Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Hospitals
CAH Quality Inventory & Assessment - State Flex Program Resources
Provides ancillary materials related to the 2025 Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Quality Inventory & Assessment (Assessment) for State Flex Programs (SFPs). Includes resources on the background and components of the Assessment for State Flex Programs, a template email that State Flex Programs can use to send to CAHs regarding the Assessment, and instructions for State Flex Programs detailing how to use the Assessment Data Tool for 2024 Assessment.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Robert Barclay, Madeleine Pick
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Provides ancillary materials related to the 2025 Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Quality Inventory & Assessment (Assessment) for State Flex Programs (SFPs). Includes resources on the background and components of the Assessment for State Flex Programs, a template email that State Flex Programs can use to send to CAHs regarding the Assessment, and instructions for State Flex Programs detailing how to use the Assessment Data Tool for 2024 Assessment.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Robert Barclay, Madeleine Pick
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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CAH Quality Inventory & Assessment Resources
Provides a list of resources for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to use to complete the 2025 CAH Quality Inventory and Assessment (Assessment). Includes resources regarding the background and components of the Assessment and instructions for each question.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Robert Barclay, Madeleine Pick
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Provides a list of resources for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to use to complete the 2025 CAH Quality Inventory and Assessment (Assessment). Includes resources regarding the background and components of the Assessment and instructions for each question.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Robert Barclay, Madeleine Pick
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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HCAHPS Toolkit for Critical Access Hospitals
Designed to assist Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in reporting and utilizing Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) data. Provides a detailed description of HCAHPS as a Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) core measure, strategies for improving HCAHPS survey response rates, and answers to common HCAHPS questions. Offers recommendations for utilizing HCAHPS data reports from vendors and the Flex Monitoring Team (FMT) and improving HCAHPS scores.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Designed to assist Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in reporting and utilizing Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) data. Provides a detailed description of HCAHPS as a Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) core measure, strategies for improving HCAHPS survey response rates, and answers to common HCAHPS questions. Offers recommendations for utilizing HCAHPS data reports from vendors and the Flex Monitoring Team (FMT) and improving HCAHPS scores.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) Model Frequently Asked Questions
Provides answers to frequently asked questions regarding the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation. Covers general information, Conditions of Participation, and REH payment policies.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Mathematica, Rural Health Redesign Center
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Provides answers to frequently asked questions regarding the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation. Covers general information, Conditions of Participation, and REH payment policies.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Mathematica, Rural Health Redesign Center
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Rural Hospital Philanthropy: Community Awareness and Willingness to Donate to the Georgia Rural Hospital Tax Credit Program
Examines awareness of and willingness to participate in Georgia's Rural Hospital Tax Credit program, utilizing survey data of 940 people living in rural South Georgia communities served by eligible local hospitals. Includes data on associations between willingness to donate to rural hospitals and satisfaction with hospital quality, tax credit program awareness, and demographic factors such as household income and educational attainment. Discusses philanthropy as a source of financial support for rural hospitals.
Author(s): Linda Kimsey, Bettye A. Apenteng, Samuel T. Opoku, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 980
Date: 07/2025
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Examines awareness of and willingness to participate in Georgia's Rural Hospital Tax Credit program, utilizing survey data of 940 people living in rural South Georgia communities served by eligible local hospitals. Includes data on associations between willingness to donate to rural hospitals and satisfaction with hospital quality, tax credit program awareness, and demographic factors such as household income and educational attainment. Discusses philanthropy as a source of financial support for rural hospitals.
Author(s): Linda Kimsey, Bettye A. Apenteng, Samuel T. Opoku, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 980
Date: 07/2025
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The Impact of Rural Hospital Closures and Mergers on Health System Ecologies: A Scoping Review
Examines 46 studies on rural hospital closures and mergers between 2010 to 2023, with a focus on understanding health system impacts, finances, workforce, utilization, access to facilities and services, and community and economic well-being.
