Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Critical Access Hospitals
Selected Rural Healthcare Facilities in Alabama
Shows the state's Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs), and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), as well as Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) sites and short term/PPS (Prospective Payment System) hospitals located in rural areas.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Shows the state's Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs), and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), as well as Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) sites and short term/PPS (Prospective Payment System) hospitals located in rural areas.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs)
Printable map that shows the location of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) nationwide by state. Data source: data.HRSA.gov, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Printable map that shows the location of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) nationwide by state. Data source: data.HRSA.gov, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare and the Health Care Delivery System, June 2025
Evaluates Medicare payment issues and provides recommendations to the U.S. Congress. Covers proposed reforms to the physician fee schedule updates and the accuracy of relative payment rates; supplemental benefits in Medicare Advantage; home healthcare use among Medicare Advantage enrollees; Part D prescription drug plans for beneficiaries in fee-for-service Medicare and Medicare Advantage; Medicare beneficiaries in nursing homes; the inclusion of rural providers in current Medicare fee-for-service quality reporting programs; and recommendations related to reducing beneficiary cost sharing for outpatient services at Critical Access Hospitals. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
Evaluates Medicare payment issues and provides recommendations to the U.S. Congress. Covers proposed reforms to the physician fee schedule updates and the accuracy of relative payment rates; supplemental benefits in Medicare Advantage; home healthcare use among Medicare Advantage enrollees; Part D prescription drug plans for beneficiaries in fee-for-service Medicare and Medicare Advantage; Medicare beneficiaries in nursing homes; the inclusion of rural providers in current Medicare fee-for-service quality reporting programs; and recommendations related to reducing beneficiary cost sharing for outpatient services at Critical Access Hospitals. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
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.
view details
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.
view details
Impact of Telemental Health on Suicide Prevention Care in U.S. Emergency Departments
Describes results of a survey of 977 hospital emergency departments regarding the use of telemental healthcare, and presents data by hospital characteristics, including rural location and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) status. Explores whether access to telemental healthcare affects use of six recommended suicide prevention practices. Compares the use of suicide prevention practices among patients with identified suicide risk by telemental healthcare status and CAH designation.
Author(s): Stephanie K. Doupnik, Cadence F. Bowden, Diana Worsley, et al.
Citation: Academic Emergency Medicine, 32(9), 956-965
Date: 05/2025
view details
Describes results of a survey of 977 hospital emergency departments regarding the use of telemental healthcare, and presents data by hospital characteristics, including rural location and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) status. Explores whether access to telemental healthcare affects use of six recommended suicide prevention practices. Compares the use of suicide prevention practices among patients with identified suicide risk by telemental healthcare status and CAH designation.
Author(s): Stephanie K. Doupnik, Cadence F. Bowden, Diana Worsley, et al.
Citation: Academic Emergency Medicine, 32(9), 956-965
Date: 05/2025
view details