
Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) are located in rural areas across 45 states in the US. They provide short-term hospital stays for severe injuries, illnesses, and urgent medical conditions, as well as rehabilitation services. CAHs help preserve local health services and the unique qualities of small towns. Wisconsin is one of the states that has CAHs, with hospitals such as Aspirus Medford Hospital & Clinics Inc. and Essentia Health St. Mary’s Hospital providing critical access.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Critical Access Hospitals in Wisconsin | 6 |
| Examples | Aspirus Medford Hospital & Clinics Inc., Essentia Health St. Mary's Hospital, Gundersen St. Joseph's Health Services |
| Location | Rural areas |
| Services | Emergency care, short-term care for illnesses, rehabilitation resources |
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What You'll Learn

Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) are located in 45 states
Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) are typically located in rural areas and provide essential healthcare services to people living in these regions. They offer short-term hospital stays for severe injuries, illnesses, urgent medical conditions, and post-surgical recovery. CAHs play a vital role in preserving local health services and the unique characteristics of small towns.
As of 2023, there are Critical Access Hospitals in 45 states across the United States, with the Flex Monitoring team tracking and updating their locations regularly. These hospitals are recognised by the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), which annually honours the top 20 CAHs in the country. The winners are chosen based on the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX™.
Wisconsin is one of the states with Critical Access Hospitals. Some examples of CAHs in Wisconsin include Lafayette Hospital + Clinics in Darlington and Aspirus Lake View Hospital in Two Harbors. These hospitals provide emergency care, short-term illness care, and assistance with rehabilitation and other care services after hospitalization.
Other notable CAHs across the nation include:
- Bitterroot Health – Daly Hospital, Hamilton, Montana
- Boone County Health Center, Albion, Nebraska
- Carroll County Memorial Hospital, Carrollton, Missouri
- Cass Health, Atlantic, Iowa
- Kiowa District Healthcare, Kiowa, Kansas
- Lady of the Sea General Hospital, Cut Off, Louisiana
- Lane County Hospital, Dighton, Kansas
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CAHs provide short-term care for severe injuries or illnesses
Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) are located in 45 states across the US, including Wisconsin. They are often situated in rural areas, providing essential healthcare services to communities that might otherwise have to travel long distances to receive treatment. CAHs preserve local health services and the unique qualities of small towns. They provide short-term care for severe injuries or illnesses, urgent medical conditions, and post-surgery recovery. CAHs also offer emergency care and rehabilitation resources.
CAHs are recognised annually by the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), which releases a list of the top 20 CAHs in the country. The winners are determined by the Chartis Center for Rural Health, based on the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX™. The list includes hospitals from Wisconsin, such as the Lafayette Hospital + Clinics in Darlington.
Other top-performing CAHs across the US include:
- Avera Hand County Memorial Hospital and Clinic, Miller, SD
- Barrett Hospital & HealthCare, Dillon, MT
- Beatrice Community Hospital, Beatrice, NE
- Bitterroot Health – Daly Hospital, Hamilton, MT
- Boone County Health Center, Albion, NE
- Carroll County Memorial Hospital, Carrollton, MO
CAHs play a crucial role in delivering healthcare services to rural communities, ensuring that residents have access to timely and local medical care for short-term illnesses and injuries. They bridge the gap between urban and rural healthcare, providing essential support to those in need, regardless of their location.
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CAHs provide urgent medical care
Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) are an essential part of the healthcare system in the United States, providing urgent medical care to people living in rural areas. As of January 2018, there were 1,343 certified CAHs spread across 45 states, with Wisconsin being home to many of them. These hospitals play a crucial role in ensuring that residents in remote locations have timely access to emergency care and other essential medical services.
CAHs are required to adhere to specific federal guidelines to receive federal funding and maintain their certification. One of the key requirements is that they must offer 24/7 emergency care services with a physician on-call available to be on-site within 60 minutes. This ensures that patients in rural areas can receive prompt medical attention, even in critical situations. CAHs must also maintain a maximum of 25 inpatient beds and ensure that the average duration of hospital stays is under 96 hours, promoting efficient patient turnover.
These hospitals are equipped to handle a range of medical needs, including emergency care, short-term illnesses, and rehabilitation services. They are required to have all the necessary equipment and medications for essential medical treatment and have agreements with larger hospitals for patient transfers when further specialised care is required. CAHs also have more flexibility in staffing requirements, allowing them to adapt to the unique challenges of providing healthcare in rural areas. For instance, at any given time, a CAH must have either a Registered Nurse or a Licensed Practical Nurse on site.
The quality of care in CAHs is carefully monitored through initiatives such as the National Rural Health Resource Center's Population Health Toolkit, which utilises Hospital Compare, Medicare data, and Census data to assess and improve the performance of these hospitals. Additionally, CAHs are required to collect and report quality data, which is used to measure and evaluate the outcomes of quality improvement projects. This data-driven approach helps ensure that patients in rural areas receive safe and effective care.