Author(s): Alison Coates, Janice Probst, Kanika Sarwal, Suhaib Riaz, Agnes Grudniewicz
Citation: Medical Care Research and Review, 82(5)
Date: 07/2025
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Examines 46 studies on rural hospital closures and mergers between 2010 to 2023, with a focus on understanding health system impacts, finances, workforce, utilization, access to facilities and services, and community and economic well-being.
Author(s): Alison Coates, Janice Probst, Kanika Sarwal, Suhaib Riaz, Agnes Grudniewicz
Citation: Medical Care Research and Review, 82(5)
Date: 07/2025
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AHEAD CMS-Designed Medicare FFS HGB Calculator Tool for Acute Care Hospitals Demonstration
Provides an overview and demonstration of the CMS-Designed Medicare Fee-for-Service Hospital Global Budget (HGB) Calculator Tool, which aims to support fee-for-service acute care hospitals in understanding the HGB financial methodology for the AHEAD Model. Discusses how an AHEAD Medicare Fee-for-Service Hospital Global Budget is constructed.
Additional links: AHEAD Model CMS-Designed Medicare FFS Acute Care Hospital Global Budget Calculator Tool, AHEAD Model: CMS-Designed Medicare Hospital Global Budget Acute Care Hospital Calculator Tool At-A-Glance
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview and demonstration of the CMS-Designed Medicare Fee-for-Service Hospital Global Budget (HGB) Calculator Tool, which aims to support fee-for-service acute care hospitals in understanding the HGB financial methodology for the AHEAD Model. Discusses how an AHEAD Medicare Fee-for-Service Hospital Global Budget is constructed.
Additional links: AHEAD Model CMS-Designed Medicare FFS Acute Care Hospital Global Budget Calculator Tool, AHEAD Model: CMS-Designed Medicare Hospital Global Budget Acute Care Hospital Calculator Tool At-A-Glance
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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AHEAD CMS-Designed Medicare FFS Hospital Global Budget Calculator Tool for Critical Access Hospital
Provides an overview and demonstration of the CMS-Designed Medicare Fee-for-Service Hospital Global Budget (HGB) Calculator Tool for Critical Access Hospitals, which aims to support eligible CAHs in understanding the key elements of the AHEAD Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) HGB methodology. Discusses key differences in the hospital global budget construction and methodology for critical access hospitals and fee-for-service hospitals.
Additional links: AHEAD Model CMS-Designed Medicare FFS Critical Access Hospital Global Budget Calculator Tool, AHEAD Model: CMS-Designed Medicare Hospital Global Budget Critical Access Hospital Calculator Tool At-A-Glance
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview and demonstration of the CMS-Designed Medicare Fee-for-Service Hospital Global Budget (HGB) Calculator Tool for Critical Access Hospitals, which aims to support eligible CAHs in understanding the key elements of the AHEAD Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) HGB methodology. Discusses key differences in the hospital global budget construction and methodology for critical access hospitals and fee-for-service hospitals.
Additional links: AHEAD Model CMS-Designed Medicare FFS Critical Access Hospital Global Budget Calculator Tool, AHEAD Model: CMS-Designed Medicare Hospital Global Budget Critical Access Hospital Calculator Tool At-A-Glance
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Prepublication Requirements: Obstetrical Services Requirements
Outlines new and revised Joint Commission standards and Elements of Performance (EPs) for Critical Access Hospitals to align with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Conditions of Participation (CoPs) regarding obstetric care.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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Outlines new and revised Joint Commission standards and Elements of Performance (EPs) for Critical Access Hospitals to align with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Conditions of Participation (CoPs) regarding obstetric care.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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Critical Access Hospital and Hospital Requirements Streamlined to Reduce Burden
Outlines streamlined Joint Commission requirements for accreditation and Elements of Performance (EPs) for hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Includes links to survey process guides, disposition reports, and crosswalk and crosswalk compare reports for each deemed program's Conditions of Participation and the equivalent Joint Commission EPs.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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Outlines streamlined Joint Commission requirements for accreditation and Elements of Performance (EPs) for hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Includes links to survey process guides, disposition reports, and crosswalk and crosswalk compare reports for each deemed program's Conditions of Participation and the equivalent Joint Commission EPs.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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