From the AHAP Blog: Joint Commission Critical Access Hospital Accreditation program receives CMS recognition

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have granted deeming authority to The Joint Commission to accredit critical access hospitals, effective November 21, 2011.

Critical access hospitals are defined as having no more than 25 acute care beds and an annual average length of stay per patient of 96 hours. Critical access hospitals are usually more than 35 miles from another hospital, and receive cost-based reimbursement from Medicare.

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