In Wisconsin, CAHs are regulated by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, which oversees fire safety, transplant programs, and other critical aspects of hospital operations. The department also provides resources and guidance to CAHs, ensuring that they can effectively serve the urgent medical needs of their communities. Overall, CAHs play a vital role in bridging the gap between emergency medical care and rural communities, providing timely and accessible healthcare services to those who need it most.
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CAHs are often located in rural areas
Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) are often located in rural areas. They provide essential medical services to people living in these areas, who might otherwise have limited access to healthcare. CAHs offer a range of services, including emergency care, treatment for short-term illnesses, and rehabilitation support.
CAHs are specifically designed to meet the unique needs of rural communities. They are typically smaller hospitals that serve areas where other healthcare facilities may not be easily accessible. By providing essential services locally, CAHs ensure that rural residents can receive timely and convenient medical care without having to travel long distances.
In recognition of their vital role, the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) annually honours the top 20 CAHs in the country. This award acknowledges the dedication and excellence of these hospitals in delivering quality healthcare to rural communities. The winners are determined by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, utilising their Rural Hospital Performance INDEX™.
CAHs are spread across 45 states in the U.S., and their locations are tracked and regularly updated by the Flex Monitoring team. This team utilises data from CMS reports, state Flex Coordinators, and the North Carolina Rural Health Research Program to ensure accurate and current information on CAH locations.
In Wisconsin, the Lafayette Hospital + Clinics in Darlington is recognised as a top CAH by the NRHA. This hospital, along with other CAHs across the state, plays a crucial role in ensuring that residents in rural Wisconsin have access to the healthcare services they need.
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The National Rural Health Association recognizes the Top 20 CAHs
Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) are located across 45 states in the US, providing care to people living in rural areas. The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) is a national nonprofit membership organization that brings together thousands of members across the United States. The association recognizes the Top 20 Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) from a list of the Top 100 CAHs as determined by The Chartis Center for Rural Health. The Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX™ is the most comprehensive and objective assessment of U.S. hospitals. The top 20 CAHs in the country are honored annually on the final day of NRHA's Critical Access Hospital Conference.
The Chartis Center for Rural Health also recognizes the Top 100 CAH and Top 100 Rural Community Hospital honorees. The Top 20 Rural and Community Hospitals are chosen from this list of 100 honorees. The winners are honored annually during a luncheon at NRHA's Annual Rural Health Conference and Rural Hospital Innovation Summit.
The Top 20 CAHs are chosen based on their success in quality and patient satisfaction categories. The winners have achieved success in providing emergency care, care for short-term illnesses, and help for people who need resources for rehabilitation or other care services after hospitalization.
The following is a list of hospitals recognized by the NRHA as Top 20 CAHs:
- 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
- Coteau des Prairies Health Care System - Sisseton, South Dakota
- Henderson Health Care Services - Henderson, Nebraska
- Kiowa District Healthcare - Kiowa, Kansas
- Lady of the Sea General Hospital - Cut Off, Louisiana
- Lane County Hospital - Dighton, Kansas
- McCone County Health Center - Circle, Montana
- Mercy Hospital Healdton - Healdton, Oklahoma
- Mercy Hospital Kingfisher - Kingfisher, Oklahoma
- Mercy Hospital Logan County - Guthrie, Oklahoma
- Mercy Hospital Tishomingo - Tishomingo, Oklahoma
- Molokai General Hospital - Kaunakakai, Hawaii
- Myrtue Medical Center - Harlan, Iowa
- Palacios Community Medical Center - Palacios, Texas
- Pembina County Memorial Hospital - Cavalier, North Dakota
- Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital - Kapaa, Hawaii
- Sanford Hillsboro - Hillsboro, North Dakota
- SMP Health - Saint Aloisius - Harvey, North Dakota
- Tioga Medical Center - Tioga, North Dakota
- Aspirus Lake View Hospital - Two Harbors, Minnesota
- Avera Dells Area Hospital - Dell Rapids, South Dakota
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Frequently asked questions
There are at least six critical access hospitals in Wisconsin. These include Aspirus Medford Hospital & Clinics Inc., Essentia Health St. Mary's Hospital, Gundersen St. Joseph's Health Services, HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital, Richland Hospital, and St. Croix Regional Medical Center.
Critical access hospitals (CAHs) are located in rural areas and provide short-term hospital stays for severe injuries, illnesses, or urgent medical conditions. They also help patients recovering from surgery and provide rehabilitation resources. CAHs help preserve local health services and the unique qualities of small towns.
Critical access hospitals are located in 45 states across the United States. The Flex Monitoring Team tracks and regularly updates the locations of CAHs.


















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