Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs).
Critical Access Hospital Requirements: CMS Emergency Preparedness Final Rule
Provides a reference source for Critical Access Hospital (CAH) requirements related to the final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Participating Providers and Suppliers." Includes excerpts from the final rule as well as related CMS interpretive guidelines for CAHs. Addresses the development of an emergency plan, related policies and procedures, communications, training, and more.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response
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Provides a reference source for Critical Access Hospital (CAH) requirements related to the final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Participating Providers and Suppliers." Includes excerpts from the final rule as well as related CMS interpretive guidelines for CAHs. Addresses the development of an emergency plan, related policies and procedures, communications, training, and more.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response
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Opioid and Substance Use Strategies for Critical Access Hospitals
Recording of a February 26, 2021, webinar discussing the role of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in addressing opioid and substance use disorders (O/SUDs) in local systems of care. Provides a framework to support CAH opioid and substance use initiatives. Highlights examples of O/SUD activities taken by CAHs and offers lessons learned.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Recording of a February 26, 2021, webinar discussing the role of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in addressing opioid and substance use disorders (O/SUDs) in local systems of care. Provides a framework to support CAH opioid and substance use initiatives. Highlights examples of O/SUD activities taken by CAHs and offers lessons learned.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Alternatives to Hospital Closure: Findings from a National Survey of CAH Executives
Discusses factors leading to rural hospital closures and alternatives to closure to maintain access to healthcare in rural areas and/or Critical Access Hospital (CAH) viability. Presents data from a survey of 227 CAH CEOs and other management staff, discussing their responses to a list of alternatives to hospital closure, including Rural Health Clinic (RHC) certification, conversion to emergency or urgent care services, Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) certification, and other alternatives.
Author(s): Sharita Thomas, Kristie Thompson, Kathleen Knocke, George Pink
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Discusses factors leading to rural hospital closures and alternatives to closure to maintain access to healthcare in rural areas and/or Critical Access Hospital (CAH) viability. Presents data from a survey of 227 CAH CEOs and other management staff, discussing their responses to a list of alternatives to hospital closure, including Rural Health Clinic (RHC) certification, conversion to emergency or urgent care services, Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) certification, and other alternatives.
Author(s): Sharita Thomas, Kristie Thompson, Kathleen Knocke, George Pink
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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FORHP Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Finder
A tool to help identify free technical assistance services available to rural hospitals and Rural Health Clinics from six Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) supported programs. Find matching TA providers based on facility type, location, and type of assistance.
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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A tool to help identify free technical assistance services available to rural hospitals and Rural Health Clinics from six Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) supported programs. Find matching TA providers based on facility type, location, and type of assistance.
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Discharge Instructions, Readmission, and Mortality
Analyzes discharge, readmission, payment, and mortality data in hospitals by patient-physician communication and health condition. Includes interactive data visualizations comparing metro and nonmetro differences at the county level. Offers a video tutorial for interacting with the data.
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Analyzes discharge, readmission, payment, and mortality data in hospitals by patient-physician communication and health condition. Includes interactive data visualizations comparing metro and nonmetro differences at the county level. Offers a video tutorial for interacting with the data.
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Rural Quality Improvement Technical Assistance (RQITA) Resource Center
Provides technical assistance to Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other rural healthcare organizations to improve healthcare and quality of care using data, measurement, and improvement activities. Offers information and resources on quality improvement and the Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP).
Sponsoring organization: Telligen
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Provides technical assistance to Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other rural healthcare organizations to improve healthcare and quality of care using data, measurement, and improvement activities. Offers information and resources on quality improvement and the Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP).
Sponsoring organization: Telligen
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Hospital Price Transparency
Offers resources for healthcare providers and consumers regarding hospital price transparency regulations and policies. Includes links to a GitHub repository of resources for templates and technical instructions and tools to support hospitals in meeting accessibility and machine-readable file requirements.
Additional links: GitHub Repository
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Offers resources for healthcare providers and consumers regarding hospital price transparency regulations and policies. Includes links to a GitHub repository of resources for templates and technical instructions and tools to support hospitals in meeting accessibility and machine-readable file requirements.
Additional links: GitHub Repository
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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NARHC/3RNET Critical Access Hospital and Rural Health Clinic Job Board
Job board listing openings at Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Includes RHC and CAH jobs added to 3RNET's website. Searchable by profession/specialty and state.
Sponsoring organizations: 3RNET, National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Job board listing openings at Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Includes RHC and CAH jobs added to 3RNET's website. Searchable by profession/specialty and state.
Sponsoring organizations: 3RNET, National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Care Compare
Provides information on the quality of care, cost, volume of services, and other data for Medicare-certified providers. Includes data on doctors and clinicians, hospitals, nursing homes, home health services, hospice care, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, long-term care hospitals, and dialysis facilities.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides information on the quality of care, cost, volume of services, and other data for Medicare-certified providers. Includes data on doctors and clinicians, hospitals, nursing homes, home health services, hospice care, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, long-term care hospitals, and dialysis facilities.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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State Operations Manual Appendix W - Survey Protocol, Regulations and Interpretive Guidelines for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and Swing-Beds in CAHs
Provides details from the State Operations Manual on swing beds for Critical Access Hospitals.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides details from the State Operations Manual on swing beds for Critical Access Hospitals.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Last Updated: 4/17/2025