Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural Emergency Hospitals
Chartis Center for Rural Health Research & Resources for the 2023 National Rural Health Association's Rural Health Policy Institute Conference
Offers research and analysis of the stability of the rural healthcare safety net. Includes Rural Health Safety Net Under Renewed Pressure as Pandemic Fades and presentation slides on this report from the 2023 National Rural Health Association Policy Institute. Provides links to national and state data tables showing the financial impact of federal policies on rural hospitals.
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Offers research and analysis of the stability of the rural healthcare safety net. Includes Rural Health Safety Net Under Renewed Pressure as Pandemic Fades and presentation slides on this report from the 2023 National Rural Health Association Policy Institute. Provides links to national and state data tables showing the financial impact of federal policies on rural hospitals.
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Rural Health Safety Net Under Renewed Pressure as Pandemic Fades
Examines financial and operational metrics for rural hospitals, comparing hospitals in states that did and did not expand Medicaid, as well as the discontinuation of obstetrics and chemotherapy services. Discusses how the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation can provide a path forward for some rural facilities and explores seven characteristics that may have the greatest impact on a facility's consideration to convert to an REH.
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Examines financial and operational metrics for rural hospitals, comparing hospitals in states that did and did not expand Medicaid, as well as the discontinuation of obstetrics and chemotherapy services. Discusses how the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation can provide a path forward for some rural facilities and explores seven characteristics that may have the greatest impact on a facility's consideration to convert to an REH.
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Hospitals in Illinois that are Likely to Seek the Rural Emergency Hospital Designation: An Exploratory Analysis
Examines hospitals in Illinois in rural and urban locations that may potentially seek the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation. Analyzes factors such as population density, size of hospital, specialist vs. utilitarian hospital, for-profit status, and more to hypothesize potential REH membership.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Examines hospitals in Illinois in rural and urban locations that may potentially seek the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation. Analyzes factors such as population density, size of hospital, specialist vs. utilitarian hospital, for-profit status, and more to hypothesize potential REH membership.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Orientation to Rural Emergency Hospital Conversion and Technical Assistance
Recording of a January 18, 2023, webinar discussing the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) program. Provides an overview of the REH designation, policy and regulatory requirements, and REH Technical Assistance Center (TAC) services. Transcript available by clicking the dots above the video description, then selecting Show transcript.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Mathematica, Rural Health Redesign Center
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Recording of a January 18, 2023, webinar discussing the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) program. Provides an overview of the REH designation, policy and regulatory requirements, and REH Technical Assistance Center (TAC) services. Transcript available by clicking the dots above the video description, then selecting Show transcript.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Mathematica, Rural Health Redesign Center
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Characteristics of Rural Hospitals Eligible for Conversion to Rural Emergency Hospitals and Three Rural Hospitals Considering Conversion
Findings brief presenting updated data for Rural Emergency Hospital (REH)-eligible hospitals. Compares financial and operational measures of 3 rural hospitals that have expressed interest in REH conversion with those of all 1,787 REH-eligible hospitals. Also discusses what factors may determine the number of rural hospitals that convert to REH, including risk of permanent closure.
Author(s): George Pink, Susie Gurzenda, Kristie Thompson, Ann Howard
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Findings brief presenting updated data for Rural Emergency Hospital (REH)-eligible hospitals. Compares financial and operational measures of 3 rural hospitals that have expressed interest in REH conversion with those of all 1,787 REH-eligible hospitals. Also discusses what factors may determine the number of rural hospitals that convert to REH, including risk of permanent closure.
Author(s): George Pink, Susie Gurzenda, Kristie Thompson, Ann Howard
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Clarity for Rural Emergency Hospitals and Changes for Critical Access Hospitals: CMS Finalizes Conditions of Participation and Payment and Enrollment Policies But Pauses Stark Law Flexibilities
Provides an overview of the Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) provisions of the Calendar Year 2023 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System Final Rule. Discusses REH reimbursement, Conditions of Participation (CoPs), enrollment provisions, and Stark Law regulatory modifications to accommodate REHs. Highlights changes to the definition of "primary roads" related to Critical Access Hospital (CAH) CoPs.
