Critical Access Hospital (CAH) resources related to rural health and human services, with information provided by the Rural Assistance Center Copyright 2008 Rural Assistance Center http://www.raconline.org/info_guides/hospitals/cah.php http://virtualrad.com/page/vRad_webinars.jsp Wed, 14 May 2008 12:58:17 CST http://virtualrad.com/page/vRad_webinars.jsp Grants to develop and implement patient navigator programs. -- Health Resources and Services Administration http://www.raconline.org/funding/funding_details.php?funding_id=1904 Fri, 09 May 2008 08:45:40 CST http://www.raconline.org/funding/funding_details.php?funding_id=1904 AHN, (CA) article reports that a professor of bioengineering at the University of California, Berkeley and his colleagues have developed a portable medical scanner that can be plugged into a cellular phone, which transmits raw ultrasound or X-ray scanning data to a remote computer processor. http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7010814416 Thu, 01 May 2008 10:05:24 CST http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7010814416 The American Hospital Association (AHA), with the strong support of its Section for Small or Rural Hospitals governing council, has crafted an advocacy agenda to advance several bills that support small and rural PPS and critical access hospitals (CAH). http://www.ahanews.com/ahanews_app/jsp/display.jsp?dcrpath=AHANEWS/AHANewsArticle/data/AHA_News_080428_Issues_affecting&domain=AHANEWS Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:40:57 CST http://www.ahanews.com/ahanews_app/jsp/display.jsp?dcrpath=AHANEWS/AHANewsArticle/data/AHA_News_080428_Issues_affecting&domain=AHANEWS The next Rural Health Open Door Forum has been rescheduled for Wednesday, May 21, 2008 at 2:00 pm Eastern time. http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=8548 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:42:42 CST http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=8548 On February 29, 2008, HHS published a notice of proposed rulemaking, "Designation of Medically Underserved Populations and Health Professional Shortage Areas" (73 FR 11232), to revise and consolidate the criteria and processes for designating medically underserved populations (MUPs) and health professional shortage areas (HPSAs). HHS provided a 60-day public comment period, with written comments to be received on or before April 29, 2008. HHS and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have received requests for an extension of the comment period. In consideration of these requests, HHS is extending the comment period an additional 30 days, with a new closing date of May 29, 2008. http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/08-1167.htm Mon, 21 Apr 2008 09:45:16 CST http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/08-1167.htm The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has announced that they are extending the comment period for the Proposed Rule: Designation of Medically Underserved Populations and Health Professional Shortage Areas, with a new closing date of May 29, 2008. http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/shortage/ Mon, 21 Apr 2008 09:43:20 CST http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/shortage/ Reports on rural communities that replace aging hospital facilities with new Critical Access Hospitals. Covers impact of new facilities on local use of services, quality and performance improvement, and financial performance. http://www.stroudwater.biz/pages/cubes/2007CAHstudy_final_RC_1-28-08.pdf Mon, 07 Apr 2008 09:54:11 CST http://www.stroudwater.biz/pages/cubes/2007CAHstudy_final_RC_1-28-08.pdf East Peoria IL June 10, 2008 -- Wipfli LLP http://www.wipfli.com/Wipfli/Events/2008_CAH_IL.htm Tue, 01 Apr 2008 21:19:32 CST http://www.wipfli.com/Wipfli/Events/2008_CAH_IL.htm The evaluation project will continue to assess the effectiveness of implementing the grant program in States and in rural communities and to provide recommendations for increasing the impact of the program to improve healthcare in rural America. -- Office of Rural Health Policy http://www.raconline.org/funding/funding_details.php?funding_id=1864 Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:16:30 CST http://www.raconline.org/funding/funding_details.php?funding_id=1864 Indicates that Critical Access Hospitals continue to be actively involved in a wide range of quality improvement initiatives, with patient safety and medication safety in particular as major areas of focus. -- Flex Monitoring Team http://www.flexmonitoring.org/documents/BriefingPaper18_QualityReport2007.pdf Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:19:23 CST http://www.flexmonitoring.org/documents/BriefingPaper18_QualityReport2007.pdf Details findings from a survey of 60 critical access hospital (CAH) administrators regarding their experiences with Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. -- NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis http://www.norc.org/NR/rdonlyres/C13E42BB-18F6-4F5F-8CC7-86E27F64B0D0/0/CAH_Experiences_with_MA_Plans_200803.pdf Mon, 17 Mar 2008 11:34:16 CST http://www.norc.org/NR/rdonlyres/C13E42BB-18F6-4F5F-8CC7-86E27F64B0D0/0/CAH_Experiences_with_MA_Plans_200803.pdf State-level reports on the financial condition and performance of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). -- Flex Monitoring Team http://www.flexmonitoring.org/indicators.shtml Mon, 11 Feb 2008 09:25:25 CST http://www.flexmonitoring.org/indicators.shtml Funding for Iowa Critical Access Hospitals interested in sending their on-site staff to national out-of-state conferences. -- Iowa Department of Public Health http://www.raconline.org/funding/funding_details.php?funding_id=1819 Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:16:36 CST http://www.raconline.org/funding/funding_details.php?funding_id=1819 Lists distance and web-based educational resources for rural hospitals. -- Rural Health Resource Center http://ruralcenter.org/?id=rhe Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:45:34 CST http://ruralcenter.org/?id=rhe Lists Medicaid payment information for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) by state, in an Excel spreadsheet format. -- Rural Health Resource Center Technical Assistance and Services Center http://www.ruralcenter.org/tasc/documents/Medicaid%20Treatment%20of%20CAHs%20by%20State%2012_20_07.xls Wed, 02 Jan 2008 10:24:58 CST http://www.ruralcenter.org/tasc/documents/Medicaid%20Treatment%20of%20CAHs%20by%20State%2012_20_07.xls