Critical access hospitals face uphill battle: 6 things to know

Becker's Healthcare December 20, 2024
Madeline Ashley

A Dec. 20 study published in JAMA from researchers at Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University and Providence, R.I.-based Brown University has shed light on financial disparities between critical access hospitals and larger acute care hospitals.

The study looked at 2016 to 2022 financial data from more than 4,500 hospitals in the U.S., and provides financial health CAH insights and the impact that system affiliation has on their performance.

Here are six things to know:

1. Critical access hospitals are defined as having 25 or fewer beds in areas that are geographically isolated. While they play an essential role in rural healthcare, they often struggle financially compared to non-CAHs.

2. The study found that independent CAHs saw overall average operating margins...

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