Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Critical Access Hospitals
Arkansas Rural Hospital Assessment: Final Report
An assessment of 18 rural Arkansas hospitals with regard to their financial stability, workforce challenges, facilities, distance from other facilities, sustainability, and more. Compares Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) and non-CAHs in the state. Discusses decision-making around the Rural Emergency Hospital designation.
Author(s): Alvarez & Marsal Public Sector Services LLC
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Arkansas Department of Finance & Administration
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An assessment of 18 rural Arkansas hospitals with regard to their financial stability, workforce challenges, facilities, distance from other facilities, sustainability, and more. Compares Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) and non-CAHs in the state. Discusses decision-making around the Rural Emergency Hospital designation.
Author(s): Alvarez & Marsal Public Sector Services LLC
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Arkansas Department of Finance & Administration
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The Impact of COVID-19 on CAH Financial Indicators
Describes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Critical Access Hospital (CAH) financial indicators. Compares summary statistics on CAH financial indicators across eight categories in the six years prior to the pandemic (April 2015 - March 2020) to the same metrics during the pandemic (April 2020 - March 2022).
Author(s): Laura McFadyen, George Pink, Susie Gurzenda, Kristie W. Thompson, Kristin L. Reiter
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Describes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Critical Access Hospital (CAH) financial indicators. Compares summary statistics on CAH financial indicators across eight categories in the six years prior to the pandemic (April 2015 - March 2020) to the same metrics during the pandemic (April 2020 - March 2022).
Author(s): Laura McFadyen, George Pink, Susie Gurzenda, Kristie W. Thompson, Kristin L. Reiter
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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The Impact of COVID-19 Funding on Profitability of Critical Access Hospitals
Examines the impacts of COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) funding on Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Compares CAH operating margins in the six years prior to the pandemic (April 2015 - March 2020) to operating margins during the pandemic (April 2020 - March 2022). Offers estimates to what CAH profitability would have been if CAHs did not receive PHE funding.
Author(s): Laura McFadyen, George Pink, Susie Gurzenda, Kristie W. Thompson, Kristin L. Reiter
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Examines the impacts of COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) funding on Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Compares CAH operating margins in the six years prior to the pandemic (April 2015 - March 2020) to operating margins during the pandemic (April 2020 - March 2022). Offers estimates to what CAH profitability would have been if CAHs did not receive PHE funding.
Author(s): Laura McFadyen, George Pink, Susie Gurzenda, Kristie W. Thompson, Kristin L. Reiter
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Critical Access Hospitals: Views on How Medicare Payment and Other Factors Affect Behavioral Health Services
Provides an overview of Medicare payment policies for care provided by Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Explores how CAHs provide behavioral health services in their communities. Summarizes findings from interviews with officials from 10 CAHs, stakeholder organizations, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) regarding how Medicare payment policies and other factors affect CAHs' ability to provide behavioral health services.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Provides an overview of Medicare payment policies for care provided by Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Explores how CAHs provide behavioral health services in their communities. Summarizes findings from interviews with officials from 10 CAHs, stakeholder organizations, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) regarding how Medicare payment policies and other factors affect CAHs' ability to provide behavioral health services.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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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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