Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Critical Access Hospitals
Progress and Ongoing Challenges to Electronic Public Health Reporting Among Non-Federal Acute Care Hospitals
Data brief examining public health reporting among acute care hospitals, including rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), in 2022. Discusses challenges with the exchange of electronic health information, such as lack of capacity to exchange electronically, interface issues, and differing vocabulary standards. Presents data on the mean number of public health reporting types completed by hospital size, CAH status, rural/urban location, and independent/system affiliation. Appendix Table A4 contains data on the number of hospitals surveyed that reported at least one reporting challenge by state.
Author(s): Chelsea Richwine
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/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 2022. Discusses challenges with the exchange of electronic health information, such as lack of capacity to exchange electronically, interface issues, and differing vocabulary standards. Presents data on the mean number of public health reporting types completed by hospital size, CAH status, rural/urban location, and independent/system affiliation. Appendix Table A4 contains data on the number of hospitals surveyed that reported at least one reporting challenge by state.
Author(s): Chelsea Richwine
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Efforts by Critical Access Hospitals to Increase Health Equity Through Greater Engagement with Social Determinants of Health
Examines the ways Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) engage in upstream social determinant of health (SDOH) efforts to improve community health. Analyzes CAH and non-CAH programs that utilize screening, in-house strategies, and external partnerships to address SDOH. Discusses the impacts of SDOH policy on CAHs in rural communities.
Author(s): Bethany Lemont, Neeraj Puro, Berkeley Franz, Cory E. Cronin
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(4), 728-736
Date: 06/2023
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Examines the ways Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) engage in upstream social determinant of health (SDOH) efforts to improve community health. Analyzes CAH and non-CAH programs that utilize screening, in-house strategies, and external partnerships to address SDOH. Discusses the impacts of SDOH policy on CAHs in rural communities.
Author(s): Bethany Lemont, Neeraj Puro, Berkeley Franz, Cory E. Cronin
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(4), 728-736
Date: 06/2023
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How Community Investment Saved a Rural Health System
Profiles Mackinac Straits Health System, a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) serving Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Discusses how the health system used strategic planning and key partnerships to address key needs, recover financially, and move forward.
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Profiles Mackinac Straits Health System, a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) serving Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Discusses how the health system used strategic planning and key partnerships to address key needs, recover financially, and move forward.
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Community Impact and Benefit Activities of Critical Access, Other Rural, and Urban Hospitals, 2021
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.
Date: 05/2023
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.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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How Regional Partnerships Bolster Rural Hospitals
Explores how Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other rural providers partner to overcome challenges. Profiles six regional partnerships that address staffing, quality improvement, contracts with payers, value-based payment, and community development. Offers lessons learned that could inform policy changes to strengthen rural providers.
Author(s): Martha Hostetter, Sarah Klein
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Explores how Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other rural providers partner to overcome challenges. Profiles six regional partnerships that address staffing, quality improvement, contracts with payers, value-based payment, and community development. Offers lessons learned that could inform policy changes to strengthen rural providers.
Author(s): Martha Hostetter, Sarah Klein
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Montana Health Network Provides Care Coordination for Chronic Disease Management
Features a regional care coordination program serving eastern Montana that uses registered nurses to check in with adult patients with chronic conditions and connect them with any needed referrals or community resources.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Features a regional care coordination program serving eastern Montana that uses registered nurses to check in with adult patients with chronic conditions and connect them with any needed referrals or community resources.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Marshall Browning Spotlight Video
Profiles Marshall Browning Hospital, a participant in the 2019 cohort of the Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program (DRCHSD). Describes how shifting the Marshall Browning Hospital mission statement led to improvements to care coordination and transitional care services. Transcript available below description.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Profiles Marshall Browning Hospital, a participant in the 2019 cohort of the Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program (DRCHSD). Describes how shifting the Marshall Browning Hospital mission statement led to improvements to care coordination and transitional care services. Transcript available below description.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Closed, Converted, Merged, and New Hospitals with Medicare Rural Designations: January 2018-November 2022
Provides an overview of four Medicare rural hospital designations - Critical Access Hospital, Low-Volume Hospital, Medicare Dependent Hospital, and Sole Community Hospital - and factors related to financial distress that these designations are intended to address. Explores the number of rural-designated hospitals that have closed, merged, converted, or opened between January 2018-November 2022 and compares the number of rural-designated hospitals with the number of non-designated hospitals. Outlines considerations for Congress regarding policy options for rural hospitals and access to healthcare services in rural areas.
Date: 04/2023
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of four Medicare rural hospital designations - Critical Access Hospital, Low-Volume Hospital, Medicare Dependent Hospital, and Sole Community Hospital - and factors related to financial distress that these designations are intended to address. Explores the number of rural-designated hospitals that have closed, merged, converted, or opened between January 2018-November 2022 and compares the number of rural-designated hospitals with the number of non-designated hospitals. Outlines considerations for Congress regarding policy options for rural hospitals and access to healthcare services in rural areas.
Date: 04/2023
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Analysis of Hospital Operating Margins and Provision of Safety Net Services
Explores the association between five hospital safety net services - undercompensated care measured using the Disproportionate Share Hospital index, uncompensated care, essential community services, and Sole Community Hospital and Critical Access Hospital status - and hospital operating margins. Includes information on the relationship between bed count, Census region, urban/rural location, ownership status, and having a Graduate Medical Education residency program with operating margins.
Author(s): Lukas K. Gaffney, Kenneth A. Michelson
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 6(4), e238785
Date: 04/2023
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Explores the association between five hospital safety net services - undercompensated care measured using the Disproportionate Share Hospital index, uncompensated care, essential community services, and Sole Community Hospital and Critical Access Hospital status - and hospital operating margins. Includes information on the relationship between bed count, Census region, urban/rural location, ownership status, and having a Graduate Medical Education residency program with operating margins.
Author(s): Lukas K. Gaffney, Kenneth A. Michelson
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 6(4), e238785
Date: 04/2023
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Better Together: Rural Hospital High-Value Networks
Examines how rural hospital high-value networks can create economies of scale and value-based care capacity in order to enter into value-based payment contracts.
Author(s): Clint MacKinney, Nate White, Brett Norell
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 04/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Examines how rural hospital high-value networks can create economies of scale and value-based care capacity in order to enter into value-based payment contracts.
Author(s): Clint MacKinney, Nate White, Brett Norell
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 04/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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