Critical Access Hospital, what is it?
A Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) are small, rural hospitals to ensure essential healthcare access, focusing on emergency and acute care with limited beds (max 25), short stays (avg. 96 hrs or less). CAHs must be rural, often >35 miles from another hospital, offer 24/7 emergency services, and provide core acute care, referring complex cases to larger facilities.
Some of the servies a Critical Access hospital can bring to the community include:
- New primary care clinic with behavioral health and possible dental services.
- 24/7 Emergency room access. Staffed with doctors, physican assistants, and nurse practiciners.
- Full laboratory with blood bank services
- Imaging: x-ray, ultrasound, CT, traveling MRI, and mammograms
- Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy.
- Cardiac Rehab services
- Wound care
- Retail pharmacy
- Infusion services
- Colonoscopies
- Pain management
- Obervation, inpatient and swing bed servies
- Rehabilitation, long term care, and hospices services
- Bring 70 - 80 jobs to the community!