Logan Reid
Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) are an important part of the healthcare system in rural areas, and Minnesota is no exception. With more than a quarter of its residents living in rural areas, Minnesota has been working to strengthen its rural healthcare system and improve access to high-quality care. As of 2024, there were 77 rural critical access hospitals in Minnesota, supported by initiatives like the Minnesota Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program and the State Office of Rural Health (SORH). These hospitals play a crucial role in providing essential healthcare services to Minnesotans outside of urban centres, ensuring that they can access the care they need without having to travel long distances.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of critical access hospitals in Minnesota | 77 |
| Purpose | Reduce the financial vulnerability of rural hospitals and keep essential healthcare services in rural areas |
| Number of beds in a Critical Access Hospital | 25 |
| Number of rooms in Long Prairie Critical Access Hospital | 14 |
| Number of residents in Minnesota living in rural areas | More than a quarter |
| Status of healthcare in rural areas of Minnesota | Likely to have chronic conditions, report poorer health status, and have more difficulty accessing care |
| Initiatives to support Critical Access Hospitals in Minnesota | Stratis Health, in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Health Office of Rural Health and Primary Care |
| Example of a Critical Access Hospital in Minnesota | Long Prairie Hospital, part of the St. Cloud–based CentraCare Health system |
| Location of Critical Access Hospitals | Rural areas |
| Top Critical Access Hospital in Minnesota | New Ulm Medical Center in New Ulm, Minnesota |
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What You'll Learn
- Minnesota has 77 critical access hospitals
- Long Prairie Hospital is part of the CentraCare Health system
- Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) are located in 45 states
- The National Rural Health Association recognizes the Top 20 Critical Access Hospitals
- Minnesota residents in rural areas face challenges in accessing healthcare
Minnesota has 77 critical access hospitals
The State Office of Rural Health (SORH) in Minnesota promotes access to quality healthcare for all residents. They work with policymakers, providers, and rural and underserved urban communities. They also collect and analyze statewide data on licensed healthcare providers and provide grant support to increase access to healthcare workforce programs.
Minnesota's critical access hospitals face the challenge of providing high-quality healthcare to rural communities while dealing with the high costs of updating or replacing aging facilities. Long Prairie Hospital in central Minnesota is an example of a critical access hospital that replaced an older facility. The new hospital, part of the St. Cloud-based CentraCare Health system, was built on a greenfield site and offers modern healthcare services to the community.
Stratis Health has been working in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Health Office of Rural Health and Primary Care to support the state's 77 critical access hospitals. They provide training and technical assistance to build capacity and promote sustainable improvement in the rural healthcare system. Their initiatives focus on improving the quality, safety, and patient experience in these hospitals.
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Long Prairie Hospital is part of the CentraCare Health system
Long Prairie Hospital is part of the St. Cloud–based CentraCare Health system. The hospital is located in central Minnesota and serves a community of roughly 3,500 people. Long Prairie Hospital is a critical access hospital, a designation designed to reduce the financial vulnerability of rural hospitals and ensure essential healthcare services in rural areas.
The construction of the hospital was a $30.8 million project that replaced an older care facility that had served the town since the 1950s. The new hospital is a 65,000-square-foot facility with 12 rooms, plus two additional rooms for new mothers. The design of the hospital sought to keep costs down while meeting the community's healthcare needs. The hospital has a 24/7 nurse line that community members can call to receive care guidance.
Long Prairie Hospital is an example of how rural communities in Minnesota are working to improve access to high-quality healthcare. More than a quarter of Minnesota residents live in rural areas and face challenges in accessing the healthcare they need. Stratis Health has been working to support Minnesota's 77 rural critical access hospitals, including Long Prairie Hospital, in ensuring that residents have access to healthcare that aligns with their community's needs.
The opening of the Long Prairie Hospital was a significant event for the community, with more than 900 people attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Hospitals play a vital role in rural communities, and the development of Long Prairie Hospital demonstrates the commitment of the CentraCare Health system to providing healthcare services to rural Minnesota.
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Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) are located in 45 states
Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) are located across 45 states in the US. These hospitals are designated to reduce the financial vulnerability of rural hospitals and keep essential healthcare services in rural areas. They are often the only healthcare option for residents in small towns or those living on farms, ranches, or reservations.
Minnesota is one such state with Critical Access Hospitals. More than a quarter of Minnesota's residents live in rural areas, and they are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions and have poorer health. They also have more difficulty accessing the healthcare they need than people in urban areas. Minnesota has 77 rural critical access hospitals.
