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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Critical Access Hospitals

Trends in Risk of Financial Distress among Rural Hospitals from 2015 to 2019
Details the proportion of rural hospitals, including Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), at high risk of financial distress by Census region and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reimbursement type from 2015 to 2019.
Author(s): Sharita R. Thomas, George H. Pink, Kristin Reiter
Date: 04/2019
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Hospitals' Use of Electronic Health Records Data, 2015-2017
Analyzes 2015 to 2017 data from the American Hospital Association Information Technology Survey to determine trends in how electronic health records (EHR) data is used to inform clinical practices and hospital processes. Includes information on EHR data use in small, rural, and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs).
Author(s): Sonal Parasrampuria, Jawanna Henry
Date: 04/2019
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Hospital Compare Quality Measure Results for CAHs, 2017
Examines Hospital Compare inpatient and outpatient process of care and structural measures among Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in 2017. Includes data on reporting rates and performance for specific quality measures, and state-by-state comparison of CAH reporting rates for inpatient and outpatient measures.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Tongtan Chantarat, Mariah Quick, Ashleigh Norris, Ira Moscovice
Date: 04/2019
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Electronic Capabilities for Patient Engagement among U.S. Non-Federal Acute Care Hospitals: 2013-2017
Describes hospital trends regarding patients' ability to view, download, and transmit (VDT) electronic health information and other capabilities related to online patient engagement. Provides data and analysis by hospital type, including Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural hospitals, on the percent of: hospitals where patients can VDT their health data electronically; active patient portals; and hospitals offering electronic capabilities to their patients, such as refill requests, bill pay, and other services.
Author(s): JaWanna Henry, Wes Barker, Lolita Kachay
Date: 04/2019
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP, March 2019
Reports on three aspects of Medicaid: improving the structure of Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payment reductions, oversight of upper payment limits for supplemental payments to hospitals, and Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments to states. Chapter 3 includes the annual report on DSH payments, which provide support to safety-net hospitals to help offset uncompensated care costs for Medicaid and uninsured patients. Table 3-1 identifies DSH spending for urban and rural hospitals and for Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Pender Community Hospital Uses SRHT Project to Propel Forward
Highlights a Critical Access Hospital in Nebraska that participated in a Small Rural Hospital Transition (SRHT) project focused on discharge issues, electronic health record improvements, and Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) status for system clinics. Discusses project implementation, hospital culture, and project outcomes.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Implementation and Early Results of the Flex Program's Innovative Models Program Area: Final Evaluation Report
Reports on the implementation of the Flex Program and the integration of the Innovative Health Care Models (Innovative Projects) program area in 7 states focused on telehealth, care coordination, and quality improvement. Highlights lessons learned, program discussion, and the evaluation methods for each of the projects. Builds on a 2018 briefing paper, An Interim Evaluation Report of the Innovative Projects Portfolio of the Medicare Flex Grant Program.
Author(s): John A. Gale, Sara Kahn-Troster, Andrew Coburn
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Addressing Rural Workforce Shortages and Healthcare Disparities: An Annotated Bibliography
Report designed to inform policy discussions and future publications concerning healthcare disparities and outcomes, the distribution of physicians in rural areas, and the graduate medical education system financing. Also includes sections on rural hospital closures, social determinants of health, and healthcare safety net facilities. Constructed from a literature review, expert-recommended articles, and a search of white and grey literature.
Author(s): Dara Khatib, Alison Huffstetler, Andrew Bazemore
Date: 02/2019
Sponsoring organization: Robert Graham Center
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Improving Rural Systems of Care for Time Critical Diagnoses: A Review of State Flex Program Activities
Examines state Flex program initiatives to improve time critical diagnoses (TCD) care systems and integrate rural emergency medical services (EMS) into area care systems, particularly Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Briefly describes what each of the 17 participating states did to collaborate with EMS stakeholders, enhance TCD capacity, support EMS training, provide technical assistance to local EMS agencies, and collect EMS and TCD data.
Author(s): John A. Gale, Karen Pearson
Date: 01/2019
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Rural Health Research Recap: Quality of Care in Rural Hospitals
Describes methods used to collect data on rural hospital care quality and offers findings comparing quality in rural and urban hospitals. Features statistics on CMS star quality ratings in 2017, with breakdowns by rural and urban locations.
Author(s): Shawnda Schroeder
Date: 01/2019
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
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