HRSA project recognizes top CAH quality reporting states

The Health Resources and Services Administration yesterday recognized 10 states whose critical access hospitals had the highest quality reporting rates and performance improvement under the Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project during the past year: Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Michigan, Utah, Alabama, Nebraska, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy project uses Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program grants to help CAHs voluntarily report on certain quality measures relevant to the care they provide, share data and participate in quality improvement initiatives. Of those engaging in improvement initiatives, 72% have improved outcomes on the reported measures.

"MBQIP is part of a broader portfolio of activities within HRSA to preserve hospitals and help rural communities to continue their access to quality health care,” said HRSA Administrator George Sigounas. “Ensuring rural hospital viability is an important component of HRSA's strategic efforts on high quality and value-based care.”