Mr. Rasmussen said the critical access hospital designation has reduced the financial vulnerability of rural hospitals and improved quality, while also improving access to healthcare by protecting essential services for rural communities. He said it also supports local economies, pointing to the fact that local hospitals are the largest employer for most of Montana’s frontier towns.
He spotlighted Medicare’s rural hospital flexibility program that is included in the critical access hospital program. The Montana Hospital Association manages the state’s program with the state. In this role, the association has established operational support to stabilize rural hospital finances and integrate emergency medical services into existing health systems. Mr. Rasmussen said this work has allowed his organizations to build a team of subject matter experts to assist participating hospitals with quality improvement, data collection and reporting to meet federal and state requirements.
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