Critical Access is a hospital designation given to eligible rural hospitals by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Surviving health care reform is a significant challenge for the 91 Critical Access Hospitals in Texas. Several CAHs nationwide have had to close their doors in recent years due to the changing health care environment, and the survival of these facilities will depend highly on their ability to improve quality outcomes. The Texas Hospital Association Foundation’s CAHQI initiative works in partnership with the Texas A&M Health Science Center Rural and Community Health Institute and is funded by the Texas Department of Agriculture’s State Office of Rural Health.
Current Learning Opportunities (open only to CAH designated hospitals in Texas):
Join us for our Frontline First Webinar Series!
This series of 4 webinars will take place each Tuesday beginning July 29, 2025. Webinars will be at 12 noon providing a great opportunity to grab some lunch and join us for a quick learning opportunity. The topics of each webinar with a brief description will be posted as soon as they are available. An application for CEs is pending.
Zoom Registration: HERE
End of Year Wrap Up CAHQI Webinar!
Zoom Registration: HERE
The 2025 CNO BOOTCAMP REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!!
2-Day In-Person Event
July 31 – August 1, 2025
Texas Hospital Association
Conference Room
1108 Lavaca, Suite 700
Austin, TX 78701
Complete the Adobe Form HERE
Join us for our 2025 Critical Access Hospital nurse leader workshop!! Once again we will meet in Austin for two full days of amazing learning with Joyce Batcheller. Whether you are a seasoned nursing leader, new to the role, or in the process of succession planning you will walk away from this workshop with pearls of wisdom that will assist you in professional growth and development.
CNE application is pending for this event.
Agenda coming soon.
Please direct any questions or special dietary needs to Sheila Dolbow at [email protected]
Thank you to all who attended our 2025 Quality Improvement Bootcamps and Nursing Documentation Workshops. Resources will be posted soon!
Previously recorded learning opportunities:
Core MBQIP Measures Webinar Recording
June 17, 2025 Recording HERE (opens in YouTube). PPT Presentation HERE
Policy and Procedure Virtual Learning Series
Quality Infrastructure Survey Report Review Webinar Recording
You rocked getting your infrastructure survey completed!! Now it is time to see how we stand. Join us as we go over the Texas report and discuss where we go from here. Recording HERE (opens in YouTube). PDF presentation HERE.
Understanding Changes to MBQIP – Meeting Series
Understanding Changes to MBQIP – Meeting Series
Series of meetings to discuss all upcoming changes for 2025 MBQIP reporting
June 18, 2024 – Series Kick-off: Click here to watch the video. Presentation: HERE
July 2, 2024 – Quality Improvement Infrastructure: Click here to watch the video. Presentation: HERE
July 16, 2024 – Hospital Commitment to Health Equity: Click here to watch the video. Presentation: HERE
July 30, 2024 – Hybrid All-Cause Readmissions: Click here to watch the video. Presentation: HERE
August 13, 2024 – Screening for Social Determinants of Health: Click here to watch the video. Presentation: HERE
August 27, 2024 – New Core Measures: Click here to watch the video. Presentation: HERE
Frontline First Webinar Series
Frontline First Webinar Series for Critical Access Hospitals
Join us for our Frontline First Webinar Series!
This series of 5 webinars took place each Wednesday beginning July 24, 2024. Webinars will be at 12 noon providing a great opportunity to grab some lunch and join us for a quick learning opportunity. The topics of each webinar with a brief description are listed below. An application for nursing CNEs is pending.
- July 24 – Social Determinants of Health / Health Literacy – Let’s talk about social determinants of health common to the rural community, how you can identify them, and how we can make a difference! Click here to watch the video. Presentation HERE
- July 31 – Quality Improvement (It Takes a Village) – Quality improvement is EVERYONE’s job! Here we will cover the basics of quality improvement, the vital role that frontline staff play in the success of quality improvement activities, and how you can make a difference in your own organization. Click here to watch the video. Presentation HERE
- Aug. 7th – Healthcare Mistakes and Their Impact – It is important in healthcare to recognize issues before mistakes happen. But what about when they do? We will discuss the impact of healthcare mistakes on your organization and your community and things you can do to help reduce the risk of patient harm events in your organization. Click here to watch the video. Presentation HERE
- Aug. 14 – Trauma Informed Care – It’s about taking care of the whole patient! We will provide information on what trauma informed care is and how it can impact not only patient outcomes but staff as well. Click here to watch the video. Presentation HERE
- Aug. 21 – Workplace Violence – With new legislation taking effect September 1, 2024 it is important that staff understand their role in reducing violence in the workplace. Click here to watch the video. Presentation HERE
Further Reading:
THA’s Comments on CMS Proposed Rule on Conditions of Participation (CoP) for Rural Emergency Hospitals and Critical Access Hospital CoP Updates
Interested in other opportunities and resources from the THAF QPS Programs? Click HERE for more information.
Additional CAHQI Resources:
- BOOTCAMP Resources: Check out the presentations from our 2024 Bootcamp.
- CNO Bootcamp Resources: This annual activity has been designed to meet the educational and training needs of nurses who have transitioned into executive and senior leadership roles in critical access and rural hospital settings. 2024 Day 1 Presentation HERE. Day 2 Presentation HERE.
- CNO Bootcamp Resources 2023: HERE
And be sure to save the dates July 31, 2025 – August 1, 2025 to come to the THA offices in Austin for the 2025 CNO Bootcamp. Check back for registration and further detail in the coming months.
- RQITA Resource Center Learn more about the Rural Quality Improvement Technical Assistance program and find various resources for Patient Safety measures and Quality Improvement specifically for rural healthcare organizations. This external link is provided by our partner Telligen located HERE
- Readmissions: This quality improvement resource is intended to be used by critical access hospital personnel involved in MBQIP and State Flex personnel: RQITA Resource: Hybrid Hospital-Wide Readmission Data Submission Guide Released June 2024, version 1.0
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number H54RH26521, Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant Program, $901,523 (0% financed with nongovernmental sources). This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.