Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs).
What Does It Mean to Be a Rural Emergency Hospital? Hear This Kansas CEO's Journey to An REH
Recording of a February 8, 2024, webinar discussing the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) program. Provides an overview of the REH designation, policy and regulatory requirements, REH Technical Assistance Center (TAC) services, and REH conversion timeline. Features a discussion with Jeff Bowman, Chief Executive Officer of South Central Kansas Medical Center, regarding the facility's conversion to REH status.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Recording of a February 8, 2024, webinar discussing the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) program. Provides an overview of the REH designation, policy and regulatory requirements, REH Technical Assistance Center (TAC) services, and REH conversion timeline. Features a discussion with Jeff Bowman, Chief Executive Officer of South Central Kansas Medical Center, regarding the facility's conversion to REH status.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Unrelenting Pressure Pushes Rural Safety Net Crisis Into Uncharted Territory
Examines financial and operational metrics for rural hospitals. Discusses the growth of Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment in rural communities between 2019 and 2023, the impact of MA on rural hospital reimbursement, how the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation can provide a path forward for some rural facilities, and the discontinuation of obstetrics and chemotherapy services at rural hospitals since 2011. Includes the percentage of rural hospitals in each state vulnerable to closure and nine factors significantly associated with rural hospital vulnerability.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Examines financial and operational metrics for rural hospitals. Discusses the growth of Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment in rural communities between 2019 and 2023, the impact of MA on rural hospital reimbursement, how the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation can provide a path forward for some rural facilities, and the discontinuation of obstetrics and chemotherapy services at rural hospitals since 2011. Includes the percentage of rural hospitals in each state vulnerable to closure and nine factors significantly associated with rural hospital vulnerability.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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The Evolution of Rural Emergency Hospitals as a New Model of Care
Podcast episode with Laura Appel, executive vice president of the Michigan Health and Hospital Association, and Christina Campos, CEO at Guadalupe County Hospital. Discusses the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation, the conversion process, meeting eligibility requirements, and the benefit of REHs to rural patients and communities.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Podcast episode with Laura Appel, executive vice president of the Michigan Health and Hospital Association, and Christina Campos, CEO at Guadalupe County Hospital. Discusses the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation, the conversion process, meeting eligibility requirements, and the benefit of REHs to rural patients and communities.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Rural Emergency Hospital Conversion and Technical Assistance Webinar
Recording of a November 2, 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. Presentation slides include links to resources and templates. Transcript available in the video description.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Recording of a November 2, 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. Presentation slides include links to resources and templates. Transcript available in the video description.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Early Learnings From the Rural Health Redesign Center and its Rural Emergency Hospital Technical Assistance Center
Provides a brief overview of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation and the Rural Health Redesign Center's Rural Emergency Hospital Technical Assistance Center (REH-TAC). Describes the characteristics of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals that have explored REH conversion and have sought technical assistance from REH-TAC. Includes data on net patient revenue, operating income, margins, annualized 340B revenue, and more, by hospital type. Highlights common concerns raised by hospitals exploring REH conversion.
Date: 10/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Provides a brief overview of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation and the Rural Health Redesign Center's Rural Emergency Hospital Technical Assistance Center (REH-TAC). Describes the characteristics of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals that have explored REH conversion and have sought technical assistance from REH-TAC. Includes data on net patient revenue, operating income, margins, annualized 340B revenue, and more, by hospital type. Highlights common concerns raised by hospitals exploring REH conversion.
Date: 10/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Rural Emergency Hospitals: Legislative and Regulatory Considerations for States
Provides an overview of the Rural Emergency Hospital designation, including licensure and federal requirements for the designation that states must consider before pursuing legislation for REH licensure. Presents a table comparing how 14 states addressed these considerations. Offers legislation to assist states that want to pursue the model.
Additional links: Guide to Legislative and Regulatory Considerations for States
Author(s): Vicki Veltri, Rebekah Falkner
Date: 08/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Provides an overview of the Rural Emergency Hospital designation, including licensure and federal requirements for the designation that states must consider before pursuing legislation for REH licensure. Presents a table comparing how 14 states addressed these considerations. Offers legislation to assist states that want to pursue the model.
Additional links: Guide to Legislative and Regulatory Considerations for States
Author(s): Vicki Veltri, Rebekah Falkner
Date: 08/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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The Benefits and Challenges of Converting to a Rural Emergency Hospital
Podcast episode with Anson General Hospital's Chief Executive Office and Chief Nursing Officer regarding the hospital's transition to a Rural Emergency Hospital. Discusses changes to services offered, financial and operational impacts of the conversion, and what the local patient population thinks about the transition.
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Podcast episode with Anson General Hospital's Chief Executive Office and Chief Nursing Officer regarding the hospital's transition to a Rural Emergency Hospital. Discusses changes to services offered, financial and operational impacts of the conversion, and what the local patient population thinks about the transition.
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Rural Hospitals and the New Rural Emergency Hospital Designation
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Janice Walters, Chief Operating Officer for the Rural Health Redesign Center, home of the Rural Emergency Hospital Technical Assistance Center. Offers an overview of Medicare's Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation, which became available on January 1, 2023.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Janice Walters, Chief Operating Officer for the Rural Health Redesign Center, home of the Rural Emergency Hospital Technical Assistance Center. Offers an overview of Medicare's Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation, which became available on January 1, 2023.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Big Changes with the New Rural Emergency Hospital Model
Podcast episode providing an overview of the Rural Emergency Hospital designation. Discusses the role of the Rural Emergency Hospital Technical Assistance Center and the types of support it provides.
Date: 04/2023
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Podcast episode providing an overview of the Rural Emergency Hospital designation. Discusses the role of the Rural Emergency Hospital Technical Assistance Center and the types of support it provides.
Date: 04/2023
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Rural Emergency Hospital Requirements: CMS Emergency Preparedness Final Rule
Provides a reference source for Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) 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 REH Conditions of Participation regarding emergency preparedness, as well as CMS interpretive guidelines for 17 other provider types. Covers the development of an emergency plan, related policies and procedures, communications, training, and more.
Date: 03/2023
Sponsoring organization: Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response
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Provides a reference source for Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) 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 REH Conditions of Participation regarding emergency preparedness, as well as CMS interpretive guidelines for 17 other provider types. Covers the development of an emergency plan, related policies and procedures, communications, training, and more.
Date: 03/2023
Sponsoring organization: Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response
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Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:
Last Updated: 1/16/2026