One example of a Critical Access Hospital in Minnesota is the Long Prairie Hospital, part of the St. Cloud-based CentraCare Health system. The hospital was built to replace an older care facility that had served the town and its community since the 1950s. Another example is Aspirus Lake View Hospital in Two Harbors, Minnesota, which was recognised as a Top 20 Critical Access Hospital by the National Rural Health Association.
The Office of Rural Health and Primary Care in Minnesota works in partnership with Stratis Health to support these Critical Access Hospitals in ensuring access to high-quality healthcare that meets the needs of the community. This is achieved by providing training and technical assistance to build capacity and promote sustainable improvement in the rural healthcare system.
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The National Rural Health Association recognizes the Top 20 Critical Access Hospitals
Minnesota has 77 rural critical access hospitals, which are designed to reduce the financial vulnerability of rural hospitals and keep essential healthcare services in rural areas. The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) recognizes the Top 20 Critical Access Hospitals in the country, chosen from the Chartis Center for Rural Health's list of the top 100 Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). The Chartis Center for Rural Health assesses hospitals based on the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance Index, which evaluates eight areas of performance: inpatient market share, outpatient market share, quality, outcomes, patient perspective, cost, charge, and finance. This comprehensive evaluation ensures the credibility of the ranking.
The 2025 Top 20 CAH winners include:
- Avera Hand County Memorial Hospital and Clinic, Miller, South Dakota
- Barrett Hospital & HealthCare, Dillon, Montana
- Beatrice Community Hospital, Beatrice, Nebraska
- Bitterroot Health, Daly Hospital, Hamilton, Montana
- Boone County Health Center, Albion, Nebraska
- Carroll County Memorial Hospital, Carrollton, Missouri
- Cass Health, Atlantic, Iowa
- Central Montana Medical Center, Lewistown, Montana
- CHI St Alexius Health Carrington, Carrington, North Dakota
- Community Medical Center, Falls City, Nebraska
- Hampshire Memorial Hospital, Romney, West Virginia
- Jamestown Regional Medical Center, Jamestown, North Dakota
- Lafayette Hospital + Clinics, Darlington, Wisconsin
- Mt. San Rafael Hospital, Trinidad, Colorado
- Nemaha Valley Community Hospital, Seneca, Kansas
- New Ulm Medical Center, New Ulm, Minnesota
- Phelps Memorial Health Center, Holdrege, Nebraska
- Rio Grande Hospital, Del Norte, Colorado
- Towner County Medical Center, Cando, North Dakota
- UnityPoint Health, Jones Regional Medical Center, Anamosa, Iowa
The top 20 critical access hospitals in the country (in all categories) are honored annually on the final day of NRHA's Critical Access Hospital Conference.
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Minnesota residents in rural areas face challenges in accessing healthcare
Minnesota has 77 critical access hospitals serving the more than a quarter of the state's population that lives in rural areas. Residents in these areas face several challenges in accessing healthcare.
Firstly, rural populations are more likely to experience health disparities and lack access to key infrastructure, such as broadband internet, which is necessary for taking advantage of telehealth opportunities. They also tend to have lower educational levels and higher rates of poverty, which can impact health literacy and the ability to understand health information and instructions from healthcare providers.
Secondly, rural residents often have to travel longer distances to access healthcare services, particularly specialist care. This can be a significant burden in terms of travel time, cost, and time away from work, especially when reliable transportation services are often lacking in these areas.
Additionally, rural communities tend to have fewer healthcare providers per person, with one primary care physician serving 2,715 people in isolated rural areas compared to one physician serving 965 people in metro areas. This disparity also applies to primary care nurses. As a result, rural residents may have fewer choices when selecting a physician or accessing a healthcare facility.
The financial vulnerability of rural hospitals is also a concern, with healthcare providers weighing the high cost of updating or replacing aging facilities. However, initiatives such as the Minnesota Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program aim to support rural critical access hospitals and ensure access to high-quality healthcare that meets community needs. These programs provide training and technical assistance to build capacity and promote sustainable improvement in the rural healthcare system.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 77 critical access hospitals in Minnesota.
Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) are designated to reduce the financial vulnerability of rural hospitals and keep essential healthcare services in rural areas.
Aspirus Lake View Hospital in Two Harbors, Minnesota is an example of a critical access hospital.
U.S. residents in rural areas often have limited choices when choosing a physician or accessing a healthcare facility. The nearest hospital may be outdated and healthcare providers may struggle with the high costs of updating their facilities.
