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 87 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 CAH-QI 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.
Educational Resources for Texas Critical Access Hospitals:
Critical Access Hospital Quality Improvement Bootcamps
BOOTCAMPS are conducted annually and are designed to meet the educational needs of nurses, quality leaders, and infection prevention staff in critical access hospitals across Texas.
Funding is provided by the State Office of Rural Health Flex Program.
Check out our previous offerings below and stay tuned for registration details for 2024 Bootcamps!
CAH Bootcamp 2023: Basics of Quality Improvement, MBQIP, Business Plan Development, Healthcare Disparities, Workplace Violence, Staff Engagement, RCA Interviews
CAH Bootcamp 2022: Culture of Safety & Human Factors Handouts, Ins and Outs of Root Cause Analysis (RCA) Case Study, Infection Prevention
Critical Access Hospital Quality Improvement Program CNO/Nurse Leader Bootcamps
CNO NURSE LEADER BOOTCAMPS: A new educational program which started in 2023 and is designed to meet the educational needs of nurses who have taken on the role of Chief Nursing Officer within the critical access / rural hospital setting.
CNO Bootcamp 2023: Recipe for a Successful Transition, Building a High Performing Team, Workforce Issues, Managing Resources
Our inaugral CNO Leader Bootcamp was so popular we look forward to bringing more educational offerings for 2024.
Additional CAH-QI Resources:
FRONTLINE FIRST: Education series designed to meet the educational needs of frontline staff in critical access hospitals across Texas. Brought to you by THAF and AXIS Medical Education
ABX Resources: Check out the resources compiled during our 2022-2023 ABX Stewardship Workgroup where we covered the latest updates and guidance for reporting NHSN Core Elements as well as how to prepare for the upcoming AUR reporting. Critical Access Hospitals across Texas stay committed and engaged with the Antibiotic Stewardship program and participation rose from 2021 – 2022 by 8.2% and bring continuous improvement to the metric “Meeting All Elements”?
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.
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.