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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Hospitals

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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Redesigning Care: A How-to Guide for Hospitals and Health Systems Seeking to Implement, Strengthen and Sustain Telebehavioral Health
Describes strategies and actions for hospitals and health systems that want to start, strengthen, and sustain telebehavioral health programs. Details six elements for successful telebehavioral health implementation: leadership commitment; organizational policies and clinical workflows; staff education and training; patient, family, and caregiver engagement; measurement; and community partnerships. Provides tools and resources for each element of success.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organizations: American Hospital Association, National Quality Forum
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Is Duration of Hospital Participation in Meaningful Use Associated with Value in Medicare?
Analyzes hospital participation in Medicare's meaningful use (MU) of electronic health records (EHRs) to determine the extent of their use of value-based initiatives in order to evaluate whether the duration of participation was linked with lower Medicare inpatient spending and lower readmission rates. Data was extracted from CMS sources including the Hospital Compare Website. Hospital-level data for analysis included inpatient spending, accreditation status, hospital location (urban/rural), ownership status, and hospital size.
Author(s): Yanick N. Brice, Karen E. Joynt Maddox
Citation: Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association (JAMIA) Open, 2(2), 238-245
Date: 03/2019
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National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2016 Emergency Department Summary Tables
Provides data on ambulatory care emergency department (ED) hospital visits. Table 1 provides metropolitan/nonmetropolitan ED visit data based on hospital location, Table 2 includes metro/nonmetro ED visit data by location of patient residence, and Table 14 has metro/nonmetro injury visit data based on hospital location.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Inpatient Stays Involving Mental and Substance Use Disorders, 2016
Examines inpatient stays involving mental and substance use disorders at community hospitals among patients 5 years old or older. Provides data on costs, length of stay, discharge status, patient demographics, primary expected payer, and hospital region. Table 2 includes data by location of patient residence for rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Pamela L. Owens, Kathryn R. Fingar, Kimberly W. McDermott, Pradip K. Muhuri, Kevin C. Heslin
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy: Hospital Inpatient and Outpatient Services: Chapter 3
Examines the adequacy of Medicare payments to hospitals in 2017 and offers recommendations for changes. Includes a discussion of rural hospital closures and provides rural/urban breakdowns for hospital occupancy rates, Medicare inpatient discharges, and Medicare margins.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy, 2019
Annual review of Medicare payment policies, with recommendations to Congress. Includes discussion on Medicare payment policies directly affecting rural providers and beneficiaries. Addresses opioids, Medicare Part D, Medicare Advantage, Medicare's quality incentive program for hospitals, and payment adequacy for healthcare facilities and services.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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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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