Savannah GA October 15, 2008 -- National Rural Health Association http://eseries.nrharural.org/source/Meetings/cMeetingFunctionDetail.cfm?section=unknown&product_major=CAH08&functionstartdisplayrow=1 Mon, 03 Dec 2007 10:25:58 CST http://eseries.nrharural.org/source/Meetings/cMeetingFunctionDetail.cfm?section=unknown&product_major=CAH08&functionstartdisplayrow=1 Addresses changes to the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and CY 2008 Payment Rates, the Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System and CY 2008 Payment Rates, the Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and FY 2008 Payment Rates. Describes changes relating to the necessary provider designations of critical access hospitals (CAHs) and to the conditions of participation requirements. Also addresses changes to graduate medical education (GME) payments made to teaching hospitals that have Medicare affiliation agreements for certain emergency situations. -- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/07-5507.htm Thu, 29 Nov 2007 13:35:54 CST http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/07-5507.htm Supports public participation in the Federal decision-making process by allowing users to view and submit comments on proposed and final regulations. http://www.regulations.gov Mon, 05 Nov 2007 12:09:36 CST http://www.regulations.gov Provides information on a series of CMS forums addressing rural health issues. Covers Rural Health Clinic (RHC), Community Access Hospital (CAH) and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) issues, as well as some inclusion of other questions and concerns that occur in clinical practice pertaining to other CMS payment systems that also extend into these settings. Includes call-in instructions for the next call and how to register for the mailing list. -- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/24_ODF_RuralHealth.asp Mon, 05 Nov 2007 11:50:11 CST http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/24_ODF_RuralHealth.asp Promotes leadership, ideas, information, communication, education, research, advocacy, and methods to improve rural health. Composed of individual and organizational members who share a common interest in rural health. http://www.nrharural.org/ Mon, 22 Oct 2007 09:55:45 CST http://www.nrharural.org/ National Rural Health Association subgroup focused on hospitals and community systems. http://www.nrharural.org/members/sub/CGs.html Mon, 22 Oct 2007 09:54:58 CST http://www.nrharural.org/members/sub/CGs.html Presents 20 financial indicators for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Includes state and national medians for indicators addressing profitability, liquidity, capital structure, revenue, cost, and utilization. -- Flex Monitoring Team http://www.flexmonitoring.org/documents/DataSummaryReportNo3_Aug07.pdf Mon, 22 Oct 2007 09:44:19 CST http://www.flexmonitoring.org/documents/DataSummaryReportNo3_Aug07.pdf Revises the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs. Implementscertain provisions made by the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (Pub. L. 109171), the Medicare Improvements and Extension Act under Division B, Title I of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of2006 (Pub. L. 109432), and the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act (Pub. L. 109417). In the Addendum to this final rule with comment period, describes changes to the amounts and factors used to determine the rates for Medicare hospital inpatient services for operating costs and capital-related costs. -- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/07-3820.pdf Wed, 19 Sep 2007 13:07:43 CST http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/07-3820.pdf September 7, 2007 letter from CMS to State Survey Agency Directors. Explains the criteria to determine whether a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) applicant satisfies the regulatory requirement. Explains the criteria to determine whether aCAH with a necessary provider designation remains essentially the same provider, serving the same service area after relocation. Supersedes the November 14, 2005 guidance on this topic. -- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services http://www.cms.hhs.gov/SurveyCertificationGenInfo/downloads/SCLetter07-35.pdf Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:15:36 CST http://www.cms.hhs.gov/SurveyCertificationGenInfo/downloads/SCLetter07-35.pdf Medicare rural billing charts for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Provides information on where to submit claims for different services. -- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/RuralChart.pdf Mon, 13 Aug 2007 09:51:56 CST http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/RuralChart.pdf Policy brief examining second yearparticipation and quality measure results forCritical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in theCenters for Medicare and MedicaidServices (CMS) Hospital Compare publicreporting database. A full report is also available. -- Flex Monitoring Team http://www.flexmonitoring.org/documents/Policy%20Brief4.pdf Fri, 22 Jun 2007 09:26:44 CST http://www.flexmonitoring.org/documents/Policy%20Brief4.pdf Examines the second year participation and quality measure results for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare public reporting database for hospital quality measures. A policy brief is also available. -- Flex Monitoring Team http://www.flexmonitoring.org/documents/BriefingPaper16_HospitalCompare2.pdf Fri, 08 Jun 2007 10:17:13 CST http://www.flexmonitoring.org/documents/BriefingPaper16_HospitalCompare2.pdf Reports findings from a project that tested emergency department quality measures in a voluntary sample of critical access hospitals (CAHs) in Washington State. -- Flex Monitoring Team http://www.flexmonitoring.org/documents/FlexDataSummaryReport3.pdf Wed, 09 May 2007 09:18:56 CST http://www.flexmonitoring.org/documents/FlexDataSummaryReport3.pdf Provides summaries of current and completed rural health research projects and related publications addressing the topic of Critical Access Hospitals and the Rural Hospital Flexibility Program, produced by the Office of Rural Health Policy's funded rural health research centers. -- Rural Health Research Gateway http://www.ruralhealthresearch.org/topics/100000034/ Wed, 02 May 2007 13:16:58 CST http://www.ruralhealthresearch.org/topics/100000034/