Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Critical Access Hospitals
Ten Things to Know about Texas Rural Hospitals
Fact sheet on rural hospitals' role in supporting access to care and economic health in Texas, with additional data on rural hospital closures and support for hospital operations. Includes a map of rural Texas hospitals by county, including Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs).
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals
view details
Fact sheet on rural hospitals' role in supporting access to care and economic health in Texas, with additional data on rural hospital closures and support for hospital operations. Includes a map of rural Texas hospitals by county, including Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs).
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals
view details
Antibiotic Stewardship Detailed Data Summarization Tool for State Flex Programs: 2023 Annual Facility Survey
Tool to help state Flex programs summarize and utilize the Core and Detailed Annual Facility Survey antibiotic stewardship data. Provides a core element summary and a question-by-question summary of Critical Access Hospital responses.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
Tool to help state Flex programs summarize and utilize the Core and Detailed Annual Facility Survey antibiotic stewardship data. Provides a core element summary and a question-by-question summary of Critical Access Hospital responses.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
RHCs, FQHCs, Tribal Clinics and CAHs in Rural Oregon
Shows a county-level map of Oregon identifying the Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), tribal clinics, and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Highlights rural, urban, and frontier areas.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Oregon Office of Rural Health
view details
Shows a county-level map of Oregon identifying the Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), tribal clinics, and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Highlights rural, urban, and frontier areas.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Oregon Office of Rural Health
view details
South Dakota Critical Access Hospitals
County-level map of South Dakota showing locations of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs).
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: South Dakota Office of Rural Health
view details
County-level map of South Dakota showing locations of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs).
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: South Dakota Office of Rural Health
view details
The University of Arizona Center for Rural Health Annual Report FY 2024-2025
Highlights the Center for Rural Health's past-year accomplishments, and describes challenges and opportunities for improving the health of rural Arizonans in the upcoming year. Discusses the State Office of Rural Health, Arizona Health Improvement Plan (AzHIP), Arizona Rural Hospital Flexibility program (AzFLEX), Arizona Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (AzSHIP), and other programs. Includes a map of rural and safety net health facilities.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Center for Rural Health
view details
Highlights the Center for Rural Health's past-year accomplishments, and describes challenges and opportunities for improving the health of rural Arizonans in the upcoming year. Discusses the State Office of Rural Health, Arizona Health Improvement Plan (AzHIP), Arizona Rural Hospital Flexibility program (AzFLEX), Arizona Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (AzSHIP), and other programs. Includes a map of rural and safety net health facilities.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Center for Rural Health
view details
Financial Performance Gaps Between Critical Access Hospitals and Other Acute Care Hospitals
Research letter examining how system affiliation impacted hospital financial measures for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and non-CAHs between 2020 and 2022.
Author(s): Christopher Whaley, Marilyn Bartlett, Ge Bai
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 5(12)
Date: 12/2024
view details
Research letter examining how system affiliation impacted hospital financial measures for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and non-CAHs between 2020 and 2022.
Author(s): Christopher Whaley, Marilyn Bartlett, Ge Bai
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 5(12)
Date: 12/2024
view details
Medicare Could save Billions with Comparable Access for Enrollees If Critical Access Hospital Payments for Swing-Bed Services Were Similar to Those of the Fee-for-Service Prospective Payment System
Describes the use of swing beds for skilled nursing services at Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and average daily Medicare reimbursement for these services from 2015 through 2020. Examines data from a sample of 100 CAHs to determine whether Medicare enrollees would have had access to the same skilled nursing services provided by CAHs at alternative facilities within a 35-mile driving distance. Compares the average daily reimbursement for skilled nursing services at CAHs and alternative facilities, as well as the potential savings to Medicare if CAHs were reimbursed for skilled nursing services under the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Prospective Payment System (PPS).
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
view details
Describes the use of swing beds for skilled nursing services at Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and average daily Medicare reimbursement for these services from 2015 through 2020. Examines data from a sample of 100 CAHs to determine whether Medicare enrollees would have had access to the same skilled nursing services provided by CAHs at alternative facilities within a 35-mile driving distance. Compares the average daily reimbursement for skilled nursing services at CAHs and alternative facilities, as well as the potential savings to Medicare if CAHs were reimbursed for skilled nursing services under the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Prospective Payment System (PPS).
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
view details
The Pennsylvania Rural Health Model (PARHM): Fourth Annual Evaluation Report
Evaluates the fourth performance year of the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model (PARHM), an initiative designed to test if global budgets can help rural hospitals improve their financial viability, provide flexibility to meet locally defined community health needs, and reduce overall healthcare spending. Provides an overview of the model and describes the implementation experience of participating hospitals and payers. Presents a descriptive quantitative assessment of financial performance, spending and utilization, access to care, and quality of care outcomes from 2016, the model's baseline, through 2022. Includes three case studies discussing three themes: experiences with global budget reconciliation, behavioral health transformation, and interactions and alignment between PARHM and other value-based care programs.
Additional links: Appendix, Findings at a Glance
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, NORC at the University of Chicago
view details
Evaluates the fourth performance year of the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model (PARHM), an initiative designed to test if global budgets can help rural hospitals improve their financial viability, provide flexibility to meet locally defined community health needs, and reduce overall healthcare spending. Provides an overview of the model and describes the implementation experience of participating hospitals and payers. Presents a descriptive quantitative assessment of financial performance, spending and utilization, access to care, and quality of care outcomes from 2016, the model's baseline, through 2022. Includes three case studies discussing three themes: experiences with global budget reconciliation, behavioral health transformation, and interactions and alignment between PARHM and other value-based care programs.
Additional links: Appendix, Findings at a Glance
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, NORC at the University of Chicago
view details
Hospital Margins Rebounded in 2023, But Rural Hospitals and Those With High Medicaid Shares Were Struggling More Than Others
Examines hospital margins for non-federal general short-term hospitals in the U.S. from 2018 through 2023, with a focus on operating margins. Analyzes RAND Hospital Data to explore the extent to which hospitals profited or lost money on patient care and other operating activities. Discusses differences in operating margins by hospital characteristics, including hospital ownership type, commercial share, size, rural or urban location, and Medicare rural payment designation.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
Examines hospital margins for non-federal general short-term hospitals in the U.S. from 2018 through 2023, with a focus on operating margins. Analyzes RAND Hospital Data to explore the extent to which hospitals profited or lost money on patient care and other operating activities. Discusses differences in operating margins by hospital characteristics, including hospital ownership type, commercial share, size, rural or urban location, and Medicare rural payment designation.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
Critical Access Hospital Financial Sustainability Guide
Provides guidance and assistance to state Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program personnel, leaders of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), and others helping CAHs manage long-term financial stability. Presents potential interventions CAHs may use to address ongoing and systemic financial challenges in rural healthcare.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organizations: EideBailly, National Rural Health Resource Center
view details
Provides guidance and assistance to state Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program personnel, leaders of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), and others helping CAHs manage long-term financial stability. Presents potential interventions CAHs may use to address ongoing and systemic financial challenges in rural healthcare.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organizations: EideBailly, National Rural Health Resource Center
view details