What is a Critical Access Hospital?

Mayers Memorial Hospital District is classified as a Critical Access Hospital (CAH). What does that mean?

A CAH is a hospital certified under a different set of Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoP). These conditions vary from a regular acute care hospital.

Some of the requirements for a CAH include:

• Having no more than 25 inpatient beds
• Maintaining an average annual length of stay of no more than 96 hours for acute inpatient care
• Provide a 7 day a week, 24-hour a day emergency service
• Located in a rural area
• At least 35 miles away from another hospital

The limited stay and size of a CAH facility is meant to encourage a focus on providing care for common conditions, providing outpatient services; while referring other conditions to larger hospitals.

MMHD was certified as a CAH on November 1, 2001.  This certification allows for a cost-based reimbursement from Medicare instead of a fixed reimbursement rate.

It is estimated that one-fifth of the United States population lives in a rural area. Critical Access Hospitals offer much needed services in small areas and serve as a foundation to the healthcare delivery system. Many residents of rural areas face challenges with transportation. A CAH focuses on providing that essential care in an accessible manner.

MMHD has a service area of over 8000+ square miles.

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