budget (HGB) Calculator Tool for Critical Access Hospitals, which aims to support eligible CAHs in understanding the key elements of the AHEAD Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) HGB methodology. Discusses key differences in the hospital global budget construction and methodology for Critical Access Hospitals and fee-for-service hospitals.
Additional links: AHEAD Model CMS-Designed Medicare FFS Critical Access Hospital Global Budget Calculator Tool, AHEAD Model: CMS-Designed Medicare Hospital Global Budget Critical Access Hospital Calculator Tool At-A-Glance
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview and demonstration of the CMS-Designed Medicare Fee-for-Service Hospital Global Budget (HGB) Calculator Tool for Critical Access Hospitals, which aims to support eligible CAHs in understanding the key elements of the AHEAD Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) HGB methodology. Discusses key differences in the hospital global budget construction and methodology for Critical Access Hospitals and fee-for-service hospitals.
Additional links: AHEAD Model CMS-Designed Medicare FFS Critical Access Hospital Global Budget Calculator Tool, AHEAD Model: CMS-Designed Medicare Hospital Global Budget Critical Access Hospital Calculator Tool At-A-Glance
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Electronic Public Health Reporting Among Non-Federal Acute Care Hospitals, 2024
Data brief examining public health reporting among acute care hospitals, including rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), in 2024 using data from the the 2024 American Hospital Association (AHA) Information Technology (IT) supplement. Presents data on the mean number of public health reporting types completed by hospital size, CAH status, rural/urban location, and independent/system affiliation. Describes challenges hospitals face with electronic public health reporting and electronic health information, such as lack of capacity to exchange electronically, interface issues, and differing vocabulary standards. Appendix Table A1 presents data on the methods used to submit data electronically across four data streams - immunization registry, syndromic surveillance, electronic lab reporting, and electronic case reporting - by hospital characteristics.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Data brief examining public health reporting among acute care hospitals, including rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), in 2024 using data from the the 2024 American Hospital Association (AHA) Information Technology (IT) supplement. Presents data on the mean number of public health reporting types completed by hospital size, CAH status, rural/urban location, and independent/system affiliation. Describes challenges hospitals face with electronic public health reporting and electronic health information, such as lack of capacity to exchange electronically, interface issues, and differing vocabulary standards. Appendix Table A1 presents data on the methods used to submit data electronically across four data streams - immunization registry, syndromic surveillance, electronic lab reporting, and electronic case reporting - by hospital characteristics.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Accelerating Better Health Outcomes in Rural America with Mindy Cook and Kallie Provost
Podcast episode discussing the American Heart Association's Rural Health Care Outcomes Accelerator Program and cardiovascular healthcare in rural hospitals. Profiles Cox Monett Hospital, a Critical Access Hospital in southwest Missouri, and its adoption and implementation of two initiatives as part of the Rural Health Care Outcomes Accelerator Program.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Impact! Communications, Inc.
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Podcast episode discussing the American Heart Association's Rural Health Care Outcomes Accelerator Program and cardiovascular healthcare in rural hospitals. Profiles Cox Monett Hospital, a Critical Access Hospital in southwest Missouri, and its adoption and implementation of two initiatives as part of the Rural Health Care Outcomes Accelerator Program.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Impact! Communications, Inc.
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Arizona Critical Access Hospitals: Community Health Needs 2025
Summarizes Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) priorities, data collection methods, strategies, and suggested resources of 11 Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) participating in the Arizona Rural Hospital Flexibility (AzFlex) program. Highlights topics including access to care, chronic disease management, mental health and substance use, and more.
Author(s): Brianna Rooney, Joyce Hospodar, Jill Bullock, Dan Derksen
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Center for Rural Health
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Summarizes Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) priorities, data collection methods, strategies, and suggested resources of 11 Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) participating in the Arizona Rural Hospital Flexibility (AzFlex) program. Highlights topics including access to care, chronic disease management, mental health and substance use, and more.
Author(s): Brianna Rooney, Joyce Hospodar, Jill Bullock, Dan Derksen
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Center for Rural Health
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MBQIP Navigator: Your Guide to Quality Reporting Success
Offers Flex Coordinators, Critical Access Hospital staff, and others who are working with the Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) information to better understand the measure reporting process. Discusses how to register for the reporting site, which measures are to be reported, and how to submit data for each measure.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Quality Improvement Technical Assistance (RQITA) Resource Center
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Offers Flex Coordinators, Critical Access Hospital staff, and others who are working with the Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) information to better understand the measure reporting process. Discusses how to register for the reporting site, which measures are to be reported, and how to submit data for each measure.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Quality Improvement Technical Assistance (RQITA) Resource Center
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The Impact of High Hospital Fixed-Cost Ratios on Rural Populations
Explores how rurality relates to hospital cost structures as categorized by Urban Influence Codes (UICs). Describes the characteristics of hospitals at different fixed-to-total-cost ratio levels, the demographics associated with hospitals at different ratio levels, and the share of nonmetropolitan hospitals that have Critical Access Hospital (CAH) or Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) designations. Discusses how findings could be used to refine hospital payment policies.
Author(s): Abigail Barker, Eliot Jost, Timothy McBride, Keith Mueller
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Explores how rurality relates to hospital cost structures as categorized by Urban Influence Codes (UICs). Describes the characteristics of hospitals at different fixed-to-total-cost ratio levels, the demographics associated with hospitals at different ratio levels, and the share of nonmetropolitan hospitals that have Critical Access Hospital (CAH) or Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) designations. Discusses how findings could be used to refine hospital payment policies.
Author(s): Abigail Barker, Eliot Jost, Timothy McBride, Keith Mueller
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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MBQIP Quality Measures National Annual Report - 2023
Summarizes quality measure reporting rates and performance among Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in 2023. Presents data on the four Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) domains: patient safety/inpatient, outpatient, patient engagement, and care transitions.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Alyssa Furukawa, Madeleine Pick, Robert Barclay
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Summarizes quality measure reporting rates and performance among Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in 2023. Presents data on the four Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) domains: patient safety/inpatient, outpatient, patient engagement, and care transitions.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Alyssa Furukawa, Madeleine Pick, Robert Barclay
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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CAHMPAS Technical Bulletin: Revised Benchmarks and Data Exclusion Rules
Describes a review of 12 Critical Access Hospital Measurement and Performance Assessment System (CAHMPAS) benchmarks to reflect current operating conditions. Details which benchmarks were revised, unchanged, discontinued, or added. Also discusses revisions to the data exclusion rules to improve data quality.
Author(s): Aditya R. Pillutla, Kristie W. Thompson, George Pink, Kristin L. Reiter
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Describes a review of 12 Critical Access Hospital Measurement and Performance Assessment System (CAHMPAS) benchmarks to reflect current operating conditions. Details which benchmarks were revised, unchanged, discontinued, or added. Also discusses revisions to the data exclusion rules to improve data quality.
Author(s): Aditya R. Pillutla, Kristie W. Thompson, George Pink, Kristin L. Reiter
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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