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 91 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 CAHQI 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.
Current Learning Opportunities:
Quality Infrastructure Survey Report Review
Register today and gain insights on the 2024 survey results related to Quality Infrastructure
March 18, 2025 2:00 – 3:00 PM Central
Register HERE
2025 is here and our Quality Improvement Bootcamps are back! Join us for 2.5 days of education / training related to quality improvement. Registration is now live! This educational opportunity is appropriate for Quality Leaders, Infection Preventionist, Nurse Managers, Department Directors, or any frontline staff seeking to enhance understanding and knowledge of quality improvement and other leadership principles. Participants may choose the date/location that works best for them and their schedule. Facilities may send multiple participants. Light breakfast and lunch are provided each day. Full agenda will be provided once it is finalized. Application for CNE is pending.
Please go to the following link to register for Bootcamp: HERE
Upon completion of the Adobe form you may be asked to verify your email. Your completed registration form will be sent automatically. Should you have any questions or need assistance please contact Sheila Dolbow at [email protected]
Bootcamp dates and locations are as follows:
April 23 – 25, 2025 Peterson Regional Healthcare Center Classroom TBD 710 Water St, Ofc Kerrville, TX 78028
April 30 – May 2, 2025 Hendrick Hospice Care Center Classrooms 1651 Pine Street Abilene, TX 79601
Additionally,
We are bringing our Nursing Documentation Workshop on the road to coincide with our 2025 Quality Improvement Bootcamps!! Due to overwhelming response to this training we decided to make it more accessible to frontline staff and offer more than one opportunity to attend. Please join us as we discuss the good and bad of documentation and legal pitfalls that can result from poor documentation. Registration is now live! This educational opportunity is appropriate for nursing staff or any other clinician that would document in a patient record. Participants may choose the date/location that works best for them and their schedule. Facilities may send multiple participants. Light breakfast and lunch are provided. Full agenda will be provided once it is finalized. Application for CNE is pending.
A light breakfast and lunch will be provided. Participants will be receiving a copy of Strengths Finder 2.0 with an access code to complete the Clifton Strengths assessment.
Please go to the following link to register for Documentation Workshop: HERE
Upon completion of the Adobe form you may be asked to verify your email. Your completed registration form will be sent automatically. Should you have any questions or need assistance please contact Sheila Dolbow at [email protected].
Documentation Workshop dates and locations are as follows:
April 22, 2025 Peterson Regional Healthcare Center Classroom TBD 710 Water St, Ofc Kerrville, TX 78028
April 29, 2025 Hendrick Hospice Care Center Classrooms 1651 Pine Street Abilene, TX 79601
Additional Location Just Added!
May 14, 2025 West Texas A&M University Canyon, TX 79016
All days will be 9 – 5 PM Central
Previously recorded learning opportunities:
Policy and Procedure Virtual Learning Series
Understanding Changes to MBQIP – Meeting Series
Understanding Changes to MBQIP – Meeting Series
Series of meetings to discuss all upcoming changes for 2025 MBQIP reporting
June 18, 2024 – Series Kick-off: Click here to watch the video. Presentation: HERE
July 2, 2024 – Quality Improvement Infrastructure: Click here to watch the video. Presentation: HERE
July 16, 2024 – Hospital Commitment to Health Equity: Click here to watch the video. Presentation: HERE
July 30, 2024 – Hybrid All-Cause Readmissions: Click here to watch the video. Presentation: HERE
August 13, 2024 – Screening for Social Determinants of Health: Click here to watch the video. Presentation: HERE
August 27, 2024 – New Core Measures: Click here to watch the video. Presentation: HERE
Frontline First Webinar Series
Frontline First Webinar Series for Critical Access Hospitals
Join us for our Frontline First Webinar Series!
This series of 5 webinars will take place each Wednesday beginning July 24, 2024. Webinars will be at 12 noon providing a great opportunity to grab some lunch and join us for a quick learning opportunity. The topics of each webinar with a brief description are listed below. An application for nursing CNEs is pending.
- July 24 – Social Determinants of Health / Health Literacy – Let’s talk about social determinants of health common to the rural community, how you can identify them, and how we can make a difference! Click here to watch the video. Presentation HERE
- July 31 – Quality Improvement (It Takes a Village) – Quality improvement is EVERYONE’s job! Here we will cover the basics of quality improvement, the vital role that frontline staff play in the success of quality improvement activities, and how you can make a difference in your own organization. Click here to watch the video. Presentation HERE
- Aug. 7th – Healthcare Mistakes and Their Impact – It is important in healthcare to recognize issues before mistakes happen. But what about when they do? We will discuss the impact of healthcare mistakes on your organization and your community and things you can do to help reduce the risk of patient harm events in your organization. Click here to watch the video. Presentation HERE
- Aug. 14 – Trauma Informed Care – It’s about taking care of the whole patient! We will provide information on what trauma informed care is and how it can impact not only patient outcomes but staff as well. Click here to watch the video. Presentation HERE
- Aug. 21 – Workplace Violence – With new legislation taking effect September 1, 2024 it is important that staff understand their role in reducing violence in the workplace. Click here to watch the video. Presentation HERE
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.
Additional CAHQI Resources:
- BOOTCAMP Resources: Check out the presentations from our 2024 Bootcamp.
- CNO Bootcamp Resources: This annual activity has been designed to meet the educational and training needs of nurses who have transitioned into executive and senior leadership roles in critical access and rural hospital settings. 2024 Day 1 Presentation HERE. Day 2 Presentation HERE.
- CNO Bootcamp Resources 2023: HERE
And be sure to save the dates July 31, 2025 – August 1, 2025 to come to the THA offices in Austin for the 2025 CNO Bootcamp. Check back for registration and further detail in the coming months.
- RQITA Resource Center Learn more about the Rural Quality Improvement Technical Assistance program and find various resources for Patient Safety measures and Quality Improvement specifically for rural healthcare organizations. This external link is provided by our partner Telligen located HERE
- Readmissions: This quality improvement resource is intended to be used by critical access hospital personnel involved in MBQIP and State Flex personnel: RQITA Resource: Hybrid Hospital-Wide Readmission Data Submission Guide Released June 2024, version 1.0
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.