Author(s): Emily Jane Cook, Caroline Reignley, Amber Arnold, Sandra M. DiVarco
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: McDermott Will & Emery
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Provides an overview of the Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) provisions of the Calendar Year 2023 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System Final Rule. Discusses REH reimbursement, Conditions of Participation (CoPs), enrollment provisions, and Stark Law regulatory modifications to accommodate REHs. Highlights changes to the definition of "primary roads" related to Critical Access Hospital (CAH) CoPs.
Author(s): Emily Jane Cook, Caroline Reignley, Amber Arnold, Sandra M. DiVarco
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: McDermott Will & Emery
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Medicare Program: Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems and Quality Reporting Programs; Organ Acquisition; Rural Emergency Hospitals: Payment Policies, Conditions of Participation, Provider Enrollment, Physician Self-Referral; New Service Category for Hospital Outpatient Department Prior Authorization Process; Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating; COVID-19
Establishes the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) provider type. Outlines REH payment policy, Conditions of Participation (CoPs), quality measures, and enrollment policy. Outlines changes to the Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) CoPs regarding location and distance requirements, patient's rights requirements, and flexibilities for CAHs that are part of a larger health system. Among other things, this rule also revises the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center (ACS) payment system for calendar year 2023 and finalizes provisions included in the COVID-19 interim final rules.
Additional links: Fact Sheet
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Establishes the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) provider type. Outlines REH payment policy, Conditions of Participation (CoPs), quality measures, and enrollment policy. Outlines changes to the Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) CoPs regarding location and distance requirements, patient's rights requirements, and flexibilities for CAHs that are part of a larger health system. Among other things, this rule also revises the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center (ACS) payment system for calendar year 2023 and finalizes provisions included in the COVID-19 interim final rules.
Additional links: Fact Sheet
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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CY 2023 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System Final Rule (CMS 1772-FC) Rural Emergency Hospitals — New Medicare Provider Type
Provides an overview of Rural Emergency Hospitals, a Medicare provider type established by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. Details key policies outlined in the Calendar Year 2023 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System Final Rule, including payment policies, conditions of participation, REH provider enrollment, and exceptions to the physician self-referral law.
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of Rural Emergency Hospitals, a Medicare provider type established by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. Details key policies outlined in the Calendar Year 2023 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System Final Rule, including payment policies, conditions of participation, REH provider enrollment, and exceptions to the physician self-referral law.
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Key Considerations for a Rural Hospital Assessing Conversion to Rural Emergency Hospital
Offers a conceptual framework of key considerations for rural hospitals contemplating conversion to a rural emergency hospital (REH). Covers financial feasibility, workforce, community impact, partnerships, and regulatory considerations.
Author(s): Kristin Reiter, T.J. Grant, Susie Gurzenda, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Offers a conceptual framework of key considerations for rural hospitals contemplating conversion to a rural emergency hospital (REH). Covers financial feasibility, workforce, community impact, partnerships, and regulatory considerations.
Author(s): Kristin Reiter, T.J. Grant, Susie Gurzenda, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Small Rural Hospitals with Low-Volume Emergency Departments that May Convert to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH)
Explores a variety of characteristics of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural hospitals eligible to convert to the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation, including patient volume, services and technology, EMS, and clinical staffing characteristics. Compares eligible hospitals by emergency department volume in 2019. Summarizes observations made by emergency department physician advisers regarding this data and REH implementation concerns.
Author(s): Margaret Greenwood-Ericksen, T.J. Grant, Susie Gurzenda, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Explores a variety of characteristics of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural hospitals eligible to convert to the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation, including patient volume, services and technology, EMS, and clinical staffing characteristics. Compares eligible hospitals by emergency department volume in 2019. Summarizes observations made by emergency department physician advisers regarding this data and REH implementation concerns.
Author(s): Margaret Greenwood-Ericksen, T.J. Grant, Susie Gurzenda, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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